1831 Half dollar 50c Friends coin opinions please

[dooly]

Hi my mate richard has just poped this out of his collection (i did not know he even had any USA coins)..

 

any information on the grade type ect i will pass on to him

 

[MBA101]

If those scratches are on whatever holder it is in, then I would say AU-58 conservatively would be the grade, but if those scratches are on the coin, then don't bother, it would get a BB.

[MunkyMan95]

No way that coin is AU58. Maybe 40-45.

[James_OldeTowne]

MAN, my heart just about leapt for a moment there - I thought those were adjustment marks on the obverse at first glance! That would have been quite a rare find!!!!! Overall, the coin appears to have virtually UNC details, but regrettably, I believe those file marks to be post-mint damage that will result in a no-grade. I'd be selling this coin at the value of EF-40 or so.

[relicsncoins]

I agree with James......Unc details, post mint damage. I also believe the coin has been over dipped. Net EF-40.

 

JJ

[TomB]

The coin has been dipped, which NGC and PCGS don't care about, but has also unfortunately been severly scratched, which NGC and PCGS definitely care about. If this coin were to be submitted for certification it would come back raw in a bag.

[dooly]

Thanks all for your quick responce

 

 

[123cents]

He gave $330.00 for a half with those scratches. Not good.

[dooly]

I know it makes me feel so much better after paying £80 for a 1828 one in better condition at a local auction a few months back ( whoops should have said nothing as it is at NGC at the moment and now will come back in a BB)

[coinman1794]

Not bad, either. The coin shows UNC details!

[cpm9ball]

MAN, my heart just about leapt for a moment there - I thought those were adjustment marks on the obverse at first glance! That would have been quite a rare find!!!!!

 

James, please explain to this uneducated individual (they censored the word "I D I O T" ......... meaning me!)...........what you mean by "adjustment marks".

 

Thanks!

 

Chris

[relicsncoins]

I believe adjustment marks are marks that were caused by altering the weight of the planchet prior to being struck. If the planchet did not meet the weight specifications, such as being to heavy, they would file some metal off to bring the weight of the planchet into specification.

 

JJ

[TomB]

The early US Mint would weigh planchets to make certain they contained the correct amount of silver or gold and, if the planchets were overweight, they would use a tool that I assume was much like a file and would shave off some of the outer bits of metal from the planchet. These are known as adjustment marks and usually appear as groups of parallel marks or grooves on the surface of a coin. This practice faded with time and it is unusual to find adjustment marks on coins made after approximately 1805 or thereabouts. More infrequently, the Mint would find underweight planchets and these would ocassionally have a plug of metal added to them. This is most often found on 1794 dollars and they are known as plugged dollars.

[cpm9ball]

Thanks, guys!

 

Chris

[James_OldeTowne]

To follow up with TomB's remarks, adjustment marks are exceedingly rare on Capped Bust material, and I have never personally owned such a coin. Early on in my numismatic career, I did once own an 1807 Draped Bust half-dollar with blatant adjustment marks. I had gotten the coin at a discount from someone who at the time was as uninformed as I was. I sold the coin for a small profit, only to learn sometime later that the coin should have been worth a premium!

 

Live and learn....

[Stanley]

Is this one? click attachment

[123cents]

Is this one? click attachment

 

I don't think so. I have seen draped bust halves with adjustment marks but never a capped bust half.

[coinman1794]

I've read that they are found through about 1830. However, as others have noted, they are exceedingly rare on Capped Bust material.

[coinman1794]

Here is a great example of adjustment marks on a 1795 half dime at Heritage.

 

http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=67033&Lot_No=24180#photo