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Grade this buffalo? Also, junk 1897 S Barber half.

Hey everyone picked this up today. I think it is around EF 45 because of the lack of luster, thoughts?

Then I picked this up for junk silver scrap. A 1897 S half dollar. The obverse looked like honest wear but when you flip it around to reverse looks all messed up. Probably rolled through a machine several hundred times? Or someone took a grinder to it lol. Still probably a good book coin though.

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    TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭

    good deal on the Barber.
    But, the scratches on the reverse [by "Five Cents] of the Buffalo really hurt it

    Frank

    BHNC #203

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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That is a nice old Buff until you get to the scratched reverse... that looks like intentional defacing. The Barber has seen some serious wear on that reverse...may have been a 'reverse out' belt buckle coin.... Cheers, RickO

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    thebeavthebeav Posts: 4,108 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That's a great 'junk silver' find.
    The Buffalo almost looks like it had a mintmark but someone preferred a 'P'......

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    BuffaloIronTailBuffaloIronTail Posts: 7,754 ✭✭✭✭✭

    AU Details on the Buff...........nice strike. Too bad it got damaged.

    Pete

    "I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
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    braddickbraddick Posts: 25,150 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Scrubbed Buffalo to get gunk off of it (I think). There is still some left on the reverse head of the buffalo. The Barber is cool just for what it is as would probably grade AG/net FR.

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    Spartcom5Spartcom5 Posts: 399 ✭✭✭
    edited July 21, 2017 10:23PM

    Ouch, never saw the buffalo scratches. Dang!! Paid $10 for it but whatever. Also, if I ever sent that half dollar in for grading would it actually grade or get details? I'm not sending it in but I am curious.

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    clarkbar04clarkbar04 Posts: 5,017 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You can get cheap raw unc type 1 buffs all day long, keep looking! They were saved by the wheelbarrow full.

    MS66 taste on an MS63 budget.
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    SamByrdSamByrd Posts: 3,131 ✭✭✭✭

    The buffalo exhibits micro porosity and signs of older corrosion. Under the buffalo the black circles as well as behind the braids. I would point out the green on the buffalos chin and the dark red on the braid. The coin was perhaps processed after ground recovery with electrolysis. The coin has the sharpness of AU. It is a decent example for an album for the type. It is a nice coin but is what it is.

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