1829 Half Dime - Pretty but with hairlines...

Meltdown

This came into the coin shop I visited yesterday. I liked it well enough despite the old cleaning.

Can someone help me attribute it?





Here are my shots before cropping & photobucket auto fix.

LoveMyLiberty

LM-3, R-2

MrHalfDime

Your half dime is an example of the LM-3/V2 die marriage (LM-3 from the Logan/McCloskey half dime reference, and V2 from the older Valentine reference). It is an R2, or common, die marriage. It was the third die marriage minted for the year, the first year of the Capped Bust half dimes. The most significant attribution points are the star-to-dentil placements on the obverse (UUCL), and the three pale gules on the reverse.

The first three die marriages for the Capped Bust half dimes (1829 LM-1, LM-2, and LM-3) were more or less an experiment. The shield on the reverse, on the eagle's chest, exhibits horizontal lines, called azure (representing the color blue), and six vertical stripes, called gules, according to the standards of heraldry. The six gules are each made up of three (3) parallel lines, called pales, representing the color red, while the spaces in between the gules represent the color white. On the larger denominations of this period, the gules are each comprised of three pales, so it was decided to use the same standard on the much smaller half dimes. However, in production, the three vertical pales often 'merged' into each other, becoming indistinct, and the quality of strike became a problem to the Mint. It was decided that the design was simply too small to use such finite detail, and the change was made to two pale gules, starting with the fourth die marriage for the year - LM-4. Notice on your coin that the three pales appear to be relatively distinct at the bottom, but merge into each other 1/3 of the way up, as is typical for the marriage. Finding an example of the 1829 LM-3 with distinctly separated pales is difficult, even for an otherwise common die marriage.

Meltdown

Thank you! What would you grade the details? AU possibly?

LanLord

<< <i>Your half dime is an example of the LM-3/V2 die marriage (LM-3 from the Logan/McCloskey half dime reference, and V2 from the older Valentine reference). It is an R2, or common, die marriage. It was the third die marriage minted for the year, the first year of the Capped Bust half dimes. The most significant attribution points are the star-to-dentil placements on the obverse (UUCL), and the three pale gules on the reverse.

The first three die marriages for the Capped Bust half dimes (1829 LM-1, LM-2, and LM-3) were more or less an experiment. The shield on the reverse, on the eagle's chest, exhibits horizontal lines, called azure (representing the color blue), and six vertical stripes, called gules, according to the standards of heraldry. The six gules are each made up of three (3) parallel lines, called pales, representing the color red, while the spaces in between the gules represent the color white. On the larger denominations of this period, the gules are each comprised of three pales, so it was decided to use the same standard on the much smaller half dimes. However, in production, the three vertical pales often 'merged' into each other, becoming indistinct, and the quality of strike became a problem to the Mint. It was decided that the design was simply too small to use such finite detail, and the change was made to two pale gules, starting with the fourth die marriage for the year - LM-4. Notice on your coin that the three pales appear to be relatively distinct at the bottom, but merge into each other 1/3 of the way up, as is typical for the marriage. Finding an example of the 1829 LM-3 with distinctly separated pales is difficult, even for an otherwise common die marriage. >>


This is a great explanation to a lot of features on the little jewels.

crypto79

<< <i>Your half dime is an example of the LM-3/V2 die marriage (LM-3 from the Logan/McCloskey half dime reference, and V2 from the older Valentine reference). It is an R2, or common, die marriage. It was the third die marriage minted for the year, the first year of the Capped Bust half dimes. The most significant attribution points are the star-to-dentil placements on the obverse (UUCL), and the three pale gules on the reverse.

The first three die marriages for the Capped Bust half dimes (1829 LM-1, LM-2, and LM-3) were more or less an experiment. The shield on the reverse, on the eagle's chest, exhibits horizontal lines, called azure (representing the color blue), and six vertical stripes, called gules, according to the standards of heraldry. The six gules are each made up of three (3) parallel lines, called pales, representing the color red, while the spaces in between the gules represent the color white. On the larger denominations of this period, the gules are each comprised of three pales, so it was decided to use the same standard on the much smaller half dimes. However, in production, the three vertical pales often 'merged' into each other, becoming indistinct, and the quality of strike became a problem to the Mint. It was decided that the design was simply too small to use such finite detail, and the change was made to two pale gules, starting with the fourth die marriage for the year - LM-4. Notice on your coin that the three pales appear to be relatively distinct at the bottom, but merge into each other 1/3 of the way up, as is typical for the marriage. Finding an example of the 1829 LM-3 with distinctly separated pales is difficult, even for an otherwise common die marriage. >>




I love it when I learn something around here.

BillJones

<< <i>AU possibly? >>



No, the reverse has tell-tale hairlines all over it, and would come back in a "genuine" holder if you sent it in for grading. It's a decent coin, but whoever messed with it to made it a "white" coin that make it a "not grade" if you send it in to a first class TPG.

jom

<< <i>

<< <i>AU possibly? >>



No, the reverse has tell-tale hairlines all over it, and would come back in a "genuine" holder if you sent it in for grading. It's a decent coin, but whoever messed with it to made it a "white" coin that make it a "not grade" if you send it in to a first class TPG. >>



Maybe but I've seen some like this that make it into "graded" holders at PCGS and NGC. Even some real "scrub a dub dubs" if you know what I mean.

jom

Analyst

Mr. Half Dime, Your explanation is certainly impressive. I found it to be interesting.

Jom: <<Maybe but I've seen some like this that make it into "graded" holders at PCGS and NGC. Even some real "scrub a dub dubs" if you know what I mean.>>

I am not exactly sure what Jom means. I have, though, seen coins that have been moderately cleaned and dipped in PCGS holders. I do not think that a determination should be made from the pictures in the initial post to this thread. It would be best to have an expert look at the coin in actuality. If this is not feasible and the original poster is planning to send a group of coins to the PCGS anyway, it may make sense to pay a grading fee for this one. While it might come back in a genuine holder, the probability of it being graded could be high enough to justify a standard PCGS fee.

[Important PCGS certified Half Dimes were Auctioned at the January FUN Convention]http://www.coinweek.com/news/featured-news/coin-rarities-related-topics-half-dimes-including-an-1802/[/L]