Grade Posted GTG: 1839-O $2.5 Classic Head Quarter Eagle
Kliao
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Bought this raw and sent it in. What do you think it grades?
Two sets of images of the same coin. 
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XF45 details is my grade, guessing PCGS said AU53
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XF45
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55
Nice coin. I have the same die marriage; it is a 1-N. I'll go with PCGS EF45.
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AU 50
45
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Torn between 45 and 50. Guess I'll go 50. Beautiful example.
Dave
50
I have the 1-N too, in XF-45 and yours has much less wear than mine. I'm going to go with 55.
A conservative 45 straight grade
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before looking at comments I thought AU55
50 here.
50
AU50 details.
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$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
50/55
so 50.
For those who think it is a details coin, what are your reasons? The abrasions on the chin and nearby field? To me it looks like a nice coin at 45.
XF/AU tough coin.
DOG acolyte
45
Latin American Collection
53
50
Today, 55. Years ago, 50.
I think is a very eye appealing xf 45. Would likely get a sticker at that grade.
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I was one that had it as details. To me, in the photos, it appears to have been cleaned/wiped. Also, the black spots on obverse and reverse stand out to me. In the top image the spot appears to glow. You have the coin in hand and that is much easier to form an opinion on cleanings vs circulation.
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$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
AU53
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Interesting how the two different images show why I can't grade from images. The top image looks AU55 to me and the bottom yellowish image more like 45-50. I will say 53 although the carbon smear in the left obverse field is something I would want to see in hand.
"Look up, old boy, and see what you get." -William Bonney.
53
In 1980 I would probably have graqed it as an EF-45/45. Today it is probably an AU-50.
Nice looking coin. I’m at net 40 or bodybag depending on what’s going on here - which I cannot ascertain from a 2D image
Some interesting responses. I would agree with the majority and was thinking high XF to low AU. I sent it to CACG first where they called it XF Details - Damage, Reverse. It got cracked and sent to our hosts where it was straight graded XF-40.
The top image was taken by CACG while the bottom by PCGS. It's interesting how one coin can look very different given who is taking the pictures. In hand, the coin is in between the two photos. It is not as orange as the CACG photos, and the PCGS photos make the coin look too yellow. The CACG slab shot is more representee of the in hand look.
I don't know too much about this coin other than that it came from an inherited collection according to the dealer that I bought it from. I wouldn't call it 100% original, as it appears to have a light old cleaning. However, it looks better than most of the classic head gold that I've seen. Luster is still evident on both sides. The darker spots in front of her chin on the obverse and below the eagle's head on the reverse are very light abrasions.
I feel like CACG detailed the coin due to the light abrasion below the eagle's head. Personally, I would disagree as I don't believe that the mark is offensive enough to prevent it getting graded and I'm glad that PCGS agreed.
@tradedollarnut - That area that you pointed out is a bit of detached lamination.
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CACG is very tough on Classic Head gold. I had 3 PCGS coins fail to cross even allowing a two grade reduction.
Successful BST with drddm, BustDMs, Pnies20, lkeigwin, pursuitofliberty, Bullsitter, felinfoel, SPalladino
$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
From your images I don't see the coin as being cleaned. Yes, I can see light hairlines or scuffs on the coin, but this is nearly 200-year old circulated gold and that stuff is a magnet for inadvertent, light, wispy lines.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
I agree. I was thinking I had a 50/50 shot with them so I wasn't too bummed when it came back details.
That is something that I'm still learning, how to differentiate cleaning vs circulation marks on old gold.
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If you are willing to provide us with the PCGS cert number then we might be able to look at a larger TrueView image to see more details regarding the surfaces.
Regardless, in general gold coinage is relatively soft and doesn't tone quickly, so any incidental slide, graze, scuff or whatever is more likely to leave visible, light hairlines than silver coinage that sees the same handling. This means that any light, incidental damage to the surface is more likely to stay bright or to glint longer than similar impairments on silver coinage.
For me, I like to look at the fabric of the coin and see if the hairlines go over and through areas that clearly have dirt and schmutz on them. If so, then those hairlines were likely not from a cleaning attempt as that underlying stuff would have been worked on to get removed. If the hairlines are under dirt and debris then they are less prone to reflecting significant light and you can see dirt embedded within them, which also is an indication they were incidental.
Prior cleaning, either spot cleaning or global cleaning, will often result in nearly all surface dirt (both light patina dirt and embedded gunk) being removed and the hairlines being bright and quite noticeable. It's not a perfect method, especially when typing out for someone else, but is something to keep in mind when you view coins in-hand.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Interesting. The obverse looks like it may have damage but I don’t see exactly where the reverse damage is. It appears that sending tweener (might straight grade; might not) coins to CACG is probably a waste of money. It would be comical if JA stickered your coin in the PCGS holder but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
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The picture of the whole slab is a game changer on this piece. That photo shows many hairlines which implies cleaning.
I hope the op can get it back into the PCGS holder and with the TV imaging they can verify the original grade.
It is in a PCGS holder. It started off raw then went to CACG then to PCGS.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Very helpful. Thank you.
If you look at my reverse photo, there is there is a light scuff in the field below 'S' in states that goes down to in front of the eagle's beak.
Then you have to trade me that set of proof trade dollars
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