I recently sent an H10 LM1 to NGC/NCS for conservation and grading. I dug it up a few months ago. NGC sent it back as not suitable for certification. It's a pretty rare half dime. I don't want to clean it as I don't want to damage it. I'd like to get it slabbed. Any suggestions?
Conservation will ruin it further. How much did you pay for them to tell you that? Need better images but why didn't they details the coin: "Environmental Damage?" I suggest you send it somewhere else the next time.
I believe it was $5.00 plus shipping. I sent it in with 2 Connecticut's and a Jersey. The Connecticut on my profile page came back a straight VF along with the other one. They were all dug from the same area. Usually the silver coins come out better than copper coins. I still think it should be in a slab.
For $5 to say what they did, you got a great deal. $5 is the least you can pay to have a coin conserved.
Here is the one from my collection. It has its issues, but NGC straignt graded it. The estimated population is under 30 pieces, perhaps as low as 23 to 25. Here is an example of the large date variety so that you can see the difference. The Large Date is much more common although all of these coins are quite scarce.
I may be mistaken, but I think they won't slab anything that has some type of active corrosion or residue that could continue to get worse in the holder. Although I can't see anything like that in your pics, that could be the reason the didn't put it in a details slab. Another possibility is that they feel there is too much damage for them to authenticate it. Just throwing out some possible explanations
johnmilton, posted: "Here is the one from my collection. It has its issues, but NGC straignt graded it. View attachment 1120326 View attachment 1120327 What is it graded, The coin looks like a high XF w/problems. Did they NET GRADE it? Collecting Nut, posted: "Not all coins are suitable for a slab. Even if it is a rare coin." Says who? This is the kind of nonsense that occurred for so long it was borderline CRIMINAL! Remember, taking your money for a BODY BAG because the coin was "not suitable?" Remember when "moderns" were not suitable or this particular minor variety either! Perhaps, you'll change your mind.
Yes, they net graded it (overgraded it in my opinion) to VF-35. It doesn't matter to me. I'm just glad to be able to fill the hole in my early half dime set. It is rarer than an 1802 half dime, but since it's a vareity, and not a date, it sells for a lot less. The only other one I've seen in 20 years, outside of a major auction (where I usually get bid passed the next galaxy) was in a SEGS holder. It was similar to this one and sold for about what I paid for the piece I have. When they offer "details holders," that line is a lot of crap. The only time I really agreed with a grading service sending back a piece with "no opinon" was an item that looked like a Templeton Ried gold piece. The piece had been messed around with so much that it was impossible to tell if it was genuine or not. A major dealer showed to me and wanted an opinion. Unfortunately I could not give him one.
As a matter of interest, what is the current estimated rarity for 1803 V-3? I am asking because Heritage used to describe it, as you say, as an R-6 variety, but I have noticed that lately they describe it as R-5. In the 2009 sale of an MS-61 example they wrote in the accompanying description: "...Our auction database lists 35 appearances of this variety over the last 25 years, and only 11 of those are for coins that are XF or better...." From this I infer that the current known population (in 2020) is at least 35 examples. Still a rare coin, but possibly no longer an R-6.
johnmilton, posted: "Yes, they net graded it (overgraded it in my opinion) to VF-35..." What would a better "NET" grade be?
Maybe VF-25. From what I've seen, low grade of examples of the early half dimes are usually really beat-up. That's why this coin is so remarkable.
Thank you for responding Skip. I did not want to speak out of my comfort zone and figured it "might" get a details-genuine-environmental label but was just not sure enough to respond. I've seen others that have.
