The best looking Sesqui half dollar I have ever seen.....

[MarkFeld]

PCGS MS64+ in the upcoming Bowers sale. My bid of $3400 hammer ($3910) did not meet the seller's reserve and I threw in the towel. It looks better in hand and I will be curious to see what the winning bid is, if it sells.

 

CDN bid is $325 in MS64 and $3750 in MS65.

 

 

[bsshog40]

It has some very nice color to it for sure.

[Coindude]

The money is in the color not the plus that's for sure.

[relicsncoins]

Really nice looking coin.

[WoodenJefferson]

Nice looking Sesqui....but not a 4k coin @ 64, at least to me. I do not pay extra for color.

[leeg]

I noticed that one myself. I've learned not to pay up for color. It was a very hard lesson to learn. Commem's like this are not dead, just waiting for some deeper pockets than mine.

[SkyMan]

Huh, I'm just seeing blue question marks.

[MarkFeld]

Huh, I'm just seeing blue question marks.

I'm not sure why you can't see the images, but here is a link to the listing:

 

see here

 

[messydesk]

Wow, that's nice.

 

I saw a 66 at a show once that, while not fully rainbowed, had attractive purplish-brown toning close to the rims that seemed to frame the design perfectly, and was nearly white at the center. Luster was very blasty. It was one of those coins that leaves a lasting impression, as it was just so atypical in so many ways for a Sesqui. I think it had a $25,000 price tag.

[toyonakataro]

It's interesting to see people paying great premium for some toned coins like early commems and morgans while they don't for other coins like.....say seated half

[cpm9ball]

I love the color, but I'm not sure that it deserves the "+" because of all the small obverse nicks. Then again, that's why I'm lousy at grading.

 

Chris

[MarkFeld]

I love the color, but I'm not sure that it deserves the "+" because of all the small obverse nicks. Then again, that's why I'm lousy at grading.

 

Chris

I'm not sure if that is what you're referring to or not, but Sesqui half dollars have mint-made die flaws on the face. I feel that it easily deserves the "plus".

[mtnstyne]

I put my raw one in a kraft folder this morning

[cpm9ball]

Huh, I'm just seeing blue question marks.

I'm not sure why you can't see the images, but here is a link to the listing:

 

see here

 

Thanks, Mark! I'll remember that if I ever decide to buy one. So, I'll retract my previous statement.

 

Chris

[BillJones]

I'm buried in this MS-64 at $500. Since color is not the be-all and end-all for me, I’d rather be buried in my coin at $500 than owner of this one at something over $4,000.

 

[Yaha]

Hey Mark, what is so special about this coin? Is it a limited mintage,is the strike hard to get in a very high grade because of die problems. Do they have full bell strikes. High price 4 a coin,as I don't collect this type of coinage just wondering what the hub bub is about certain coins out there including this one.. thanks George

[physics-fan3.14]

Yaha, the toning on this one is highly attractive, much moreso than almost any other Sesqui half (which usually come spotty, dull, unattractive). The toning premium is what we are all marvelling at here.

[Yaha]

Well thanks Sir, I figured something had to make it worth some good cash..

[$ilverHawk]

Mark, I'm not that familiar with this coin. But a 10X difference between MS64 and MS65 grabs my attention. The one point grading difference and subsequent value difference is not uncommon in many coin grades/types/dates.

 

However, PCGS did not grade this coin MS65 and it would appear that the plus grade was based on the toning.

 

Are nicely toned coins of this type hard to acquire? Is the toning unique? Exactly what in your opinion makes this a special coin.

 

High value appears to based solely on toning.

 

 

$ilverHawk

[michael]

since as long as i can remember

 

late 1960's early 1970's

 

 

monster toned early commems had a great foloowing

 

as usually most all early silver commems since mostly they were saved exist in ms-60 and above condition

 

and since 99% of early commems are blast white or some to little toning

 

what separates the special monster toned early commem from the pack started to be tab monster toned early commems in choice to gem to superb gem unc grades

 

and currently today the most in demand most piquid and highest priced early commems usually many multiples of greysheet bid

 

are killer/monster/greatly toned unc commems

 

and depending on the pop numbers

 

ms 65 good

ms 66 better

ms 67 best

ms 68 ultimate

 

again the above with monster toning

 

and of course this is an art not a science as a monster toned oregon trail/boone will be totally different from a monster toned hawaiian/spainish trail

 

and so on and so on

 

also take a look at the huge numbers certified of ms 65 and above classic commems there are many more not ever seen at the services and yes i am sure for many issues the pops are overstated by 30% if not more

 

and so it goes

 

 

[michael]

sesquis usually DONT come with this rainbow rim color

 

and from the photos only.............. sight seen could be different

 

but

 

the coin looks like a really super duper pq 64 and is one of the best toned sesquis i have ever seen

 

i was shocked when i opened the thread and saw the vibrance and color on this sesqui in the photos

[MarkFeld]

Mark, I'm not that familiar with this coin. But a 10X difference between MS64 and MS65 grabs my attention. The one point grading difference and subsequent value difference is not uncommon in many coin grades/types/dates.

 

However, PCGS did not grade this coin MS65 and it would appear that the plus grade was based on the toning.

 

Are nicely toned coins of this type hard to acquire? Is the toning unique? Exactly what in your opinion makes this a special coin.

 

High value appears to based solely on toning.

 

 

$ilverHawk

Simply put, due to its fantastic color, it is easily the most attractive/beautiful Sesqui I have seen. I can easily understand why it will bring full 65 money (or higher), even in only a 64+ holder. And I wont be the least bit surprised to see it in a 65 holder at a later date.

[BillJones]

Mark, I'm not that familiar with this coin. But a 10X difference between MS64 and MS65 grabs my attention. The one point grading difference and subsequent value difference is not uncommon in many coin grades/types/dates.

 

 

MS-65 graded Sesqui half dollars have long brought huge premiums above their MS-64 counterparts, and in my view they are simply not worth it. None of the MS-65 graded coins that I have seen were really superior to a very choice MS-64. These coins were made in shallow relief that resulted in weakly defined devices. Many pieces have marks on Washington’s face that were on the planchet before the coin was struck. The problem was the dies were too shallow to flatten them.

 

The bottom line is these coins were poorly made from the get-go, and about the only thing that can make them look better is toning, which why this coin is a big deal for some people. I think that David Bowers summed it up well when he advised to collectors to buy a really nice MS-64 graded Sequi and move on to the next piece in your set. The same can be said for the Monroe commemorative, although the die work on that issue was not quite as bad.

 

[jackson64]

I have no question as to why the high price...a collector of toned commems may NEVER see or get another chance at a Sesqui that has this much eye-appeal...

 

 

I have to admit that sometimes I ignore whether a coin is an MS66 or MS67 ..if it "gets in my head" ( especially if I re-visit it several times before the auction)..I will bid well above the holder price for a coin with UNIQUE CHARACTER.. ( the kind of coin that--if you ever sold it--you'd recognize it 10 years later if it appearred again)