Half Dollar Technical Grade?

[cameron12x]

Thoughts on a technical grade? (Date will be revealed later.)

 

 

Eye appeal? Would she slab?

[Mark T]

I will give it a technical of between Au 53 and Au 55 . What is going on between the T and Y in Liberty ??

 

[physics-fan3.14]

I'd call it AU-50/53.

 

I'm somewhat concerned with the whispy marks at the top left obverse. Are they on the holder? Overall, it appears to be a very attractive coin.

[cameron12x]

How can a coin with possibly AU details have even tarnish like this?

 

Would the lack of luster prevent it from getting an AU grade, even with the necessary details?

[physics-fan3.14]

How can a coin with possibly AU details have even tarnish like this?

 

Would the lack of luster prevent it from getting an AU grade, even with the necessary details?

 

No, it could still get the AU with weak luster. I see luster in the protected areas. And at AU-50, a lot of the luster would be gone already anyways.

[ldhair]

I'll guess AU-50. Nice coin.

[FishyOne]

AU50 and a nice one at that.

[wdrob]

 

You forgot the mirror image of the date when you erased the date.

[cameron12x]

You forgot the mirror image of the date when you erased the date.

Oops, you're right!

 

 

Very little wear and what appears to be completely original surfaces with only the most minor of distractions, in my eyes.

 

Undergraded, for sure, IMHO. PQ for the grade?

[wdrob]

 

Yeah they were wrong on that one IMO too.

[Mark T]

This coin has a lot of detail for XF 45 – it must have no luster remaining at all for an XF 45 grade.

[BillJones]

How can a coin with possibly AU details have even tarnish like this?

 

Would the lack of luster prevent it from getting an AU grade, even with the necessary details?

 

It should. An AU graded coin must have some luster within the protected areas to qualifiy for the grade IMO. An EF-45 can have traces of luster. Some would say that it must have traces, but to me if other factors point to something better than EF-45, it still makes the grade IMO.

 

The coin you posted could be an EF-45, or it could be something lower depending upon the severity of the small marks I see on the obvese. If they are not too bad, it might net out to EF-40.

 

At any rate the 1861 half dollar is not a tough coin, and you might find a better one for the grade in the future.

[physics-fan3.14]

I think EF-45 is a fair grade for this coin - its not undergraded enough to clearly say they got it wrong. With the lack of luster, and the level of wear on the obverse, EF-45 is not unreasonable. The reverse has a bit less wear - but remember, most TPG's weigh the obverse more strongly.