Solder on Bust half coin

[Nutmeg Coin]

A well-liked New Jersey dealer was selling this Bust half coin at a show as a nice AU55. The problem was the coin has silver solder or paint. Have others seen coins like this successfully conserved? Thanks.

 

http://i.imgur.com/MTLVfGg.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/JDJvtGw.jpg

[MarkFeld]

Where is the "solder or paint"?

[yonico]

pics are not perfect, but looks to me like a problem free AU..?

 

[Nutmeg Coin]

You can see the silver substance most obviously near the left edge of the half dollar. It is light enough so that it can be hard to identify. Wish I could identify it circling the issue, some people are aces at technology. The third star up on left margin it is evident.

[MarkFeld]

You can see the silver substance most obviously near the left edge of the half dollar. It is light enough so that it can be hard to identify. Wish I could identify it circling the issue, some people are aces at technology. The third star up on left margin it is evident.

 

We have only the pictures you provided and your words. For example, what does "left edge of the half dollar" mean? Which side? And upper, lower or middle? Near what letters, numbers or design features?

 

I see nothing in the images that matches your observations. What did/do you hope to get out of this thread?

[yonico]

are you referring to this area..?

 

 

 

does not look like paint to me, AND MOST DEFINITELY doesn't look like solder. needs better pics but i from these pics, i don't see it..

[thebeav]

pics are not perfect, but looks to me like a problem free AU..?

 

Not exactly.

That 1 o'clock rim bruise would bother me......

 

Paul

[Nutmeg Coin]

I looked at it closely, some light old cleaning, not enough to get a no grade like the surface silver substance which I am pretty sure NGC would not straight grade.

[Afterword]

If nothing else, the surface of the coin in that area looks inconsistent, in terms of color, with the rest of the coin's surface. A splash of paint might account for the effect, as you suggest, or a splash of something that removed the patina. An attempt at cleaning seems possible as well.

 

Is there an unusual build-up of metal that makes you suspect solder?

 

Edited to add: It seems I spent too much time pondering the possibilities.

[Conder101]

Almost looks like someone use a toothpick and some coin dip to try and clean a spot on the star.

[A.Phillips]

It looks like it has been cleaned a long time ago, but I doubt that the grading service will graded it as problem-free because it looks like it has a rim damage at 1 o'clock?

[Raisethis2]

I agree with the last 2 posts. Looks like a surface issue. I see nothing "added" to suggest solder or paint.

[johnny9434]

pics are not perfect, but looks to me like a problem free AU..?

 

Not exactly.

That 1 o'clock rim bruise would bother me......

 

Paul

same here.

[yonico]

pics are not perfect, but looks to me like a problem free AU..?

 

Not exactly.

That 1 o'clock rim bruise would bother me......

 

Paul

 

Perhaps your standards are different than those of the TPG's.. Or mine, at least.

 

From the pics, the tiny rim bump does not look bad enough to me to prevent a straight grade.

[Nutmeg Coin]

I agree that the rim "issue" probably would not significantly factor into the coin grading, I'm not sure how the stated ANA standards judge rim issues. What I saw in plain sunlight, which can be a useful way to examine a coin was that the "silver" surface issue jumped out in contrast to the original surfaces which were generally good. Still I'm not sure the coin warranted a price well over $500. When considering the purchase of a raw coin over several hundred dollars looking for certified money a question is why isn't the coin certified? The dealer who had the coin was one of the honest ones at this show.

[RWB]

Are you buying a coin or a paper label?

[yonico]

I agree that the rim "issue" probably would not significantly factor into the coin grading, I'm not sure how the stated ANA standards judge rim issues. What I saw in plain sunlight, which can be a useful way to examine a coin was that the "silver" surface issue jumped out in contrast to the original surfaces which were generally good. Still I'm not sure the coin warranted a price well over $500. When considering the purchase of a raw coin over several hundred dollars looking for certified money a question is why isn't the coin certified? The dealer who had the coin was one of the honest ones at this show.

 

From a seller stand point (like the dealer's), it only make since to certify a coin, if the added value from the certification is higher than the certification fee..

 

So if he could sell it raw for $500, or sell it certified for $550 or even $575, why bother??

 

Not all expensive coins that are raw are "problem coins"! and this "if it's problem-free, then why is it not certified yet" question that I hear all the time, doesn't make any sense to me.

[Conder101]

So if he could sell it raw for $500, or sell it certified for $550 or even $575, why bother??

Especially if he thinks he can sell it in less time than it would take to come back from the TPG. He turns his money, makes his profit and puts it in something else he can turn etc.

 

 

[brg5658]

It looks like it has been cleaned a long time ago, but I doubt that the grading service will graded it as problem-free because it looks like it has a rim damage at 1 o'clock?

 

I'm not sure it's rim damage. Looks like it's possibly a slightly misaligned die. Hard to tell from the scans provided.

 

I agree with Conder regarding the supposed solder. It looks more like a "spot treatment" with dip or something. Again, who knows based on those scanned images of the coin.

[yonico]

So if he could sell it raw for $500, or sell it certified for $550 or even $575, why bother??

Especially if he thinks he can sell it in less time than it would take to come back from the TPG. He turns his money, makes his profit and puts it in something else he can turn etc.

 

 

exactly (thumbs u

[Nutmeg Coin]

Because an AU 50 is worth under $350 and an AU55 may be worth over $500 but only if certified; if not certified someone is going to lose serious money if it is a problem coin. It looked like silver paint not toothpick work to me though anything is possible in all those years of being in a collection, etc..

[Keigwin]

Bust halves often have rim imperfections due to the edge lettering process. This may or may not be the case here. But I wouldn't condemn the coin for rim damage without looking at it.

Lance.

 

[benjmurts]

pics are not perfect, but looks to me like a problem free AU..?

 

Not exactly.

That 1 o'clock rim bruise would bother me......

 

Paul

 

Agree with Paul, rim damage

[Treashunt]

also the reverse scratch (bottom up to the left)

 

unless it is on the plastic?

[Curry]

Bust halves often have rim imperfections due to the edge lettering process. This may or may not be the case here. But I wouldn't condemn the coin for rim damage without looking at it.

Lance.

 

That must hurt!

[A.Phillips]

Bust halves often have rim imperfections due to the edge lettering process. This may or may not be the case here. But I wouldn't condemn the coin for rim damage without looking at it.

Lance.

 

That must hurt!

 

 

It's not a damage or scratch. It's spelling "HALF" on the edge.

[Curry]

Bust halves often have rim imperfections due to the edge lettering process. This may or may not be the case here. But I wouldn't condemn the coin for rim damage without looking at it.

Lance.

 

That must hurt!

 

 

It's not a damage or scratch. It's spelling "HALF" on the edge.

Time really takes a toll on it.

[WoodenJefferson]

I don't know, why is the obverse so dark? Some sort of environmental issues going on here? The area around the third star could very well be the original luster?

 

The details might very well be AU-55 but with the rim boogered up with moved metal along with the lack of obv. luster, has me wondering?

 

Pass

 

Note: If the obv looked anything like the rev, it would look better, but as is, no.

[MarkFeld]

I don't know, why is the obverse so dark? Some sort of environmental issues going on here? The area around the third star could very well be the original luster?

 

The details might very well be AU-55 but with the rim boogered up with moved metal along with the lack of obv. luster, has me wondering?

 

Pass

 

Note: If the obv looked anything like the rev, it would look better, but as is, no.

 

One plausible explanation for the dark obverse would be that the coin hasn't been dipped or cleaned. Either way, it doesn't look abnormally dark to me.

[AHFreak]

Bust halves often have rim imperfections due to the edge lettering process. This may or may not be the case here. But I wouldn't condemn the coin for rim damage without looking at it.

Lance.

 

 

THAT is very very cool IMO.

 

I actually did not know they did "edge lettering" on halves... did they, or was that an anomaly or what? Either way, its cool.