50C Heraldic Eagle-Opinion on it's grade

I am vacillating between a G6 and VG8 on this coin. I need a consensuses because I
can make a case for either grade.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I think it's better than a G6 personally, nice looking coin.

 

I would say VG-8.

 

It looks very much like the "ANA Grading Standards" plate coin for VG8. There's some detail in the drapery, hair, shield, eagle's feathers, and motto. I think ya gotta go solid VG8 on this one. Nice even strike, problem free surfaces... I like it.

 

The thing which works against this coin are some very distinct hairlines. It's possible the lighting / photography makes 'em look worse than they are.

 

I think this is O-102, r.2. Early die state.

 

Don't split hairs, that's a VG8 coin in my book.

 

end the vacillating,

go VG-8 or better.

 

I'm not as big of a fan of this coin. I'd like to see a picture that has been color corrected. I'd bet that this coin has been cleaned at some point and is recovering from an old cleaning... but it has left hairlines. I'd bet this coin goes into a VG details holder.

 

Here is a color corrected obverse pic. Does this look about how it does in hand? To me it almost looks like someone might have tried to dirty it back up to fix it a little bit.

 

and rev

 

I too had concerns about the hairlines. They showed up in the photographs but are not visible through my 10x loupe to my eye. It very well could be a lighting issue. I use two 50 watt halogen floods and they are not kind to any coins.

I really appreciate everyone's comments because this particular coin was giving me problems. I'm more apt to downgrade a coin than upgrade.

Also, to 900fine, where is your source for die states? I generically put this under "early half dollars" in my spreed sheet program. I see the program has about 15 options for die states but I'm not familiar with these. I would like to learn.

And LostDutchman, That is exactly as it appears under normal daylight.

 

I have inspected the coin outside under normal light. If I study it with my loupe closely, I may be seeing those light scratches (hairlines). If so would lowering this coin to a G6 be the better of the two options?

 

I don't think the hairlines make it any less than a VG-8, but they could keep a top tier TPG from giving it anything other than a genuine/improperly cleaned slab with VG details.

 

VG Details. Improperly cleaned. Still a nice looking piece but it may even go as tooled.

 

Even surface colors, except for the mark at about 6 o'clock on the reverse. F-12.

 

VG details, net G for old cleaning/hairlines.

 

I believe the best way to inventory it would be: VG8 details, but I will net it's value out at G6. I use the Heritage Gallery spreed sheet program and it will show both values for a single entry. I think the personal value entry overrides their default value when it totals the overall collection?

 

Two sources - Overton's book and experience. Late die state coins commonly have die cracks, cuds, heavy die erosion (as indicated by a "squiggly" look near the borders, sometimes missing on worn specimens), star points stretched out toward the rim, and uneven strikes due to die warpage.

This coin doesn't have those indicators.