1839-C PCGS 53 Half Eagle
skier07
Posts: 4,425 ✭✭✭✭✭
I stumbled upon this 1839-C PCGS 53 half eagle on the web. This is a very popular date with the mint mark on the obverse. This is a tough date to find with nice original surfaces with good eye appeal. Comments and feedback appreciated.
2
Comments
Cool coin. Can't add much but I like it.
Before I comment, have you bought this coin or is it a coin on a dealers site that you are basically asking us to comment on?
Latin American Collection
It's currently available on a dealer site. I was able to find it fairly easily.
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My 2 cents: The eye appeal is good and while nobody will ever mistake me for Doug Winter, I can't say "original surfaces" come to mind when viewing those images. The assigned AU53 grade sounds fair and imagine you needn't worry about the "Add $5 for shipping and handling for items under $500."
It's also not hard to find the last time it sold either and those (older) images are a tad more flattering.
While I have an opinion on the coin, I would be pretty miffed if I was the dealer and found my coin (with cropped logo in my likely copyrighted pictures) being used as forum fodder.
Latin American Collection
While not a high grade specimen, it is a nice old gold coin... and is of further interest with the prominent mint mark on the obverse.... Cheers, RickO
Ill comment, not fond of it personally
Unless its the pic?
It looks accurately graded to me.
Yes, it's from a dealers website who will remain nameless. My intention wasn't to promote or criticize the coin. I have absolutely no interest in buying the coin. I only posted images of this coin because I happen to like this date along with the 1839-D and both are very difficult to find. If I breeched etiquette my apologies and this will be the last time this happens.
I'd love to have that coin to fill a slot in my set that has been empty for the last 43 years.
it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide
Yes I don't think it is fair to ask for the forum's feedback on a dealer's inventory.
Here's an example of the same date I just picked up from DW in a lower grade.
Here is the piece in my collection which is the same grade, AU-53. It's not my "dream coin" with respect to grade, but I also didn't want to spend a fortune on this, which is required for any peice that is really nice. Here are the Heritage images and my "angled images" that show the luster. And no, the coin is not original, but it's okay with me given what I paid.
My inages.
OP, thanks for taking the time to post this coin for us to see.
@Boosibri said: "While I have an opinion on the coin, I would be pretty miffed if I was the dealer and found my coin (with cropped logo in my likely copyrighted pictures) being used as forum fodder."
I guess you regard GTG posts of TPGS slabs as "fodder" also. The coin is what it is. BTW, PCGS grades it AU-53 and a dealer is selling it for all to see. I don't think anyone should be interested in the dealers FEELINGS or those of...(?).
In fact, PCGS, this coin, (and the dealer?) probably just got a lot of free advertising!
What I should regard as a productive, educational post is an opinion of the coin's grade as the OP requested. That being the case, I believe it has been given an accurate "net" grade.
What do you think?
I disagree. I don't think it is appropriate to post a coin in a dealers inventory and say hey what do you think?
It's not the dealers feelings, it's the fact that you are potentially damaging the liquidity of the coin. I know for an absolute fact about how this exact situation played out of this forum and the coin in question was purchased and subsequently returned after seeing the forum thread. The coin cost nearly $250,000. Imagine how pissed that dealer would be about that "educational" thread informed by a bunch of forumites who have absolutely zero idea about the numismatic area under discussion.
Latin American Collection
We'll just disagree. BTW, IMO any fool who buys a $250,000 coin and needs to ask opinions of it and then returns it due to what perhaps 90% of the usual unqualified "Ex-Perts" posting on different forums from images has to say...well...
Furthermore, if posters who are actually qualified to render an "opinion" based on images due to their knowledge - you probably know quite a few as they are much braver than I - rendered their opinion that saved our "fool" from making a big mistake...well...that's another story.
I'll bet the coin sold later too a more informed collector - yes?
No idea who or where it sold later. And the person posting it was not the buyer but a random forum member wanting to talk about the coin.
I don't disagree that the buyer might have been a bit fickle in sending it back but if you drop $250k it is a lot of money to most people and a larg negative swell against the coin when in fact for the 40 or so known it was pretty decent but very few here actually know the issue whatsoever.
It is still in my opinion poor form to take actions on this forum that potentially do damage to a dealers business by impairing the liquidity of a coin in stock. Enough from me on it.
Latin American Collection
I'd rather own the coin johnruns posted in the XF40 holder than the coin referenced by the OP in the AU53 holder.
I agree , I saw the doug winter coin as well, this is one I would enjoy owning
I love the date also. While I'll refrain from posting any comment about the Op's coin, I will say that I'd be inclined to pass on it. Seems that finding a nice '39-C HE without at least a hit or two to give it a little character is tough to do. I've had mine for @ 15 years now... starting out in an NGC holder - I'm fond of it.
Of course CharlotteDude would have a nice one of this date!!!
A straight answer to the OP's question:
The coin is real
It is accurately graded and fairly priced
It won't pass at CAC...but then only six of the estimated 400 survivors have...an extremely low percentage...
It is the perfect coin for the right buyer
If you are looking for a well struck 1839 with original and clean surfaces you better look for one from Philadelphia...less than 1/2 the price of the C...here's mine:
I'll refrain from posts like this in the future. I wasnt trying to be disrespectful to any dealers. I had absolutely no interest in buying this coin. This was not a self serving post for the forum to preview a coin for me.
I posted these images to create a dialogue about 1839-C half eagles. This date doesn't come up very often on the market and I thought this was an interesting coin to present for discussion
I think we're up to 20 responses now, with most replies about the original coin or other posted 39-C half eagles.
I never questioned whether the coin was real or not. It was identified as a PCGS 53.
Since I didn't identify the seller nor disclose the sales price my post had absolutely nothing to do with sellers price.
I didn't post this coin to generate a CAC discussion. But it's logical to conclude it hasn't or wouldn't sticker.
Skier07 - You asked my opinion on the coin and I was giving it to you...my comments parallel my own thought process when purchasing a coin...
Is it real: unfortunately there are some extremely high quality counterfeits out there...and some of them plus details coins occasionally (but rarely) slip into third party holders...
Price: The CoinFacts price for an AU53 in this date is $10,000...that is above my comfort zone...but as Bill Jones mentions...a really nice 1839-C HE in this grade is going to cost a fortune...probably way above that...
CAC: I collect PCGS/CAC coins and with my recent purchase I made a conscious decision to compromise....only six of this date of the approximately 400 surviving have passed at CAC...two in lower grades...two at 45, one at 50 and one at 55...and only one of those has ever sold at Heritage...and that was seven years ago...it might be a long wait if CAC is a requirement...
Since DW submits all of his coins to CAC why didn't mine pass...to get this information I picked up the phone and called him...not only is he the expert but he has seen the coin in hand...he said he was honestly surprised it didn't...and that the lack of a green bean saved me $1000...I really liked the coin...so I went for it...
I wish all my coins were AU58s...but due to financial constraints and availability this isn't a real possibility...when I compromise on grade I prefer the XF40 to AU50 range...personally I prefer CAC coins...but this isn't always an option either...
In terms of purchasing a 1839-C...it seems like the collectors that purchase them are like CharlotteDude and tend to hold them for 15+ years as they don't come up that often...I seem to see as many 1839-D HE for sale as 1839-Cs...even though the former has a surviving population of less than half...
My secrets for getting feedback on a coin I want to purchase:
Ask the seller...the coin dealers that I work with are NOT used car salesmen...and I find they will give you an honest and candid opinion of their coins...
Send a private message to a forum member who is a specialist in the type of coin you are looking to buy....Brian (old gold) and Lance (old silver) are two who have been incredibly helpful to me...while I have never met or even spoken to either by phone...I owe both of them a steak dinner...
Good luck in your collecting!!!