I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to acquire the dime and half dime, so figured I might as well share now.
Thanks all, I’m on a Lewis & Clark expedition history kick currently so these fit right in with the 1805 dates. So fun to imagine where they went. As an aside, I was talking to a dealer at a show recently and he was saying he thinks the circulated cameo look often happened due to these coins being put in and out of old flips for years by collectors. I had always considered it was from handling/friction one way or another but never considered that particular theory and it makes sense.
The dime and especially the half dime are tough, especially in the circulated grades without problems. If you get the dime, it will probably be dated 1805 or 1807. The most common half dime is the 1800. It is also the one that is most often well struck. Here's an 1800 half dime that I traded away for another very high grade example some years ago. NGC graded it EF-40. And here is the replacement. This is far and away the best Draped Bust coin I have in my collection. It is graded MS-64.
Another theory is that they may have been dipped or cleaned many years ago and stored in envelopes where the high portions of the design came in contact with the paper and did not tone as much. You see this look more often than one might expect. When I was a young collector, I especially aspired to own this group of type coins. The 1805 dime, which is my avatar, got me hooked on high grade, AU, examples.
Those are very nice well struck coins. The 1795 dollar I have that I got from my grandparents is not so well struck.
I have seen many examples that appear this way, and good point to call that out. Just because a coin has dark surfaces and light high points does not mean it has not been cleaned.
Well I haven’t been able to change it. But literally and legally no longer exists. My name and everything has been changed. Note the cat picture is now a blonde woman. That’s me now. Bill has transitioned to Bethany but I still have my coins. Though I haven’t been active in that world much. Too much else going on in life
Ah, gotcha- since it was always the cat as long as I can remember I didn’t take notice. Hope life is good even if busy!
It is. Yeah good old Merlin. I miss him. I changed it. So people could see the new me. Once i finally get it situated I may change it back. It’s good I’m free of the trap of my body and pretending to be someone i not so yeah life is good
