My crazy noob question: Any chance this is an impaired proof?

Okay, I like to think I know what I am doing with coins, but I wanted to get some opinions, since my mind is trying to justify whether this could be an extremely rare proof 1845 Seated Half Dime. Certain things stick out to me:

1.The coin's fields are not typical of a business strike (which may indicate cleaning).
2. The rims seem squared.
3. There is a die lump/dot between stars 9 and 10 on the obverse, and the tiny "lint" mark above the second S in STATES on the reverse. Both are proof die markers. However, as only 8-12 proofs are known, most were sold in the days before Heritage saved their images, so I only have 3 or so to work from.... and none have the boldly repunched date as this one does.
4. The repunched date on this coin is much more defined than on the image in the Cherrypicker's Guide, a business strike, particularly to the left of the 4 digit. I am unsure what this means. But wanted some opinions. @Paddy54


Also, I know I'm a knowledgeable-enough member of CT, but if I'm being ridiculous then I vote even seasoned members get one "Hey, did I strike gold?!?" pass each year.

 

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I'm no expert, but the denticles seem too uneven to be indicative of a proof and the rims don't look all that square to me. But, what the hey, I'm not familiar with proofs that were struck more than 170 years ago.

Chris

 

I thought they didn't make any 1845 half dime proofs.

 

It's not a proof, but it looks like it may be an overdate. Look up Seated Half Dime varieties. There may be an 1845/3 or something like that. Still nice looking coin.

 

There is a 1845 FS-301 and 302 RPD. And yes, they made a handful of 1845 half dime proofs.

 

This might be one of @Paddy54 's famous, "Business strike using proof dies" coins.

 

very nice, well struck coin.
I would send it in, I think it would come back "details"

 

First this is an RPD 001 cross reference: V-5 Breen 3039
#1 Valentine obv. Small date,medium spaced,all numerals show they have been twice punched,and the 5 looks as if had been made over from a 3.
Rev. Heavy lettering
1845 number of working dies...[ Is unknown]


Die markers none noted either obv./ rev.
Mintage 1,564,000 business strikes. proofs ?
There's no records of the number of proof coins struck in 1845
Nor is it from 1837- 1857
1858 300 proofs struck
1859 800
1860 1000
1861 1000
1862 550
Breen
3039:
1845 double date v-5
Often sold as 1845/3 but the extra fragments at 5 do not match the 3 of the 1843.
The extra curve at r.of5 shown on the Valentine plate has not been fou d on any survivor from these dies ; possibly foreign matter on plate coin.

Type lll obv. Used 1840- 1853 type ll reverse used 1840-1859
My reference shows between NGC & PCGS only 12 half dimes have been certified as proofs...
Between 1843-1849 it is not known if proofs were sold entirely in sets or individually ,or both.
One complete set was struck each year for the mint cabinet. Most likely several complete sets were struck and a few coins for different denominations were left over and distributed.

So once again we have a series where proofs were struck, Yet no records of how many, no record of number of die pairs, and most of all ..."proof " that the US mint has used proof dies before to strike MS coins after the fact.
I personally believe that you are most probability correct. That this specimen is either a proof strike circulated,or an MS coin nailed with fresh dies.

 

Valentine list 7 pairs 1 ,1a ,2,3,4,5,6.
I would believe one would need 1 example of each to compare. However the op coin details for a 173 year old coin that is truly one of the thinnest and smallest coins ,to me the strike screams MS coin hammered using fresh proof dies.

 

There is no 1845/3 or 5 over 3 the punches do not match,from the 1843 numerals

 

Proofs were struck the exact amount was never recorded for the records.

 

We need more proof!

 

Paddy, at least one of the known proofs on Heritage mentions the die lump between stars 9 and 10, and 10/11, like on mine. Pretty neat!

 

Here' another observeration here's two 1845 rpd h-10's
Notice the stars.... the op coin in question stars look more detailed and sharper,
The second image that "was" also the op coin the stars are different and there' a die crack running thru..s1-s4.

And yes the second specimen is now.... well on its way to be part of the Paddy H-10 collection.

 

Those stars ARE a different style. Almost like 1838 half dimes have the large stars vs small stars variety (which look more like asterisks). The OP coin has that same style "asterisk" stars. Now to compare the proof strikes....

 

Here are 2 proofs from Heritage archives: Same stars and weakness in some of the leaves, but different date position. Mine is lower (and clearly repunched).

 

Your coin appears to be a well-struck business strike. I see nothing proof-ish about your piece.

 

Of the few proofs that were struck (it's great to learn something new)
would they use a die that was a 5 over 3?
(Technically not a 5/3 but a reworked 3 die to make it a 5.)
Or since it is a proof that was going in the mints showcase, wouldn't they use a new die with a better date?

 

It's a nice coin, nonetheless. You mentioned the fields may indicate an old cleaning, and I agree. However, with coins that old the TPGs tend to overlook it.

 

The 5's on the proofs are much closer to the device than the one shown with the post. So they aren't from the same die.