**GRADE IN FOR ** 1840 Gold Half Eagle ($5) New Orleans

[sticklebrick-migration]

Hi Everyone.

 

Be really interested if anyone has any opinions on the grade of the coin below (sorry for the poor quality of the photos - issues with the light, camera and camera operator!! - can re take photos in the the morning if necessary).

 

 

The coin is an 1840 Gold Half Eagle ($5) with no motto from New Orleans.

 

 

 

Thanks

 

Richard

 

 

 

[BillJones]

From what little I can see, the coin appears to be nice, but the picture is so small I can't say much else. When it comes to coin grading and authentication, you need more to work with than this.

[sticklebrick-migration]

Thanks for looking everyone - I have enlarged and updated the photos.

[FishyOne]

Looks like about $10,000 to me.

 

Seriously, there's MS detail here with a lot going on in the reverse fields. I'm sure the size of the images has something to do with the fields looking "problematic".

 

If it graded problem-free, it would be a 62 to me. That's up in some 5 figure price that would require top tier certification.

[BillJones]

The coin appears to have Mint State or near Mint State detail. The fields appear to have some rub or marks. I would say that the grade range would be from AU-58 to MS-62. I would need a sharper picture to narrow that range although pictures are never fool proof when it comes to grading coins in the high end AU and Mint State range.

[sticklebrick-migration]

Thanks FishyOne and BillJones. Vey much appreciate your time. Now I think I need to get this coin graded which could be tricky as I am in the UK!

[MarkFeld]

Welcome to the forum.

 

My best guess is MS62.

[Mark T]

This is a rare coin in MS condition. How long have you had the coin and where did you get it ? Do you have anyone locally that can evaluate the coin for you ?

It looks MS to me .

 

[sticklebrick-migration]

Thanks to all. As I am a total newbie on here and in the coin world your guesses are really helpful so I don't get ripped off if I ever sell.

 

MarkT - the coin was a present from my late father about 10 years ago. I wish i'd have realised its potential value as I would have thanked him properly :-(. I presume he bought if from my grandfather who was an antiques dealer here in the UK. God knows where he got it from.

 

I have found a coin dealer in London who I think can evaluate it but would really prefer to bring it over to America - any advice on how / where to do this (apologies if this is the wrong forum)

[coinman_23885]

You can join either the PCGS or NGC Collectors Clubs and submit the coin directly yourself for certification and grading. This is the approach that I would recommend. You just need to make sure that your package is insured at all stages. You could probably have the coin certified for less than a $125 round trip including the certification fees and postage/insurance. This is for the express service tier, meaning that you'll have you coin returned quickly.

[Mark T]

You can join either the PCGS or NGC Collectors Clubs and submit the coin directly yourself for certification and grading. This is the approach that I would recommend. You just need to make sure that your package is insured at all stages. You could probably have the coin certified for less than a $125 round trip including the certification fees and postage/insurance. This is for the express coin, meaning that you'll have you coin returned quickly.

 

+1

[x2rider]

Hi There

 

If you didn't want to join the boards and just wanted it graded and then maybe sold , there are a couple of dealers on the boards here that I would have no problem recommending to you .

 

Good luck , That was quite a gift .

 

[johnny9434]

welcome to the forums.

[L1ncolnF4n]

MS detail

[Bruceswar]

Welcome to the forum. Looks like you have a rare coin here. I am a PCGS submitter and would be happy to send in the coin for you at my cost. For one coin I would not spend the money it cost to join the club. Let me know.

[sticklebrick-migration]

Thanks for everyones warm welcome and opinions. Thanks also Bruceswar and x2rider for your kind offers of help - I may well be private messaging you guys soon!

 

I took the coin to two local auction houses today (not Coins specialists) and both think its quality is not that special appraising it at c. $4,000. I guess pictures can be deceptive. Still a lovely gift

 

Cheers all,

Richard

[FishyOne]

Thanks for everyones warm welcome and opinions. Thanks also Bruceswar and x2rider for your kind offers of help - I may well be private messaging you guys soon!

 

I took the coin to two local auction houses today (not Coins specialists) and both think its quality is not that special appraising it at c. $4,000. I guess pictures can be deceptive. Still a lovely gift

 

Cheers all,

Richard

 

They must have thought it was pretty good to offer $4k! My guess is they thought it was a problem free low MS piece and they offered you half it's market value.

 

In AU this date falls under $4k retail, that should tell you you've got (what the auction houses thought was) a damn nice piece.

[Hard Times]

It really depends on what the hairlines in the fields are and what the luster flow is like when you rotate it under the light. If the luster is impeded, it won't grade MS, if it flashes through, including no break through Miss Liberty, it will grade MS, but, the hairlines observed in these photos to me make it look AU58 - that is still at least $2K.

 

Here is an AU55 (loosely graded probably really an AU50 by stringent standards) 1840-O for comparision and a correctly graded AU58 1844-O with original surfaces of thick patina. As you can see, yours is likely at least an AU58 and possibly MS as noted above.

 

 

Best, HT

 

 

[sticklebrick-migration]

The NGC grade for this coin turned out to be ...

 

1840-O SMALL DIAMETER $5 AU DETAILS IMPROPERLY CLEANED

 

Slightly disappointing as its a lovely looking coin (to my untrained eye!)