1858 LS Half Dollar - Straight Grade or Details?

NGC actually AU Details
PCGS AU55 nowadays

 

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I said straight grade. It's a borderline coin with an ancient wipe. But I've seen far worse in straight holders. It may not make it the first time either but I see it in a straight au 58 holder at some point

 

The half dollar and the gold coins mentioned were in the mail to NGC for grading today. I'll post grades when I receive them.

 

Good call on NGC

 

This thread is an example of why I don’t buy high end 19th century type coins raw.

 

And it's why I don't either - now. But five years ago when I was just starting out on my numismatic journey, I bought this coin from an (in)famous internet seller well-known for its juiced photos. Several lessons learned in that transaction that I don't repeat nowadays.

 

It’s still a nice looking coin even without “juiced” photos, and I agree with the other comments that it at least has a shot at a straight grade. The problem is that the TPG standards for market acceptability seem so unpredictable that I would always find myself doubting any coin that I bought raw, not just ones like yours from “infamous” sellers.

 

I promised to update you with the grades when I got the coins back from NGC. I mailed them USPS Registered on April 26 and they arrived back on my doorstep on May 9. I didn't pay for any expedited processing so I was pretty impressed.

Here's the coins with the grades assigned by NGC. Overall, I was pretty pleased.

1858 Half Dollar - NGC AU-58
1925-D Quarter Eagle - NGC AU-58
1903 Half Eagle - NGC AU-Details Cleaned
1881-S Eagle - NGC MS-61
1915 Eagle - NGC AU-58

 

I'd say those are good results!

 

re: the 1858 LS; your coin is definitely tail hub variety 2 but I also notice that it could be paired with the double die version of the head die it's hard to tell from a picture. Also, there could also be some die obverse die clashing as evidence by what appears to be "noise: to the right of the second 8. In addition there could be some repunched date stuffed going on by the line under and to the left of the first 8, some sort of possible line(s) over the five and a line to the left of the top loop of the second 8. like I said; it's hard to tell from a picture.

There's almost a dozen different known "major" varieties of the 1858 half and at your AU condition it would be a 4+ rarity whatever variety it is.

 

When I bought this coin, I attributed it per Bugert as:

WB-101, Normal Date. Reverse is Type 1 by "L" of HALF. R4 in Mint

 

Huh???

 

Glad to hear your good

 

It’s just so pretty