New pics of old half cent

mgoodm3 · October 13, 2006 8:03AM

I've been struggling with this coin for a long time to get pics that I like. I think that it's the dark coin with the white luster that makes it difficult. The pics seems to always come out harsh. I like the latest versions.

MikeInFL · October 13, 2006 8:10AM

Not bad for a rookie.

Pretty coin too. What did NGC grade it?

mgoodm3 · October 13, 2006 8:11AM

You tell me what it grades?

MikeInFL · October 13, 2006 8:13AM

NGC gave it a 65 BN

MikeInFL · October 13, 2006 8:15AM

I give it a 64.

As an aside, why are half cents from this time period almost always well struck, yet the large cents are much more rare in this state....Mike

MikeInFL · October 13, 2006 8:21AM

<< <i>As an aside, why are half cents from this time period almost always well struck, yet the large cents are much more rare in this state. >>

Giving this some thought something occured to me -- perhaps they used the same presses to strike both large and half cents with the same pressure. Therefore the smaller coin is struck at a higher PSI.

Anyone know?...Mike

marmac · October 13, 2006 8:21AM

tasty......

mgoodm3 · October 13, 2006 8:22AM

Seems like the dies are always worn out on large cents.

mgoodm3 · October 13, 2006 8:24AM

I think too many marks for 65 and the surfaces a bit too dull for 65. It's 64BN

MikeInFL · October 13, 2006 8:41AM

<< <i>Seems like the dies are always worn out on large cents. >>

I agree, you see many more worn dies in large cents. That's probably due to the mintage per die rather than anything else...

For instance, in 1854 4.2 million large cents were struck yet only 55 thousand half cents were. The large cents have 30 die parings, and the half cent has only one. Assuming each die pairing is a new set of dies then about 140 thousand large cents were minted per die versus 55 thousand for the half cents.

I'm not sure how/if that would affect the quality of striking to the extent it is seen in extant population. My WAG is less than 5% of the AU/MS large cents are fully struck, yet it seems that over 90% of the half cents are, and I don't think it can be explained by die use alone...Mike

p.s. sorry for the tangent -- I've started my own thread here.