Guess the grade and Overton - Saturday Edition!

[jtryka]

This one arrived today from eBay (yes, sometimes I get adventurous!):

[MBA101]

Jeff is catching the fever...

 

Looks like a 103 and an XF 40 or 45.

[jtryka]

I don't know if catching is the right word, since I seem to have had this ailment for about 5 years, but it flares up occasionally!

 

Of course this one was a total gamble since the sellers photos you could barely make out the date and that it was a bust half! He also graded it F-20, which is a new one on me...

[SuperDave]

XF40, obverse-limited; the reverse is beautiful. However, although it may just be the photo, I'm suspicious of the reverse surface given that it's a circulated coin.

[jtryka]

There is actually quite a bit of luster evident on the obverse as well, particularly around the stars. The fields of the obverse have less luster as they are more heavily oxydized.

[SuperDave]

There is actually quite a bit of luster evident on the obverse as well, particularly around the stars. The fields of the obverse have less luster as they are more heavily oxydized.

 

That contrast is what caught me. So, to help educate me, is the reverse toning reasonable for an original-surface Bustie with luster remaining?

[jtryka]

I am by no means an expert on Bust halves, but the reverse toning on this coin is very similar to my 1830 which you can see here: http://www.collectors-society.com/regist...opleSetID=16553

[SkyMan]

Nice coin.

 

I don't know if catching is the right word, since I seem to have had this ailment for about 5 years, but it flares up occasionally!

 

Atta' boy! Kinda' like malaria, once it gets into your internal organs you are liable to flare-ups for the rest of your life.

[JRocco]

I see a 40 here and the reverse lighting is what makes it look a little funky.

[Mozin]

Very hard to grade with the pictures provided. IF there is no cleaning or AT to cause a bag, the details look NGC/ANACS 40.

[jtryka]

I suppose it could be AT, but if someone went to the bother why would they not mention the toning in the auction? Seems to me they could have got more bidders and a higher price by hyping the color from the ATing but they didn't. Seems to me as a business proposition it would make more sense to AT common coins like $30 BU morgans to get a much higher premium than to start out with XF busts where there would not likely be the higher percentage premium for the toning.

[coinman1794]

Easily looks XF45 to AU50 depending on the obverse luster. It is important to keep differing wear and strike characteristics of each and every die variety in mind when judging the extent of wear (though even experts can't keep them all in the head!). Every variety has different levels of design relief and thus wears differently and this coin is not as heavily worn on the obverse as it appears.