1856 Half Dime

[brg5658]

Just imaged this one. Just wondering what people's thoughts are on the grade.

 

Thanks,

-Brandon

 

[James_OldeTowne]

MS-63.

[Bugmann1974]

Nice coin! What is going on with the rim on the left of both the obverse and reverse? Tapered planchet? Minor clip?

[Raisethis2]

Yeah, rim seems weak for a coin minted in the mechanical age IMO. The breaks in the luster suggest AU but if it's just a photography issue and the coin is mint state, it looks 63 to me.

[Mokiechan]

Brandon,

I think more like AU55, looks great but seems to have some rub on the high points. Reverse looks better than the obverse, maybe some album sliding on the obverse.

 

Later,

Malcolm

[BillJones]

I'd say MS-63. You have to remember that this is a tiny coin with every fault magnified to the extreme because of the photo. It's got all of its mint surface with a few faults.

[coinman_23885]

solid MS63

[physics-fan3.14]

The obverse rim has a weak strike - pretty common on these coins.

 

I'm gonna also go with MS-63. Looks like a nice coin, although a bit pale for my taste.

[brg5658]

I believe it's a weak strike on the left side, probably a slightly thinner spot on the flan.

 

As was pointed out already, when you blow up a coin that's 15.5mm in diameter to the size of your computer screen it starts to magnify the issues. In hand this little guy is booming with luster...one day I look at it I think AU58 because there may be some rub on the high spots (?). The next day I look at it I think MS62 or MS63 because all of the luster and mint-surfaces are still there. It's a real "tweener" for me, which is why I wanted to get some other opinions. I haven't seen many of these little guys, so I'm flying by the seat of my pants here.

 

Just to clarify, this will be going in to NGC with one of my free membership coupons sometime in the next month or two. It was (according to the guy I bought it from) formerly in an ANACS MS62 slab (before I owned it), and I bought it for low-AU money about two years ago.

 

It's not rare, or particularly phenomenal, but I like it. Thanks for the guesses guys.

[Walkerfan]

Looks like a wonderful AU 58 to me!