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1837 RE half dollar! Busted out of PCGS holder!
Baley
Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
As you may know, I've been working on my type set and have been a long time looking for a better reeded edge half dollar, as my current one is the "weakest link" among the early halves:
The coin is not altogether unattractive as an EF example, it has traces of luster. an average strike, nice looking rim toning, but on the downside, not all the details are fully struck up, it has some wear, might have been "warshed off" at some point in the past, and there is that "skitch" between stars 9 and 10.
So, being the weakest of the 6 coins on the lower half of this page in my dansco, it was an upgrade target, and I have been looking for a coin with a full strike, nice luster, and positive overall eye appeal that would compliment the other MS and Proof coins in the set. Talk about a challenge! The 1837 is a bear to find with frosty luster, they are often weakly and/or unevenly struck, and when they are nice, boy are they expensive.
Well, finally found this one, and it arrived today:
Had to stretch for it but I think it's a keeper! Tough to photograph through the PCGS plastic, but will take care of that in a little while Anyone want to guess the grade printed on the tag of it's soon-to-be-former holder?
The coin is not altogether unattractive as an EF example, it has traces of luster. an average strike, nice looking rim toning, but on the downside, not all the details are fully struck up, it has some wear, might have been "warshed off" at some point in the past, and there is that "skitch" between stars 9 and 10.
So, being the weakest of the 6 coins on the lower half of this page in my dansco, it was an upgrade target, and I have been looking for a coin with a full strike, nice luster, and positive overall eye appeal that would compliment the other MS and Proof coins in the set. Talk about a challenge! The 1837 is a bear to find with frosty luster, they are often weakly and/or unevenly struck, and when they are nice, boy are they expensive.
Well, finally found this one, and it arrived today:
Had to stretch for it but I think it's a keeper! Tough to photograph through the PCGS plastic, but will take care of that in a little while Anyone want to guess the grade printed on the tag of it's soon-to-be-former holder?
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
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Comments
Nice upgrade. I like the looks of that 1837?
Good choice.
55 min more like 58 as Bustman said.
and a bit of a die clash, too., you can see Liberty's drapery framing the eagle's head.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
I'll go with the crowd and say AU-58. Nice
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since 8/1/6
Check out some of my 1794 Large Cents on www.coingallery.org
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Any tips for photographing coins through the plastic? I have no problem imaging raw coins.
(which this will be soon)
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
Jade Rare Coin eBay Listings
09/07/2006
my hotels
I hate it when you see my post before I can edit the spelling.
Always looking for nice type coins
my local dealer
63 doesnt seem like a stretch to me either, but i am not good at grading those....
Ken
roadrunner
As you can see, it's in an older PCGS AU58 slab, tough to photograph but in hand the coin has MS63 strike, luster, and eye appeal, with just the barest trace of rub on the cheek and beak and wing edges, almost certainly "cabinet friction" as I'm pretty sure this coin never circulated, at least not for more than a transaction or two. And I certainly must think of it as an "AU61" at least, because that's what she cost!
Thanks everyone for responding to the thread, it's so much fun to be able to share stuff with people who like coins!
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
A well chosen specimen, well done. Worth the price.
Camelot
(And that's my guess on the grade, too: AU58).
Edit to add- I just now noticed that you'd posted the grade- good thing my guess was correct! (It was, I swear!)
Also noticed the die crack on the reverse, which is pretty neato.
Lovely coin, and tied with the nicest I've had (also an AU58, as it happens, but ANACS net-graded it for an old cleaning I didn't spot).
I'll post one more set of pics when I free it from the holder and put it in the book
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
As a side note, this was a difficult slab to crack, probably because I was being extra careful.
Now, a quick dip, and off to NGC!
Just kidding, the next pics you see of this coin will be in a Dansco type set album
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
For my Dansco, I feel just a bit too uncomfortable putting anything too "pricey" in it.
Sure does look sweet in the album though...
Your set and the latest acquisition look really sweet!
EVP
How does one get a hater to stop hating?
I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com
Some coins are worth more OUT of the holder!
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
-coinkat
Thanks kat, your grade of MS61 made me feel better about paying MS61 money
Some coins are worth more OUT of the holder!
-tradedollarnut
... or at least as much out of the holder. Do you mean some coins aren't?!?
Your set and the latest acquisition look really sweet!
-EVilliageProwler
thanks EVP, it's coming along... some of the Unc. detail seated coins were dipped by previous owners, obtained at EF/AU prices, and are just going to hang out for a decade or 2 and see what mellows.
Don't forget to send that tag in!
-Bustman
Well, maybe someday. Right now it's part of my growing collection of certification tags. Wanna see some beauties
You got a real nice barber there too...
-paigowjohnny
1905 Proof mintage 727! has a few hairlines you need to tilt it to see.
That coin looks even nicer out of its plastic
-Manofcoins
Thanks, I agree!
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
I opted for a Reeded Edge rather than a Capped Bust Half because you can get a fully struck R.E. half more easily. I agree with your assessment of the coin; a slight luster break on the cheek, beak & wingtip.
It looks better than most of the 63s I've seen. The luster is there and importantly, your coin doesn't have many contact marks on Miss Liberty's face, neck or in the obverse fields, which is common on these coins in the lower grades of Unc.
Hopefully I'll find something equally as attractive before year end.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
looks like maybe a strike through on the rev, above the eagle's left wing (facing)?
K S
Now what are you going to do about those 5 weakest links???
Elcontador, thanks and good luck in your search, these can come ugly, hold out for a beaut!
Dorkkarl, how did I know you'd like the coin and be all in favor of breaking it out?
As IrishMike and others have observed, what might appear to the novice to be field marks or to the intermediate collector as something struck-through, they are indeed what are called "clash marks" of Liberty's drapery around the eagle's head.
fivecents, yes, I think of this coin as approximately 62.5 in value, although PCGS had previously rated it 58 out of 70.
Now what are you going to do about those 5 weakest links??? -supercoin
well, there are other weaker links in the book than any of the half dollars, the current list is in my sig line.
You can see here why I am in the market for a nice Double Dime:
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
09/07/2006
That eyesore SLQ is upgraded now, too!
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
I once did the same thing, but in reverse. Bought one raw and slabbed it. It was raw AU58 at a show in Raleigh that probably just about as nice as yours, technically, though yours has better toning. Mine turned out to have been dipped. ANACS gave it UNC details, as I recall (much to my surprise), but netted it to AU for cleaning. It was a nice coin and would have looked great in your set- too bad I didn't know you then. But you've found an even nicer one.
The dealer I bought it from was a great guy and had said he would refund my money if it didn't slab to my liking (how many folks do that ?) I called or emailed him and he agreed to buy it back. I told him I would list it on eBay in the slab first, so maybe a return wouldn't be necessary. As it happened, it wasn't. I ended up actually making a tiny profit on the thing. I later spoke on the phone to the dealer I'd bought it from, and told him a refund would not be necessary, and that I had actually made a dollar or two on it. He laughed.
Edit: hmm. Forgot I had already responded to this post. That's a terrific lookin' half, Baley.