Grade / Opinions wanted on this 1855 S half dollar

Options
seateddime
seateddime Posts: 6,180 ✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
image
I seldom check PM's but do check emails often jason@seated.org

Buying top quality Seated Dimes in Gem BU and Proof.

Buying great coins - monster eye appeal only.

Comments

  • kaz
    kaz Posts: 9,378 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    Detailwise, it looks AU something. How are the surfaces and luster?
  • lathmach
    lathmach Posts: 4,720 ✭
    Options
    Really rare in this high grade.
    If it's yours, congratulations. Mine is only a Good or VG.

    Ray
  • BillJones
    BillJones Posts: 35,938 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    I'd give an EF sharpness grade, but I'd have to go over the surfaces in person to really pin down an exact grade. There might be something going on with the obverse. I don't think that there is a enough mint surface left to call it AU in any case.
    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • PonyExpress8
    PonyExpress8 Posts: 1,670 ✭✭✭
    Options
    Great coin. It's really hard to tell from photos on this one. From what I see it's probably in the AU55 area but I can only look at luster in hand honestly. The reverse looks maybe even higher then the obverse but strike wasn't always as consistent either in the day.
    The End of the Line in the West.

    Website-Americana Rare Coin Inc
  • BillJones
    BillJones Posts: 35,938 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    Many 19th century coins are stronger on the reverse than the obverse. This especially true of early (1790s, early 1800s) coins.

    The obverse die may have been injured or a late die state, which would account for th lack of detail on the upper part of Ms. Liberty's body. But I'm no expert in this era. I'm just going by what I think I see.
    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • doh
    doh Posts: 6,457 ✭✭✭
    Options
    AU, but might be cleaned. Hard to tell from the pics.
    Positive BST transactions with: too many names to list! 36 at last count.
  • DHeath
    DHeath Posts: 8,472 ✭✭✭
    Options
    The detail and the lack of luster are at odds, at least based on the photos.
    Developing theory is what we are meant to do as academic researchers
    and it sets us apart from practitioners and consultants. Gregor
  • CaptHenway
    CaptHenway Posts: 34,175 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options


    << <i>Great coin. It's really hard to tell from photos on this one. From what I see it's probably in the AU55 area but I can only look at luster in hand honestly. The reverse looks maybe even higher then the obverse but strike wasn't always as consistent either in the day. >>



    We bought in an 1855-S the other day with an AG-3 obverse and a VG-8 reverse.
    TD
    Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
  • PonyExpress8
    PonyExpress8 Posts: 1,670 ✭✭✭
    Options
    TD, I have seen them like that as well.
    The End of the Line in the West.

    Website-Americana Rare Coin Inc
  • kaz
    kaz Posts: 9,378 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    Looking at the outline of the darker toning around the stars and legends, I see angular shapes, which makes me think some cleaning was done at some point.
  • 78750Aggie
    78750Aggie Posts: 417 ✭✭
    Options
    AU-50, a very nice coin.
    Aggie
  • NumisOxide
    NumisOxide Posts: 11,049 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    XF details, old cleaning. Nice date and mint.

  • InternetJunky
    InternetJunky Posts: 2,329 ✭
    Options


    << <i>AU, but might be cleaned. Hard to tell from the pics. >>



    image

    Kind of strange on the reverse that inside the mouth of the eagle it's dark but the surrounding of the head looks clean.
  • dizzyfoxx
    dizzyfoxx Posts: 9,823 ✭✭✭
    Options
    I like it. That is one heluva TOUGH coin to find in any condition, and that one looks sharp. By comparison, grade wise, here's mine which is a PCGS VF25....

    image
    image
    image...There's always time for coin collecting. image
  • NumisOxide
    NumisOxide Posts: 11,049 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options


    << <i>I like it. That is one heluva TOUGH coin to find in any condition, and that one looks sharp. By comparison, grade wise, here's mine which is a PCGS VF25....

    image
    image >>


    Great piece dizzy!image
  • LoveMyLiberty
    LoveMyLiberty Posts: 1,784 ✭✭✭
    Options
    Here is an example in your grade range. The bottom one is graded by PCGS as AU-53.

    image


    From a non experts perspective this is my opinion.
    I won't comment on the toning details of your coin from just the photo. It appears yours
    has a bit more drapery, or something there that looks like drapery. They come
    without drapery, partial drapery & with drapery depending on the amount of lapping
    that was done. Not sure about the rim area around 2:30 if it's a bump. The obv
    shield LIBERTY is just about full, as most have parts missing as in Dizzyfoxx's, however
    the rev shield has the usual light, or missing lines at the left lower area.
    The star centrils are nearly full and the arrowheads and feathers have good detail.
    The head, toe and gown seem more full than my coin and the reverse top wings, head,
    shield and claws feet are sharply struck, but you do have a few more contact marks. The
    large S is positioned with the right sides aligning with the F in HALF, similar to mine,
    whereas the VF coin is centered on the F.
    Hard to tell the grade of yours without seeing it, but I would think if it is gradeable it would
    be around an AU-55. The pop of an AU-53 is 3/4. It is a tough coin to find unless messed with.
    Nice pickup!
    My Type Set

    R.I.P. Bear image
  • Mowgli
    Mowgli Posts: 1,219 ✭
    Options


    << <i>AU-50, a very nice coin. >>



    image
    In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.
  • ksteelheader
    ksteelheader Posts: 11,777 ✭
    Options
    Whatever the grade, it's a beauty.
  • Raybo
    Raybo Posts: 5,362 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    IMHO......................Nice eye appeal! image

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Format
SpoilerCodeQuote
Heading 2Heading 1
Emoji
:):D:(;):/:o:s:p:'(:|B):#:*<3o:)>:)
Url
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file
Comment As ...

Categories