11 years and change - slabbed 1821 bust half in 2014 and in 2025
ElmerFusterpuck
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I bought this half originally in a NGC AU-58 holder and eventually crossed to a PCGS AU-53 holder (correct grade) for my registry. At the time it had light golden rim toning and that was it. The coin has been stored in a bank vault box, along with many of my other coins. While going through my coin boxes, I noticed the 1821 looked quite different than before. The other coins in the box were pretty much the same and have been stored the same length of time. In hand, the coin does look nicer than today. It's not monster but it is appealing to me. Helps to have the photos from both time frames too.
2014:
2025:
10-4,
Erik
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Some kind of dip or other residue on the coin? My concern would be what it's going to look like in another 10 years. Will that toning start trending toward black?
I would be concerned the holder isn't sealed, and I would also make sure your desiccant is charged.
Somewhere around 2022/2023? there were some PCGS submissions that went back to a couple Club members I know that basically could be twisted slightly and popped apart. IIRC PCGS corrected the problem quickly, but it may have happened at times before?
I do agree though, the toning looks better now than then.
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Yes, it was never a slouch, but does look nice today !
I imagine that ten years or so before you purchased the coin it might have been essentially bright white. I would think in the future the color will get shifted more towards black and the outline around the eagle's head and Ms. Liberty's bust will darken as well as her cheek.
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In the first set of pics it looks like AU58 is realistic; the second set AU53 looks accurate with the obverse leading marks a serious grade affecting issue. I'm assuming the luster is very good.
I've done a test on how well slabs are sealed with the current slab from each TPG a couple of months ago. I used 2 samples of each TPG, and submerged them in my bathroom sink filled with water. About 10 inches deep, warm water. I thought the CACG slabs would have the tightest seal, but I was surprised when the only ones that didn't start had any water intrusion were both of the PCGS slabs. Every slab stayed on the bottom, but both of the CACG slabs started letting infrequent, tiny bubbles about 10 seconds in. Both NGC slabs started letting in a fairly small but steady stream of bubbles 5 seconds in. No bubbles for PCGS gold shield holders.
Another time, I tried it again with 1 slab from each company, this time with only 2" of cold water. I used an OGH instead of a newer PCGS holder, and the other two were both new holders again. Each of them held for 60 seconds with no bubbles.
I want to do a more extensive test at some point, but you can do what you will with this information.
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What a significant change in color! Certainly notable for storage as the slabs do not seem to be hermetically sealed.
That is a cool test @PeakRarities thanks for sharing. Considering viscosity and particle size of water being larger than air, I would think that PCGS holders would be water tight but not air tight. May be worth attempting to use a surfactant like soapy water to lower the viscosity.
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There could have been something on the coin when you bought it that progressed over the years, as relicsncoins wrote above. When you buy a coin, you don't know what is on it. Someone could have sneezed on a coin, got it slabbed and it looks fine when you bought it. After awhile, it turns.
I had an Unc. Braided Hair Half Cent in MS 65 BN that looked fine when I bought it, but eight years later, developed some PVC spotting. It was stored in a dry safe deposit box.
I prefer buying coins in older holders, as if anything would happen to a coin, it would have happened before I bought it.
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Very interesting post.
I've seen that type of toning develop in Dansco albums (not surprising of course, but sure looks the same), and small white ANACS holders (usually more electric blue), but never PCGS/NGC holders.
I’d put in an intercept slab holder box, put that in a ziplock bag with desiccant before putting back in the safety deposit box. I was just at the bank yesterday visiting my coins in their safety deposit box. I have the coins in intercept boxes in ziplock freezer bags with desiccant and I looked at some humidity indicating cards I had loose in the box not inside any baggies and it was reading approx. 60% relative humidity which is enough to accelerate toning.
It’s possible that the coin was dipped a long time ago and with its original skin removed, the exposed metal retones faster than other coins that had thicker skin. Since it looks great now, putting it in low humidity will slow down the toning and allow the untoned parts of the coin to skin over very slowly. Once the thin skin develops at a slower rate it will become protective to the metal underneath.
Mr_Spud
Very interesting! This development would lead me to sell the coin, Erik, due to concern that it will worsen in time to something unattractive.
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Interesting how the obverse scratch has changed
@4Redisin . You would have to investigate but ICG (At least in the beginning) claimed they offered the only "hermetically' sealed holder. james
I like your half dollar very much and I’m also a bit shocked at the amount of change in the color of your coin given that it is in a slab. I’d be very concerned if I owned a “top pop” coin that has an extremely high mintage not knowing if the coin turns to the worse, especially a full red cent.
+1
I would sell the coin also. I think it will gradually start looking worse and now would be a good time to sell while it’s attractive.
Although the toning is attractive, now, I would be concerned about the progression rate. It was likely not rinsed properly and will likely get worse (darker) over time.
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The perils of buying cleaned/dipped coins.