Bust Half grade question

This is a coin that I had been trying to grade, but I was having trouble pinpointing what grade seems appropriate.
It has never been cleaned or polished and the devices are fairly sharp, so I was torn between a VF-35 and an XF-40.
Does anyone have any input or opinions on what grade this coin falls in?

This is only my second post, so I apologize if this is not the appropriate forum.

 

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It is an authentic coin ,O-108 variety & I'd say it is a VF30.

The die crack above the head & the recut star 11 are the easiest diagnostics to use to attribute that variety.

Welcome to CT.

 

I would be nervous about it as well. What bothers me is the weakness in the wing and breast of the eagle, yet the motto is strongly struck. The motto, due to the strike alignment, is always the weakest detail on the reverse. How the motto can be strong yet the wing weak has me puzzled.

Could be just the photograph though.

 

Thanks for the input! On a whim, I decided to start checking out Heritage's auction archives, and it seems like a dead-match as far as authenticity. Other examples of this exact coin in roughly the same condition were slabbed between 35 and 45. Although I did start to be more unforgiving with my assessment and became more aware of the flaws around the rim and denticles. There is also a mark to the right of the 1st star which detracts from eye-appeal.

After looking at a lot of similar coins though, I still dearly love this coin!

Thanks for the welcoming too.

 

It isn't the easiest to see in the pic, but at 1pm on star 11 there is a notch that I can make out. This date has a lot of odd shaped 5's .

 

Looks like a 35 to me. What are the toning splotches on the obverse by S1 and S2? Stains? Hard to make out from the images and could affect the grade or gradability.
Lance.

 

Thanks. Very informative.

Any opinion as to the weakness on the inside of the wing? I have seen that before, but usually in connection to a weak motto, both being indicative of a weak strike. This is a well struck motto.

 

From Overton's 1st edition . "Blanked Dies - Quite often low & smooth,or nearly smoth areas will appear on reverses,where the die made little if any impression. These areas nearly are found in the stars & clouds on the rteverses of 1796-1807 Fillet head type & in PLURIB in the scroll & AT of STATES on the Turban head type. These smooth depressed areas will be found opposite of the heavy portion of the bust & are caused by planchets that lacked enough metal to completely fill the die. As to the individual planchets,it is not a die variety & is not treated as such"

Basically for this variety the chin & front of Liberty's face were very strong / heavy .This and a good portion of the planchets at the time for this striking have similar features in this portion of the wing due to that strength. This example (planchet) appears to have been even more so too thin & lined up in a way that caused it to be quite pronounced.

 

Date looks ok to me Doug , looks like my '35 . What do you see wrong ?

 

To me, it looks like it has a re-engraved clasp. Am I correct?

 

What book are you getting that from , sounds like a good one . The Parsley book isn't the easiest to work with .

 

Personally I don't see that. Clasps on the later bust halved frequently are not worn down until the grade of VG-F. For a VF you expect to see a full clasp.

 

It just looks real sharp to me, and I'd expect part of it's definition to be gone at this grade. But, I may be wrong. I don't deal with these very much.

 

The Ultimate Guide To Attributing Bust Half Dollars. 2nd edition

by Glenn R. Patterson M.D.

A super reference,I use it 1st & if I still need convincing I'll go to the Overton. It is a somewhat difficult book to locate but the good news is that the 4th edition costs $50 less than mine did 7 years ago. You can pick one up for about $90 if you search .

 

Not saying I am right, as I am going off of memory here. I collected XF/AU coins, with some VF's thrown in. I do not recall any of my coins not having full clasps, and thought a worn clasp was a sure sign of lower than VF grade unless it was from a weak strike.

I am very willing to stand corrected if current collectors of the series wish to chime in.

 

All VF's.
Lance.

 

A lot of the earlier Bust halves were weakly struck , so a full clasp or lack of one is not a sure indicator . Look at Heritage at the earliest halves and you will find XF-AU with weak super clasps .