1839-O 50c Newp

Just picked this 1839-O up, with 7 day return privileges. I've always wanted this for my reeded edge type, and am a fan of this type of toning. I'm curious your thoughts on grade and variety, and if worth sending to PCGS
h
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17
Comments
Nice yet it looks like it may have been cleaned and this is secondary toning.
Looks nice. Not my area, but guess AU55
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I like it very much!
Agree with the secondary toning, but it’s favorable and market acceptable.
As for PCGS: The surfaces look a tad messed with (too flat and devoid of luster) and the color on the bottom of the reverse is a little concerning, may not be market acceptable. It might straight grade, it might not. I would say 20-30% chance of a straight grade.
That being said, it's a pretty coin and as long as the price was right I would say enjoy your coin
Aercus Numismatics - Certified coins for sale
AU53-55 depending on luster in hand, concur with @Walkerguy21D on all points
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
Love those, congrat's!
I like it. Lots of blue toning may be problematic.
1839-O is a great year for Bustie ladies. I like her a lot.
Thanks all, appreciate the feedback so far.
I'm curious about this statement - can you explain what you mean, and why lots of blue toning is problematic? Is it less desirable to some, or more indicative of something like an old cleaning?
I'm always trying to learn. Would love to know what you mean by this as well.
Looks like a 55 to me on detail....the blue may indicate residues from a previous cleaning.... I think it will straight grade, but it will be a close call. Cheers, RickO
My impression of the images is that they were shot with lots of light, so the blue might not be so vibrant. At least two folks have commented upon the blue on the coin and it is my experience that there are well known methods to impart blue on coins where the blue looks similar to what folks might interpret this coin to have in-hand. Those methods are also known by the TPGs and can result in a coin getting bagged as QT and not straight-graded. I also believe it could be secondary toning.
The die marriage is GR-1, which is by far the most common of the five die marriages for the 1839-O RE half. Please realize when I write this is "the most common" that I do not mean the coin is common or trivial. Indeed, the 1839-O RE half dollar is my favorite US issue from any series. The reverse of this die marriage uses the same die as the reverse of the prohibitively rare and expensive 1838-O RE half dollar.
As for the grade, there is no-way, no-how this coin would grade in the mid-AU range. It is more or less EF sharpness and the surfaces are not going to bump it into AU.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
I like it alot. Congrats.
Jim
Edited to add: Grade AU53
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Unless you’re an expert I would stick to a coin like this in a PCGS or NGC holder.
The coin looks like it was cleaned at some point in the past and the colors are questionable.
I would pass on this coin and wait for one in a PCGS holder.
Some see blue as possibly AT.
And some see any coin out of the government issue holder as possibly AT.
I don’t think you can get a more definitive answer based on a photograph than this.
FWIW, I agree with @TomB that the coin is XF. 50/50 chance it straight grades at PCGS. If it were a common date, I'd be even less optimistic.
The coin is going to be market acceptable for a large number of collectors. It would be a great album coin. Why slab it at all. If the price is right go for it.
So far as a grade I would call it XF.
From 1839?
I think it would straight grade just based off others I have seen.
Secondary toning but a great many are.
Nice XF coin.
I love it! I would guess AU50, not sure if it would straight grade but I think it's worth a try.
The coin was advertised by the Ebay seller (Executive Coin) as XF++.
Personally to me the price seemed a little too good to be true...did not like that it was not slabbed...
I hope it looks as good in hand as it does in the pics and that you are happy with it.
Beautiful key type coin.
I speculate that this coin was broken out of a details holder in order for it to reach a sales price maximum.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
Interesting…..very well could be. Executive Coin would likely have submitted it themselves, now that I’ve heard this part of the story.
Wouldn't surprise me if that's the case. I did ask them before placing the order, and the person said they did not believe they had submitted it. They have been pretty good to deal with in the past, so i don't have much reason to question that statement.
I've been viewing it as a questionable XF40/XF45, but i really like the look, so i'm thinking i'll keep it. If it gets a details grade, I can live with it. I think it would sell for high details money since it has a nice look compared to most of them.
Thanks for all of the comments. I welcome more as i've been learning a lot so far!
Why doesn't it surprise me when I say
what @TomB said
65/35 on AT, but I think it straight grades ... EF40ish
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
XF45
Attractive coin for sure. Congratulations on such a nice piece with great surfaces. I like it
Oh yeah, you could sell that coin in a heartbeat at a medium or large show.
A few years ago I saw a heavily hairlines ~Fine at Fun. Out of curiosity I asked the price, $450. Hard pass. A few tables later a dealer was lamenting that he needed to find a’39O for a customer, had I seen any? Yes, but it’s a pos…..where? Take me to it! It was gone, and I was told the dealer right behind me grabbed it.
For these coins, particularly ones that are circulated, I would just defer to TomB. Reeded edges are one of his specialties. He's also a stickler for original surfaces.
"Look up, old boy, and see what you get." -William Bonney.
The coin does look attractive. Personally I am nervous about coins that should be in holders (i.e., they are valuable enough, not bullion) but aren't. There's usually a reason.
LIBERTY SEATED DIMES WITH MAJOR VARIETIES CIRCULATION STRIKES (1837-1891) digital album
+1
+2
I like it. Looks like it was In an old ANACS holder. Probably cleaned a long time ago but still looks really good.
XF45.
BHNC #248 … 130 and counting.
It's difficult to make a pass-grab judgement without knowing what you paid for the coin.
A million-two.....? Pass
Three dollars and 21 cents ? Quick grab !
OK,ok, bad examples.....but you know what I mean......
This coin was $1700 through their website. A quick scan of details coins on ha.com show xf details around $1200. These are not as attractive as this one and more harshly cleaned. The PCGS price guide for a XF40/45 is $2250/$2500. A XF45 GR5 on DKRC is listed for 2450 and per his description " It is medium golden gray, probably washed with soap and water generations ago, and somewhat softly struck". I guess this would be considered a secondary toning too?
Seems to me like it could be a $500 gamble either way. Considering I like the look, and it's got a 20-50% chance to straight grade, I'll likely keep it. But still taking in all of the input you folks are giving me, and am really appreciative of it!
I have done business with Executive Coin with no problems. An uncommon date/mm coin that is not slabbed by a Top III company remains unslabbed for a reason. I would think that EC would have had it submitted to bring forth a premium versus selling it raw.
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Great year/MM. I'd keep it.
I'd also try to get it graded, which would do a lot for its value. I'll bet it's been tried before. You know the saying..."there's a reason why it's raw."
Lance.
I’d rather spend $2200 for a slabbed PCGS 40/45 than $1700 for a details coin that probably was cracked out. I think you’ll regret your decision in the future and unfortunately you will find out it’s not as easy to sell “problem” coins plus you’ll have a few hundred dollars more invested with grading fees.
That’s me. To each his own. If we all had the same taste life would be boring. I hope you enjoy your coin.
Every coin I've purchased from Executive Coin I've had to return for one problem or another. I've stopped bidding on their coins. The good thing about EC is they are great at dealing with returns.
My initial impression was XF45, cleaned but retoning. I put a lot of faith in TomB's assessment.
As far as keeping it... it depends upon what your ultimate collecting goals are. Personally, I'd find a good home for this piece in my 7070 album. I've cracked several PCGS XF45s to fill the Seated Liberty slots and the Barber 50c too... I think this one would match nicely.
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It appears to have retoned after a prior cleaning. I don’t think it will make a straight grade and certainly would wager no sticker. Most likely details grade.
Red flag no1: looks cleaned at some time to me.
Another red flag is it’s around a $2500 coin in AU. So if it’s ok why has it not been submitted? Pass. I would never buy that expensive of a coin raw.
Another red flag: 7 da return privilege. Never heard of such a thing - 14 days is norm for the biz. Good luck in getting it back in time in this shipx delays environment. He most assuredly will fight the return especially at that amount of money. If you don’t have it back in time will he have it made in the shade? How many days are left in the return period. I doubt you have even 2 left.
Really, 14 day return periods are standard in the coin biz? Many dealers I've worked with online offer seven days, and sometimes five or even three. Why should it take two weeks to evaluate a coin in hand?
I completely agree, why hasn't it been submitted to any of the four ebay acceptable grading companies? Ideal of course is PCGS. But there is no way to get them to grade it in a week under the current conditions same with NGC.
If I wanted to get an accurate assessment in grading in a week I would do an overnight to Anacs and they would ship out in a day or two express. All in the process would take a week or so. Personally I would insist the seller get it graded or have some type of expanded return option where you lose $100-$200 in a return if it doesn't straight grade at P or N.
That’s a hard coin to find nice.
I have given up, and I am very happy to have an 1839-O $2.50 instead.
Congratulations on finding a nice example.
Both are super cool

11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
Beautiful coin. I like!
I'm seeing the area in front of Liberty's face as possibly being worked over for some reason. I hope I'm wrong.