Opinion about this Seated Liberty Half Dollar 1872 S 0

[Diemguarns]

If possible, I would like an opinion on authenticity and grade of this Half Dollar of San Francisco. Thanks. Diego.

 

 

 

[Mohawk]

Now....with the preface that I can sometimes be rough on these and I'm basing this on Photograde, based on the photos, I'm going to call it G-6 in Details with rim damage.  I think the rim damage would keep this coin from numerically grading at NGC.  It's almost VG details, but Photograde says you have to have three letters of Liberty visible on the shield and I only see the L, the Y and part of the I, so that's only 2.5 letters.  I wish I could split grade it because that reverse is easily a solid VG, but a reverse doesn't carry a weaker obverse.  I also want to state that the shield does look damaged, which could play into the lack of visible letters, so I don't know if that would make it a VG Details-damaged. 

As for authenticity, I don't see anything that's shooting off red flags to me there.  The mint mark style looks correct, and it's not of the very small S style that debuted in 1875.  According to NGC Coin Explorer, there are deceptive counterfeits of the 1872-S with that style of mint mark, so you definitely do not have one of those counterfeits.  However, I'm going to hope that someone who knows more about Liberty Seated coinage chimes in here.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Mohawk

[thebeav]

This half looks genuine. I'd call it a VG/details for the rim bump.

[RWB]

Genuine. Overall grade of Good. Rim damage likely would preclude TPG grading. Value of less than $50, probably closer to $25 but difficult to find a buyer.

[MarkFeld]

I agree with thebeav- The coin looks like a genuine VG example with rim damage.

[Henri Charriere]

Minus the mishap -- you don't give old coins to your kid in the stroller to play with no matter how smart you think he may be -- you've got Good, by a nose. (My condolences to the buyer who just found out his coin's value does not exceed the cost of formal certification.)  

[zadok]

coin authentic....its die pairing WB-3....one of 4 die pairings for the date/mint....all r R-3 rarity, so relatively common...coin in that grade with rim damage almost certainly not straight grade, prob G details possibly VG details...prob not worth certification...coin would prob sell on ebay $65-75 range.....

[VKurtB]

On 8/18/2021 at 10:17 PM, Mohawk said:

Now....with the preface that I can sometimes be rough on these and I'm basing this on Photograde, based on the photos, I'm going to call it G-6 in Details with rim damage.  I think the rim damage would keep this coin from numerically grading at NGC.  It's almost VG details, but Photograde says you have to have three letters of Liberty visible on the shield and I only see the L, the Y and part of the I, so that's only 2.5 letters.  I wish I could split grade it because that reverse is easily a solid VG, but a reverse doesn't carry a weaker obverse.  I also want to state that the shield does look damaged, which could play into the lack of visible letters, so I don't know if that would make it a VG Details-damaged. 

As for authenticity, I don't see anything that's shooting off red flags to me there.  The mint mark style looks correct, and it's not of the very small S style that debuted in 1875.  According to NGC Coin Explorer, there are deceptive counterfeits of the 1872-S with that style of mint mark, so you definitely do not have one of those counterfeits.  However, I'm going to hope that someone who knows more about Liberty Seated coinage chimes in here.

I like it all except I’d have the base grade at VG-8. Nonetheless, minor bumps are well tolerated for this series, but this exceeds minor. 

I have seen many Seated Lib coins straight graded with minor rim bumps. I even saw one in the display case of the Seated Liberty Collectors Club in Chicago. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by VKurtB

[zadok]

On 8/19/2021 at 9:46 PM, VKurtB said:

I like it all except I’d have the base grade at VG-8. Nonetheless, minor bumps are well tolerated for this series, but this exceeds minor. 

I have seen many Seated Lib coins straight graded with minor rim bumps. I even saw one in the display case of the Seated Liberty Collectors Club in Chicago. 

Liberty Seated Collectors Club.....LSCC

[VKurtB]

On 8/19/2021 at 9:04 PM, zadok said:

Liberty Seated Collectors Club.....LSCC

Of course. Maybe we should have Liberty Fully Reclined coins. Heck, given recent world events, Liberty Face Down Dead in the Sand coinage. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by VKurtB

[Mohawk]

On 8/19/2021 at 9:46 PM, VKurtB said:

I like it all except I’d have the base grade at VG-8. Nonetheless, minor bumps are well tolerated for this series, but this exceeds minor. 

I have seen many Seated Lib coins straight graded with minor rim bumps. I even saw one in the display case of the Seated Liberty Collectors Club in Chicago. 

Thanks Kurt!! Like I said.....I've been told I can be rough on Seated coinage grading-wise.  I've also been told I'm rough on Morgans and Peace Dollars, too.  But I'll definitely say you know more about it than I do!! 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Mohawk

[VKurtB]

.They were commerce workhorses. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by VKurtB

[Mohawk]

On 8/19/2021 at 10:40 PM, VKurtB said:

.They were commerce workhorses. 

I can imagine they were back then.  Fifty cents probably had a fair bit of pull back in 1872!  Kind of like the denarius in what I do.  

[Diemguarns]

 

Many thanks to everyone for the answers, excellent comments and very enlightening. Best regards, Diego.