Hello everyone ! I've owned this 1836 Capped Bust Half (lettered edge),50C, for some years and After spending $75 on it, have some questions. Did I get a deal? I understand that it's cleaned, PCGS says so. Can anyone point out the telltale signs though? Also, it's slightly rotated and I was wondering if it makes it more desirable. Thanks everyone!
I can see lots of parallel hairlines on the obverse, and looks like debris gathered around some of the devices (stars, bottom of hair). The reverse is better, but what is that running through the eagle's beak!
What details grade did PCGS give it- VF details, or XF details? Looks like strong VF details to me. A problem-free VF would be a $100-ish coin, per Numismedia. This cleaned piece at $75 is not a terrible deal. Not a screaming bargain, but not bad, either. About right, I guess.
As to the telltale signs of the cleaning, it's right there all over- the surfaces have a dull and overscrubbed appearance. Bust halves quite often got cleaned, and sometimes get some forgiveness for that from the TPGs, receiving "straight" grades if they've retoned enough. This one just got a bit too harshly cleaned for a straight grade. Still, it's not a horrible coin.
The best thing I can tell you is to look at hundreds of other coins like this, cleaned and not cleaned. Eventually you will be able to look right at this one and know exactly why it is cleaned.
They did, that one was just submitted so that details coins were put in a genuine holder with no grade instead of a details one
It's just too bright for a coin with that amount of wear. Should be a dull gray. Do you have a copy of Jason Poe's book? Lot's of good info on surfaces.
