Early copper 1/2 cent

[JIM F.]

Do you like this one? Do you agree with the grade?

 

Thanks for looking.

 

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[Coindude]

Jim it's really hard to tell from those pictures. To me it looks dull and lifeless and even seems to have some crud, under the chin and in the ear, which would lead me to believe it's more of an AU coin.

[CSdot]

Here is a version of that coin from my collection.

[BillJones]

The coin does look a bit dull, but perhaps it should have had this done to it BEFORE it went into the slab.

 

Many copper collectors brush a preservative like "CARE" or "BLUE RIBBON" on their copper coins. Those agents person_having_a_hard_time_understanding_my_point copper corrosion and also bring up the luster. It should be done by someone who knows what they are doing because you can hairline the piece with the brush if you are not careful.

 

Many old copper coins develop a layer of greasy grim on them over time that dulls the finish. It is better to remove this because it can cause damage over the long run. Given that this piece is in a numismatic storage device, a slab, the "long run" is probably a very, very long time. Still this is why many copper collectors don't like slabs and other plastic holders for long term storage purposes.

 

Here is another Mint State half cent of the same type. NGC under graded this one as an MS-63, Brown. It is a "slam dunk" MS-64 all day long, but the price between the two grades is enough to put up a fuss for the moment. The lines that show on the reverse are on the slab, not the coin.

 

[johnny9434]

Jim it's really hard to tell from those pictures. To me it looks dull and lifeless and even seems to have some crud, under the chin and in the ear, which would lead me to believe it's more of an AU coin.

+1. jmo and still a nice coin