1/2 Gold Piece - need some help

It's very little to go on; but a friend of mine is taking a look at an 1849 1/2 dollar gold piece tomorrow that is being offered to him...other than make sure it's real; what advice can you offer me? What website should be used to help us ID it? What is a safe (relatively uninformed) buy price?
The picture is horrible but was sent by the guy selling it.
The picture is horrible but was sent by the guy selling it.

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But I suspect there might be someone who might be able to tell something from it?
www.brunkauctions.com
<< <i>i can make out a 2x2 and what i think are three staples.....beyond that???? >>
It's easy. It's a button of my shirt.
Does anyone have a good online reference source for helping to identify this coin when we see it in hand tomorrow?
Lots of fakes around so unless somebody's practically giving it away? Pass.
P.S. Gold content on these was under 1 gram.
bob
If get excuse or no new picture then do nothing.
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He also has several worn 1890-1906 indian cents and a few well worn V nickels for sale. I have very low expectations of the lot apart from the potential fractional. He said he'd like to get $150 for all of it.
My friend is a bit more of a gambler than I am; and perhaps a bit less well read as to the risks of it being counterfeit...so it'll be in his court on whether he's willing to pop for it...though I'll certainly be advising him to be wary.
You better do more investigation.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire