These two are exceedingly difficult to photograph through the plastic, so please bear with me. How would you grade them based on the pictures? Thanks!
55 on the 40 and 53 on the 64-S. Seeing 1864-S in the title made me excited. A genuinely tough coin that most don’t even realize is tough. They are not too hard to find if you want a damaged, cleaned, soldered, or otherwise mutilated piece and don’t mind overpaying. Try finding a problem free example at anything close to a reasonable price and you’ll see just how hard it is. The price guide values are completely wrong - far too low. Obverse looks interesting on it as well.
MS 62 on the top one AU 54 on the bottom I don't like the tarnish on either one, but the detail is nice, especially on the top one.
AU55 on the 1840 . . . a wonderful coin. I can't tell you exactly why . . . it may only be the obverse photo, but my instincts tell me the 1864-S is a details coin. I'd need to see that coin in person.
1840 looks like some flavor of UNC: MS-62, 3 or 4. The ‘64 looks to have v. light wear, consistent with AU-55. Tough to say, though, when viewed through 2 intervening filters (plastic + screen). Whatever the case, they speak well of Eduard’s usual impeccable taste. Once again, I’m jealous.
These little gems were kept for the most part in very high sulfur paper albums. The toning on most is just about terminal, the more you search these the more you'll find have been cleaned or dipped. . Look at my ms 62 the tone isn't pleasing but there is some luster but the reverse is horrible. Nothing eye appealing at all but a nice example of a 45 rpm 002. 1845/15 retail in MS 63 is $400. The op's 1840 is by my eye a MS- 60. I can understand many thinking it is Au. But no it is a mint state half dime....true border line but never the less it passes. The 1864 has also had some work done, at first I thought rusted dies, after looking closely it has been cleaned. A better date 90,000 minted, was album toned, then it was cleaned ,and then retained. The 1864 only 48,000 minted and only 470 proof strikes for that year. The 64 s is Xf. detail coin. You can definitely see wear and that the coin has been toned ,cleaned,and retoned, it lacks any luster....not orginial skin. For the 1864 s there's no varieties known. As a half dime collector I can assure you if you try and target specimens in Xf. or better grades...you'll find that #1 You will need deep pockets,and good sources of inventory, or #2 you'll settle for lower grade specimens....as I have! The 1838 h 10's are well known for several corroded dies used. This dies were terminal and I have no references as them being used or could of been repurposed in later years.
Any half dime struck 1863-1868 are very hard to find peroid! In any condition .... The mintages from 1863-1868 total mintage for 5 years is 185,000 strikes from Philly, there of course none from New Orleans, and San Francisco 850,000 for the 5 years,and only 3,380 proofs for the same peroid. So in those 5 years only 1,038,380.00 Half dimes were struck ,in 1839 there were 1,069,150 struck alone in Philadelphia! Even at large shows like Whitman in Baltimore half dimes in general are hard to find..true years of over a million minted can be found but in conditions above xf. Are few to none, add a mint mark slimmer, and key dates,are next to impossible. Dates in the mid 1850's yes you do run across some in better grades ,as for others no. I know 30 dealers here ,and when ever any one of them come across a half dime I get a call...or called over to their table at a show.