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1861-S half - is it genuine, cleaned, & it's grade?
KollectorKing
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Not my series but I'm going with an old cleaning, graffiti, and fake.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
Looks off to me.
How can you post about something you claim to know practically nothing about? Please let me know where you see graffiti and why you think the coin is a fake?
@ ShadyDave What exactly "looks off?"
I wouldn't buy it.
May not be my series, but I have seen a few Chinese fakes (not saying this necessarily is) and it looks similar enough to those that I wouldn't buy it online unless I trusted the seller and had a moneyback guarantee.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I don't like the mushy denticles on the obverse and lack of definition on the rock and foot of Liberty but it could just be weakly struck or finely corroded.
I'd weigh it and see if it rings like a seated half to try to determine if it's authentic.
Looks like the details of an XF.
That makes sense; however, there are only a few seated halves that have recently hit the market that approach the look of this one (not saying this is one of them). All the other "Chinese fakes in this series are very crude and look NOTHING like this.
I agree VF-35 to XF-40 range. The black lines are carbon stains, not graffiti. They add to the genuine side of the ledger for this one.
Real, PVC Not gradable as is and may not be recoverable. Blacklines are probably from a rubber band during long time storage.
Based on only a photo, I'd agree with this assessment. The 1861-s often comes a bit flat on Miss Liberty's right leg and probably into the foot/rock area as well. The Eliasberg MS64 had a large plateau effect on her right leg.
It sure looks good to me but I'm no expert.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
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david lawrence has a graded one for sale that looks similar, davidlawrence.com/rare-coin/1100260
Coin looks authentic, XF40 or so.
Looks authentic..... that being said, I cannot explain the 'flaring' of the pole at the bottom.... Cheers, RickO
In my opinion, it is real, fully original, heavily patinated, and not cleaned. The heavy toning and carbon streaks will not appeal to some people for sure.
Please send this coin to PCGS. It should grade XF40 or so, and you can post the result in this thread. At worst, it should come back Genuine with "environmental damage" if PCGS thinks the surfaces are too heavily marked by carbon streaks.
Let me take a stab...WEAR.
Both 1's in the date don't look right?
@Insider2...Does not look like wear, and no sign of impact. Regular wear does not expand features... Cheers, RickO
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Sorry, your "@" didn't link to me. I just don't like the overall look to it. The 1's in the date look off to me, compare it to the coin @GotTheBug posted and it looks different. The denticles are also missing right below the date on the obv. but they're on the reverse so that makes me wonder. The flag pole also looks like I tried to draw it after a few too many beers.
Obviously I can't know 100% from blurry pictures over the internet, it is just my feeling. Interested to see what the final verdict is.
Looks genuine to me.
Here's a PCGS XF40 with very similar looks.
Lance.
While I do know a little about this series, no one I know can be 100% with a poor image. So I'll agree with every member that posted the coin looks strange. It looks like a counterfeit. That's why coins are not authenticated by blurry images at low magnification. Everything said to be incorrect on this coin can be disputed: weak denticals, weird 1's, flat pole, etc. The best evidence that this coin is genuine is its surface problems.
As I wrote above, some common coins in this series have become a recent target for counterfeiters. It is because a TPGS may tend to pass them on as genuine without due diligence. This coin MAY well be a new fake but it's doubtful. I'm on the side of genuine. I should not waste my money on authentication.
Besides removing details or making a weakly struck coin look more worn that it actually is, wear can APPEAR TO expand details when a closely associated design merges as the trough between them becomes worn away. In this case: pole & drape.
An opinion was asked. I answered. I didn't come to debate. If you don't like my opinion move on.
Yet you call out people for saying it looks fake and then post this:
And by the way, You are taking this thread a bit too seriously it seems.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
Genuine with problems. Value wise I'd put it right next to this $56 piece from Heritage. 1861-s-50c-improperly-cleaned-ngc-details
Same here. I can't pinpoint it but side by side images, it appears something isn't right. The graffiti / carbon looks far too purposeful, not like an authenticity X or something.
Also OP you can get better shots by putting it on a white coin flip, shining a light on it and - while standing above the coin and the light - zoom in as much as you can with your phone. You can also reflect light off of an 18% grey sheet.
No clues as I've never owned one but looks real, cleaned and XF details to me.
In authentication classes, you'll learn the expression: "Looks Fake." That's because lots of genuine coins look fake! That coin looks fake. Get it now? There can only be a contradiction in the mind of the uninformed.
I do take authentication seriously. Professional authenticators (not me, my teachers over the years) don't like to make ANY mistakes if they can help it. There are all skill levels here. I know at least three here are professionals and teach. I don't like to make mistakes either. I don't give and opinion on ANYTHING here unless I can back it up strongly with enough reasons to convince a skeptic or help teach the uninformed.
Thanks for your post, now let's get back to the coin.
Do you see that there was no graffiti? If you had given reasons for your OPINIONS, the members here could debate and either teach you or learn from you.
No, it's graffiti in my opinion. I'm not interested in debating it.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.