I decided I'd live up to my own expectations and do a quick writeup on the next TEN coins that I acquire ('acquire' sounds better than 'get' or 'buy' or 'won'). But I'll start with one of my most recent additions.

I can only attach one photo so I'll attach the photo of the reverse for this coin, because it's so interesting.

It's the 1809 50C Overton 102 with a XXXX edge.

(The 1807-1836 series of 50C Bust Halves have LETTERED edges saying "Fifty Cents or Half A Dollar", and this one in particular, is different because there is an XXXX in between the words "Dollar" and "Fifty")

What I'm going to do is to number my REASONS for buying this coin through the whole process, starting with the IDEA, finding it, examining it and finally purchasing it.

I'm doing this to support my notion that the more questions pertaining to "WHY", that you answer, the stronger your set building will be.

1. Why the XXXX edge: Originally, I had a IIII edge variety for this year, and I thought that would be 'the' coin for this set, however, I fell more and more in love with collecting Bust Halves and decided I'd try to obtain a representative of each of the edge varieties. This would include the plain edge, the IIII edge and the XXXX edge.

2. Why AU50?: Initially, I thought I'd build a Bust Half set of entirely of coins graded AU58 by either grading service. My argument at that time was that MS Busties can be outrageously expensive, and AU can run the gamut of AU58 to "AU64" if you're lucky (and what I mean by that simply is that because of the lightest hint of rub, a coin that would otherwise grade MS64 for example, would grade AU58).

That didn't last for long.

One, because of expense. The other is just not being able to find specimens, and yet another reason is that I found there is tremendous quality to Busties with lower grade designations.

In fact, often times, a lower grade Bustie can compete in overall eye-appeal with a higher grade Bustie. Particularly if you're willing to consent to appreciating it for what IT IS.

I consider this a lesson in maturity, but that's another dialogue.

Ultimately, I was willing to buy ANY grade, so long as it had the kind of eye appeal I am looking for.

3. I FOUND A REPUTIBLE DEALER WHO HAD ONE at a good price.

This dealer not only has a return privilege, but will consent to taking back certain coins, if you pre-arrange it, if they don't grade with a TPG. Not a bad deal.

4. THE PRICE WAS RIGHT: The coin we're talking about was described as an XF40+ 1809 XXXX edge that happened to be an Overton 102. Before getting it, I discussed with the dealer things I DON'T like about Bust Halves and things that I do, since he didn't have a photograph and I didn't want to waste time. It sounded good, so he sent it to me.

(I'm not going to go into what I like and don't like because what I don't like might be someone elses like, etc...)

5. What I saw was an XF45-AU50 Bust Half with enough detail, even wear and even toning to be, in my mind, a good representative of this type. That fulfilled my general question WHY IS THIS GRADE OK?

6. WHAT WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES THAT SOLD ME ON THIS COIN? Everything I said in #5 + the surfaces were fairly clean for the grade, and there was enough luster to kick it up a notch (to AU), but even if it graded an XF 40, I would have been perfectly happy. The strike, as I'll describe later, was , I thought, exceptional for 1809, at any grade level. The color, to me was perfect; perfectly 'organic', very original (or as original as one can hope for with Bust Halves) and well distributed over the whole surface such that it's 'look' was enjoyable and pleasing to the eye.

Despite the wear, the details were well brought up through the toning. Indeed, it was the wear that provide the relief through the toning that, in part, allowed the details to be so evident.

7. WHY IS THIS COIN SO INTERESTING?: The kicker was the interesting reverse of the Overton 102, which is why I'm displaying the picture of the reverse, here. (You can see the whole coin, if you wish, in the gallery view of my collection).

There are 'V' shaped marks imprinted on the reverse, and how they got there is a bit of a mystery. You can see this on the Overton 110 as well (also XXXX edge), but the O-110 is more rare and also more difficult to find.

Anwering all of these 'questions' and looking at them just propels me into appreciating this coin more and more. It finally graded an AU50 and overall, I thought, because of all the things just discussed, would be a solid representative for the type of coin I was looking for to place in my collection.

Well, that's it!

1809xxxrev