Take a look at my 1795 half- repaired?

rhedden · July 14, 2006 12:59AM

Here's a 1795 half dollar I've owned for about 5 years. Bought raw in a coin shop in Maryland (not in the shop of any forum members, however). I've always been suspicious that it has a repair on the obverse above Liberty's head (the rusty looking area). However, that rough spot could be any number of things, including ordinary corrosion, or an area of metallic impurity in the planchet. Has anyone here seen a similar defect on an early half dollar, or have any information to share? I showed this coin to several dealers at a Baltimore show, and none of them said anything about the rough spot, just that they thought it was a nice F-12, and would like to buy it if it's for sale. I suppose I can just send it iff to ANACS and get an answer, but the expertise in early coinage among some of the forum members here is hard to beat.

Barndog · July 14, 2006 1:01AM

Just from the photos, it does look like some sort of repair. Have you examined it under a microscope?

Cladiator · July 14, 2006 1:16AM

I've never really seen anything quite like that. I wouldn't think it was a plugged hole as the reverse doesn't seem to have the "spot", just the obverse. Perhpas it's where somebody erased some graffiti? Have you attributed the coin? If it's is a rarer die marriage then that may explain the dealers offers to buy without mentioning the spot. When someone is trying to wrestle a rarity from another person that doesn't know it's a rarity they will usually not haggle price for some problem on the coin. They'll just make an offer to buy right away.

braddick · July 14, 2006 1:19AM

Looks tooled in that one spot but overall an extremely attractive coin.
I'd love to own it regardless.

Possibly ANACS could render an answer at a show sometime?

lkenefic · July 14, 2006 1:26AM

I don't see anything going on with the reverse of the coin either so its probably not a hole. Other than a couple of scratches in the field in front of Libertys' head, I don't see any problems. Could it be that someone tried to repair a patch of corrosion?

Nice coin...

PerryHall · July 14, 2006 1:32AM

It looks like there may have been damage or something engraved there and then someone used a burnishing tool to smooth out this area.

rhedden · July 14, 2006 1:37AM

Possibly ANACS could render an answer at a show sometime?

Thanks for reminding me- I did present it to them at a show, and they said F-12 detail, but would net it down to VG-10 for a couple of distractions. They did not say anything about the corrosion spot specifically. I totally forgot about showing it to them until now.

Baley · July 14, 2006 1:59AM

it looks repaired above the head under LIB, as well as just above (and a tiny spot below) the first flowing strand of hair. Appears to show several strokes of smoothing or possibly a dark, applied "filling" substance.

the other field marks on the obverse as well as a few digs on the reverse were not "improved" but also were probably not as bad as what was "fixed". The digs and scratches are common on early coins, as they are frequently "test marks" to see if the (then) unfamilar new coins weren't plated.

Still a great coin but IMO would get a "details" from ANACS or NCS, and should (but may not

) bag at N or P

michael · July 14, 2006 2:15AM

IS IT OFF HAND GUESS THE IOBLY 4 BERRIES REVEERSE SO IT IS AN OVERTON SMALL HEAD 128??

AND YES IT WAS DONE BY one of the bwetter not best in the biz it is a third teri repair

i grade it $1500 dollars if it is the overton 128 aND I AM AT THE LIBRARY WITHOUT MY READING GLAsses on and this is just a 2 SECOND VERIOETY ATTRIBUTION I AM USUALLY WRONG if not a rarer die marriAGE THEN I GRADE THIS COIN 1050 USA DOLLARS

maybe one of the true experts on thesen august forums can make a true overton confrimation

michael · July 14, 2006 2:16AM

ON SECOND THOUGHT IT is not trhe overton 128

so igrade it 1050 usa dollars

oh and correction above tier not teri lol

ms70 · July 14, 2006 2:18AM

Nice coin. Possibly a graffiti repair?

tmot99 · July 14, 2006 2:22AM

Reverse is H, but I can't be sure on attribution. Of course, I have the 3rd edition of the book. Almost looks like 110, but the 5 doesn't look right in the date.

Scavenger · July 14, 2006 2:33AM

It does appear to have been repaired sometime ago. My only concern on something such as this would be the repaired area initial problem reappearing. However, if you've had the coin in your possession for five years I would think that it would have happened by now.
Also these pictures are magnified several times, I'm sure it's hardly noticable in hand.

Nysoto · July 14, 2006 2:38AM

The coin is 1795 O.110, it appears to have some corrosion that has been partially tooled off. I have one 1795 with some similar corrosion, another with severe planchet lamination. I would guess the planchet is OK, with some environmental contamination causing the corrosion below LIB.

millennium · July 14, 2006 2:43AM

I scanned the image under an electron microscope, and this is what I found:

LOL....JK.....

Baley · July 14, 2006 2:48AM

actually, millenium, you're on to something with "invert colors" as that tool can be illuminating..

Longacre · July 14, 2006 2:58AM

It does look like it was messed with, in my opinion.

michael-- how can you go to the library and forget your reading glasses?

morgannut2 · July 14, 2006 6:37AM

Could be something as simple as paint or a childlike amateur repair job. Has it be soaked in solvent?

JRocco · July 14, 2006 7:16AM

Looks like someone tried to remove something from that area with a dremel like tool or good old fashioned sandpaper if it was done a long time ago.

CoinResource · July 14, 2006 9:28AM

TOOLED

morgannut2 · July 14, 2006 10:07AM

I was serious about the paint----I used to do body work on classic cars. It looks identical to a repair

putty that's silver called "Metal Mend"--it looks like this before sanding/ paint premix, and you have to have special

commercial paper to get it smooth. If soaked in paint remover or acetone (long time) it comes of easily as

as googy substance. If I'm wrong a quick soak it won't hurt the coin a bit.

-----If it really is a dremel job, IMHO it makes sense to fix the botched fix correctly (see coin repair www.crs. stockton.com)

and have it net graded at NCS

ABC123 · July 14, 2006 11:34AM

The only opinion that counts is PCGS !

JRocco · July 14, 2006 12:12PM

<< <i>The only opinion that counts is PCGS ! >>

What an absolutely ridiculous comment.

Take a look at my 1795 half- repaired?

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