Out of the wallet and into the collection...

From the comfort of my home, listening to a new Bluegrass CD ("Daybreak" by Sierra Hull), I just watched a portion of tonight's Heritage auction session in Sacramento. I had what I expected to be a winning bid already placed on an 1857-O half dime. It's NGC graded MS 66, and unlike my other half dimes, has a relatively boldly colored obverse.

The toning isn't quite as smooth as I'd like, but I think it's pretty anyway. It's blue in the center, but the dominant color over the majority of the area is green. The reverse is essentially untoned except for the rim. It appears to be pretty well struck, with hints of weakness in Liberty's head. No significant contact marks are apparent.

As the lot came up, I was still the high bidder, with the starting bid well below my maximum. After a couple live bids, I still had the high bid, and the coin will soon be mine! The only down side is that I won't have as much money for the upcoming Baltimore show...

Occasionally a large cent will be toned in a distinctly greenish hue, and therefore lovingly called a "greenie". There were several nice examples in the Naftzger and Holmes collections. But I'm glad to be adding a nice silver greenie to my collection. (Are there any affectionate names like that for nickel or silver coins with attractive, colorful toning?)

Anyway, here's hoping we all can responsibly continue to part with some green to get some nice coins!