Updated Feb.7th: Guess the grade and whether it's NT or AT?

coinguy1 · February 6, 2006 9:52AM

Russ · February 6, 2006 9:55AM

AU details, net VF, QC.

Russ, NCNE

ER · February 6, 2006 9:56AM

UNC details, AT.

Windycity · February 6, 2006 9:57AM

Unc details... thumbed. Net AU

coinlieutenant · February 6, 2006 9:57AM

Russ is a fence rider!!!

Definite AT.

J

tsacch · February 6, 2006 9:57AM

AU58, NT over old cleaning

jcping · February 6, 2006 10:02AM

Amazing strike ....... are you sure this is an AT coin

CalGold · February 6, 2006 10:21AM

High grade. Looks MS to me but who knows. I have no idea about the toning and oddly enough, I am not sure that it matters all that much unless the toning is hiding reworked fields or a harsh old cleaning. I would guess NT and that it is actually darker in real life unless you hold it under a bright bulb. Could be cleaned and retoned.

CG

Oh I was supposed to guess a numerical grade. I'll guess MS66.

mirabela · February 6, 2006 10:21AM

MS66 and as natural as the day is long.

(If I'm going to be wrong, may as well be wrong by a lot

-- yet I think this might really be...)

100proof1957 · February 6, 2006 10:25AM

58 NT

ldhair · February 6, 2006 10:28AM

From the image I think it looks MS-65.
NT would be my guess.

TorinoCobra71 · February 6, 2006 10:28AM

AU Details, NT?

TorinoCobra71

mozin · February 6, 2006 10:28AM

A beautifully toned high end MS, maybe NGC MS64 star.

If it is AT, the doctor did a nice job.

coinkat · February 6, 2006 10:34AM

I think it is an MS coin... the toning maybe different for two reasons:

1. How the coin was stored over a significant number of years; and

2. It may have had the benefit of being dipped at some point... perhaps 80-100 years ago. I would rather see the coin to make that determination. The coin could have come from a collection overseas.

my3cents · February 6, 2006 10:59AM

MS60 NT

very, VERY nice

braddick · February 6, 2006 11:06AM

Nice coin Mark. I'm going with MS64 (the die adjustment mark on the hairline next to the portait almost threw me!). NT

LeeG · February 6, 2006 11:06AM

A beautiful coin that looks NT to me and a 58 or 62.

MikeInFL · February 6, 2006 11:11AM

MS 63, NT

clw54 · February 6, 2006 11:13AM

MS64 AT

relayer · February 6, 2006 11:16AM

A natural AU-58

RedneckHB · February 6, 2006 11:17AM

ms.......at

ColonialCoinUnion · February 6, 2006 11:32AM

I don't know if its NT or not, but I would sleep with that coin.

Bustman · February 6, 2006 11:34AM

63 / NT

fountainheadgold · February 6, 2006 11:35AM

nt and ms 64

mirabela · February 6, 2006 11:39AM

SO -- WHAT IS IT?

poorguy · February 6, 2006 11:39AM

Absolutely stunning! Very typical album or paper coloration, could be either. Strike is superb with only minor weakness on the stars (typical). I'd wager MS67.

I changed my guess over from MS65-MS66 because it's just got to be nicer than a lumpy old MS65. I hope I'm way off.

SUPERCARCOINS · February 6, 2006 11:47AM

toning scheme is nearly identical to pix of 1796 quarter in 66 PCGS has

as an example of their TRUEVIEW images on their web site -

so i'm gonna say MS-66 , PCGS SLABBED

Davada · February 6, 2006 11:57AM

This isn't the sort of coin that some doctor would bake for a few hours to try to increase its value. I can think only the most tenuous reasons that someone would artifically tone an 18th century gem such as this. Would such a coin get a substantial premium for having toning like this (versus, if it was artifically toned, a more subtle shade)? Coin doctors have balls, but I gotta believe no one would have the rocks to torch a coin like this. Of course, just because it's stupid that someone would AT it, doesn't mean it isn't AT.

Looks like there's a bit of rub on the hair, ear, nose, and leading edges of the eagle's wings, although that might be cabinet friction and just an interruption of the toning. I'm thinking that the dark toning in the field's indicative of a little bit of rub, too. What a hammered strike -- you almost never see the breast feathers on the eagle.

AU-58, natural. If I was a billioinaire, I'd pay higher-end MS money for it all day long (on account of the strike and lack of bag marks, not really on account of the toning).

mirabela · February 6, 2006 12:04PM

WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? !!!

***WHAT IS IT?WHAT IS IT?WHAT IS IT?WHAT IS IT?WHAT IS IT?***

WHAT IS IT?!!!!

michael · February 6, 2006 12:07PM

choice unc

with an extremely incredible strike

purposely made

specially made for some early impotent potentate or high mucky muck visitor to the mint

unfortunately since i have not seen this in hand sight seen i do not know why some retoner did a terrible job of AT this coin

which is really too bad

i wonder if there is something underneath the surfaces of the coin that i cant see in the photo

michael · February 6, 2006 12:08PM

no brainer AT helped accelrated toning

TUMUSS · February 6, 2006 12:11PM

NT MS-63

coinguy1 · February 6, 2006 12:14PM

<< <i>WHAT IS IT?WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? !!!

***WHAT IS IT?WHAT IS IT?WHAT IS IT?WHAT IS IT?WHAT IS IT?***

WHAT IS IT?!!!! >>

I don't want to jump to conclusions, especially until others have had time to reply. But, since you seem to want to know so badly......

I believe it to be a genuine 1795 Half Dollar.

I will post the rest of the story in a day or two and ask those who are familiar with it not to spoil the fun and intrigue.

Bustman · February 6, 2006 12:29PM

Ya big tease!!

IrishMike · February 6, 2006 12:44PM

I saw a photo of that coin recently, can't be two monsters like that one. I quit looking at it when I saw where the price was.

ChangeInHistory · February 6, 2006 12:44PM

<< <i>Unc details... thumbed. Net AU >>

Could thumbing really get those kind of colors? I thought it usually led to a gold/brown toning that was to hide scratches or hairlines.

kryptonitecomics · February 6, 2006 1:19PM

Looks NT and I haven't a clue how to grade that coin so I won't even embarrass myself

Baley · February 6, 2006 1:55PM

Can we see an image of it taken in regular room light?

Sometimes I think these "optimized" pictures throw people off.

I'll bet it's a natural looking and kind of a darker brownish grey coin, maybe with more subtle colors, unless lit and photographed at a certain angle like that.

could be wrong but I doubt it.

nice coin.

edit: oh, the grade, I'll guess Ms65

edit again: hah ha, nice post calgold, I swear I didn't cheat off you, even tho we said just about the same thing.
nice post

BigE · February 6, 2006 2:04PM

It looks too good to be true---------BigE

Myqqy · February 6, 2006 2:19PM

MS65 and NT........

stman · February 6, 2006 2:27PM

I'd love to get that baby on my scanner, then I could show what it really looks like head on. Right Baley?

morgannut2 · February 6, 2006 3:42PM

Hmm- This one shows why you can't tell AT/NT from a scan on halves from Frankies to 1795--

Hoot · February 6, 2006 4:51PM

Looks like a choice unc to me - MS64, and I believe it's AT. The bands of color appear too broad to be natural. Thick appearing toning (as it seems to be) should be closer to black than the colors displayed. That said, I don't find the coin objectionable, and would personally treasure such a well-preserved piece.

Nice adjustment marks showin on the obverse.

Hoot

BlindedByEgo · February 6, 2006 5:02PM

I so don't care what grade.

I so don't care the genesis of the toning.

I just want the coin.

tjkillian · February 6, 2006 11:23PM

A very high-end mint state, naturally toned half dollar.

I will go with MS-66 NT

Tom

mhammerman · February 6, 2006 11:33PM

Amazing coin...you experts can have at the grading/toning...it's just nice to see a flowing hair in such nice shape. Congrats Coinguy!

Edited to add: Oh, those cute little baby eagles...Has ER seen this yet?

coinguy1 · February 6, 2006 11:49PM

For the record, I do not own the coin.

Just a hint for those of you whom have guessed (or are about to guess) high grade (MS65 or MS66) mint state - According to the pop reports, NGC has graded only 4 MS65's with none hiogher, while PCGS has certified just 2 MS65's with none higher.

TwoSides2aCoin · February 7, 2006 12:02AM

Mark, I am not an expert on the early coins, but from my investigation of them..... this coin exhibits all of the characteristics of an MS65. The denticles being flat on the obverse from four to five o'clock are a little odd, so 66 is outta the question. The toning looks as natural as you get in one of them old cardboard albums. The strike is phenomenal. It's an amazing picture.... even if I don't like toning because it adds more controversy , this one is attractive AND natural.

BOOK · February 7, 2006 12:04AM

WOW What a coin. I don't know anything about the grade but WOW.

bushmaster8 · February 7, 2006 12:07AM

This is definitely not my area of expertise but:

Looks too good... so I 'll guess counterfeit-AT, although I have seen plenty o' similarly toned early US coinage in slabs.

CalGold · February 7, 2006 3:13AM

I down loaded the image and desaturated it in Photoshop. I saw what appears to be pitting in the left obverse field, perhaps on Liberty's face and perhaps above the Eagle. Hmmm. If that is the case, it certainly is not a high grade MS coin and there is a motive for someone playing with the coin. So the too good to be true color might not just be best case photography, it might be too good to be true.

CG

Updated Feb.7th: Guess the grade and whether it's NT or AT?

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