What are your opinions of this 1830 1/2 dime?

jmj3esq · July 30, 2013 5:59AM

I bought this in an old ANACS slab and cracked it and sent it to PCGS for grading. This was some time ago so I have an answer from PCGS. What do you think of the coin and if or how it was graded at PCGS?

yosclimber · July 30, 2013 6:07AM

It's pretty, but the eagle looks damaged under the shield - could this be a removed jewelry mount?
I'm not sure what is going on in the left obverse field, either.
Too bad, everything else looks great to me.

ModCrewman · July 30, 2013 6:13AM

<< It's pretty, but the eagle looks damaged under the shield - could this be a removed jewelry mount?
I'm not sure what is going on in the left obverse field, either.
Too bad, everything else looks great to me. >>

Agreed with the addition that I'd guess PCGS also wouldn't like what appears to be graffiti in the reverse fields?

Edit - If those issues don't keep it from grading I'll take a guess of AU53.

BustHalfBrian · July 30, 2013 6:56AM

AU-Details, cleaned

Unknown · July 30, 2013 6:57AM

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jmj3esq · July 30, 2013 7:33AM

Realone is closest so far.

BustHalfBrian · July 30, 2013 7:36AM

I would have guessed the lack of detail below the eagle was due to a weak strike...

NumisOxide · July 30, 2013 7:43AM

Looks like an AU53.

MedalCollector · July 30, 2013 7:46AM

Planchet flaw? Still looks like a nice coin!

lordmarcovan · July 30, 2013 8:11AM

I think it's bloody gorgeous.

I would assume the weakness under the eagle is strike related, and perhaps a planchet flaw, as mentioned?

What's going on in front of the portrait? Something else to do with the planchet, I assume?

mozin · July 30, 2013 10:37AM

The toning is pretty, but I am not sure PCGS will call it natural toning. The area on the reverse that is not normal, may well cause PCGS to not grade this coin. My guess is PCGS did not grade this coin.

MidLifeCrisis · July 30, 2013 10:57AM

Why did you crack it out?

I don't think I would have. I would have sent it in in the ANACS slab.

rhedden · July 30, 2013 11:06AM

Unc. details, Questionable Color

Cougar1978 · July 30, 2013 11:59AM

AU / Unc Details - looks bad on obverse - no go on this one.

Type2 · July 30, 2013 12:15PM

Nice i like it.

Staircoins · July 30, 2013 12:17PM

Looks like a strong die clash to me, with the area in front of the portrait representing the top of the eagle's wing.

I'd guess that perhaps our hosts overlooked whatever is going on in the reverse field, and graded this coin an AU55 or 58.

yosclimber · July 30, 2013 6:38PM

LM 4.1, and the images in the LM book show the main clash in the left obverse field (but not the horizontal marks at top and bottom of the curved line).
Wish I had thought of the strike through idea!

BillJones · July 30, 2013 10:31PM

If the coin looks like this in person, I'd say that the piece has been cleaned and artificially retoned. The surfaces that are not toned look to be unnaturally bright, and the color is too vivid to be natural. It could also be a matter that the picture has been juiced to make the colors look brighter. I've done this with my picture software program.

The sharpness grade of the coin is AU with some scattered marks. The "horn" in front of Ms. Liberty's face is a strike anomaly that I have often seen Capped Bust half dimes. I also believe that the weakness on the feathers of the eagle are not damage but mark a failure of where the thin planchet could not fill the die opposite the bust of Ms. Liberty.

Overall it might be a nice coin, but I have reservations given what I see in the pictures.

Here is the piece from my type set. I've always had a "thing" for this type since I was about 12 or 13 years old. It fascinated me that the mint would put an eagle on a coin this small, and I wanted a decent looking example. The one I owned at that time was in AG-3.

braddick · July 30, 2013 10:38PM

I'll go with Code 98 as the obverse grease mark, left of the portrait might have warranted that call.

jmj3esq · July 30, 2013 10:58PM

The coin was in an Old ANACS AU50 slab. I cracked it and sent to PCGS. It came back "questionable color" in a genuine slab. I think it was kinda a cop out by PCGS because they didn't know what to think about the coin as a whole either. This picture is cropped from the Truview taken at PCGS. It now sits in my Dansco 7070 as my example of bust half dime and will sit there forever. I cant tell what is going on on the reverse. I believe it was a strike thru grease or something of that nature. It does not look cleaned, but it might show signs under the tone. In any event I got it for $100 bucks at a local flea market. I don't think I did too bad. Thanks for the opinions.

brg5658 · July 30, 2013 11:00PM

<< I bought this in an old ANACS slab and cracked it and sent it to PCGS for grading. This was some time ago so I have an answer from PCGS. What do you think of the coin and if or how it was graded at PCGS?
>>

What do I think? I think you need better pictures.

BillJones · July 30, 2013 11:10PM

<< The coin was in an Old ANACS AU50 slab. I cracked it and sent to PCGS. It came back "questionable color" in a genuine slab. I think it was kinda a cop out by PCGS because they didn't know what to think about the coin as a whole either. >>

If the coin looks like that in person, you don't have a complaint. I'd say that it has "questionable color" too.

jmj3esq · July 30, 2013 11:48PM

What do I think? I think you need better pictures.

Sorry man, those pics are from a Trueview from PCGS. I certainly cant get any better pics myself.

BustHalfBrian · July 31, 2013 5:43AM

Never seen a TrueView w/out a cert number below. They used to include the cert # even if the coin didn't grade...

But I think this new way is better.

DIMEMAN · July 31, 2013 6:04AM

Nice coin...I like the toning fine.

That whole "questionable color" thing is a load of chit!!!!

Toning should not even be a part of grading!!!!! Just grade the d_m thing!!!!

Unknown · July 31, 2013 6:36AM

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okiedude · July 31, 2013 7:04AM

I'll give you $120 for it

BillJones · July 31, 2013 7:39AM

<< Nice coin...I like the toning fine.

That whole "questionable color" thing is a load of chit!!!!

Toning should not even be a part of grading!!!!! Just grade the d_m thing!!!!

>>

Are you one of those people who rail against coin doctors? If you are then you should not view artificial toning detection as "a load of manure." Artificial toning is one of the prime ways that coin doctors use to pass off damaged and abused coins that have been altered with a clean bill of health. It is also used by counterfeiters to cover up their misdeeds. Do you think that the toning which now appears on so many Chinese counterfeits has been there for decades?

If you don't mind coins with "questionable toning" you can buy them. No one is stopping you. The fact that they have labeled with the "AT" opinion should lower the price for you. But for many collectors, taking action against the questionable practices of coin doctors, which though the years have cost collectors untold amounts of money, is a welcome development.

CoinRaritiesOnline · July 31, 2013 8:16AM

<< Nice coin...I like the toning fine.

That whole "questionable color" thing is a load of chit!!!!

Toning should not even be a part of grading!!!!! Just grade the d_m thing!!!!

>>

I think the overwhelming majority of serious collectors and dealers would strongly disagree with your view.

Unknown · July 31, 2013 8:47AM

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What are your opinions of this 1830 1/2 dime?

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