1912-D Barber Half ... XF or AU

Smittys

what do you think ?
Won't hurt giving it an acetone bath

GRANDAM

XF45

GrandAm

Walkerguy21D

I'd also grade it XF45, and that's a primo example!
To add - I would not give it a bath of any kind - I like it just as it is.

guitarwes

My first thought was 45

lasvegasteddy

not a series i know
put me in the no au there crowd...
probably cleaned in its past too

Yukoncornelius1

No doubt it is a 45 and a nice crusty one at that!

I would not put it in acetone.

LindeDad

I am seeing a XF45 also but differ on giving it a bath if there is any hint of green tint to the dirt acetone will be required. BTW the area under the chin is showing a green tint on my monitor but it could be a lighting effect in the image.

shorecoll

No AU, but still very nice.

ModCrewman

I think 45 sounds about right.

georgiacop50

45 unless the luster is very obvious, then mebbe 50

291fifth

VF35

MFH

Looks like it could be a 40 on a bad day and a 45 on a good day. Solid XF IMHO.

No where near a 50, sorry.

EDIT: For anyone to grade it a 35 -
the coin is the world's finest 35 in existance.

Just saying.

LanceNewmanOCC

<< <i>VF35 >>



this
.

michiganboy

vf45

LindeDad

<< <i>

<< <i>VF35 >>



this
. >>

]

Well I see we have a few buyers in the audience.....

LanceNewmanOCC

<< <i>Well I see we have a few buyers in the audience.....
>>

droopyd

solid 40, maybe 45 on a good day.

CarlWohlforth

I might dip it in acetone. I like it at XF, no luster, no AU.

Lucanus

XF40 or 45. Please don't give it a bath.

Doug

rhedden

Hair detail and headband don't have the crispness to be AU50. I agree with XF40 to 45. People saying VF35 should post a similar looking Barber half in a VF35 PCGS slab to support their opinion.

lkeigwin

45.

Looks like it has light remnants of an old fingerprint on the neck.

Probably cleaned at some point but it looks perfectly acceptable.

Acetone shouldn't hurt but I don't see any reason for it.
Lance.

Justlooking

45. Feathers are a bit soft. But a nice piece!

291fifth

<< <i>Hair detail and headband don't have the crispness to be AU50. I agree with XF40 to 45. People saying VF35 should post a similar looking Barber half in a VF35 PCGS slab to support their opinion. >>



Since when is my opinion required to conform to what a slabbing company says? All grading is an opinion.

coinkat

45

Leave the coin as it is.

Its threads like this when this type question is asked leads me to restate the need for an original surfaces designation

DIMEMAN

I'm in the XF40-45 no bath camp!

amwldcoin

<< <i>VF35 >>



I agree

amwldcoin

<< <i>Hair detail and headband don't have the crispness to be AU50. I agree with XF40 to 45. People saying VF35 should post a similar looking Barber half in a VF35 PCGS slab to support their opinion. >>



I have at least 1/2 a dozen that are stronger than this coin in 35 holders!

InYHWHWeTrust

XF40

Dave99B

Nice coin.

No luster....I'd go XF45. Thanks for sharing.

Dave

Barberian

<< <i>

<< <i>Hair detail and headband don't have the crispness to be AU50. I agree with XF40 to 45. People saying VF35 should post a similar looking Barber half in a VF35 PCGS slab to support their opinion. >>



I have at least 1/2 a dozen that are stronger than this coin in 35 holders! >>



Then show them.

XF40.

amwldcoin

I might change my opinion of the coin if I see it in hand...but I really don't see that 12-D as XF,although I bet alot of them like that make it into holders because they are 1 of the more common dates. Here's 1 I think is XF our host felt was a 35....believe me I have more but many are locked up in the bank and I am at a coin show!

Walkerguy21D

Compelling, but rather than change my opinion on the 12D, I'd rather say that if that 01S is in a VF-anything holder, it is undergraded!

LanceNewmanOCC

.
dang i didn't even take the time to say, nice images!
.

DrPete

The OP's coin is a bit weakly struck, note the third star is flat, and that may influence the grading. I have seen coins of this degree of wear in holders from VF30-EF45. Having had the opportunity to own and study a complete set of Barber Halves graded PCGS EF45, I am familiar with how PCGS grades these. I have seen coins like this one up-grade on second submissions, too. I find it a bit weak for a 45, and would expect it to grade VF35 or EF40 first time in, and possibly make EF45 on a re-submission, but I wouldn't bet the farm. For economy grading at PCGS that would be the current rate ($18 I think) once or twice, and you would have to justify whether or not that would be worth it. Such coins in PCGS holders tend to sell for more than they do raw, although the 12-D in this level of preservation is one of the most common in the set. It still is a nice type coin.

MFH

Darrell, based on 90+% of what I have seen in 40 holders, your
01-S should be also in a 40. Our hosts seem to vacillate on this degree
of wear and I have seen coins such as this ( including your 01-S ) in
Holders ranging from VF 25 all the way up to XF 45. Grading is subjective
and based on the length of time the graders ( all TPG houses ) spend on a coin
no wonder you can get varying grades.

Still, the consensus of opinion on this coin is XF 40
and is given by over a dozen "arm chair graders" such
as myself. Having the luxury to carefully asses the nuances
of a coin before rendering a verdict.

I have a number of coins as well in 35 holders
that could also be in 40 holders, conversely I also
have a number of 40 holders that belong in 35 holders.
I have long since realized, any dealer who thinks his coin
is undergraded, simply labels the holder "undergraded"
and simply adjusts his ask to the next grade level.

7Jaguars

Bathe these frequently in acetone for good results- grunge only off, no effect on toning.

amwldcoin

Mike,

I do agree with much of what you are saying! I am just not one to play the game...crack and resubmit...although I have with a few(all genies that grade the 2nd time). There is definately an inconsistancy of around 10 points with our hosts grading. All I will say with regards to this 12-D from the picture is if I submitted the coin the odds are it would come back a 35! In hand my opinion might be a whole different story!

7Jaguars,
I agree with you 100 % and try to acetone every coin I submit. All acetone does is remove contaminants from the surface of the coin. It is just a solvent and does not affect the surfaces or toning of a coin unless the toning is artificial or applied! Heavily PVC envolved coins will have a noticable difference in appearance after an acetone bath...sometimes good...sometimes bad. Heavy PVC can hide quite a bit!

LogPotato

I would consider this coin an XF40. I think if it were more darkly toned, it would make a 35 holder. PCGS doesn't seem to like darker toned circulated Barbers.

amwldcoin

Log,
I have seen them go both ways on heavily toned original coins...but yes,they do seem to knock nice original coins with heavy toning.

cameron12x

Too much wear and no luster = No AU.

XF-40.

Remnants of a large fingerprint?

Still, a very nice coin!

LochNESS

XF. Too much wear. Don't know enough about this type to say 40 or 45.

Interesting you mentioned Acetone bath. I visited an uncle last week in Albany who is a medal collector, and he mentioned acetone. He also mentioned a product called C.A.R.E.

Both were recommended to him by a very well-known coin dealer of +30 years (should I mention their name or not? professional courtesy?)

Personally, I have always been opposed to cleaning or bathing. The closest I've ever come to cleaning a coin, was running cool water over some coins which had dust on them, then gently patting dry with a cotton towel, before placing into Saflips.

SmallTownCoins

Solid 40...