Would you buy a coin this dark?

As fast as i could. Nice coin!

 

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I would be tempted, but also consider that I had better get it into a very protective environment because as Doug and Matt says, it might be at/crossing the toned/corrosion-damaged line.

Jim

 

There is no way I would buy that coin sight unseen. The photo looks great, but the toning is so advanced that viewing the coin in hand is a requisite at this point. BTW, what is the grade of the coin? I am assuming it is a proof coin with what appears to be cameo contrast on the obverse.

 

Sage advice , to be sure.

 

Very Nice! Take it in a heart beat, buying my Dansco 7070 this month!
Steve

 

NGC gave it PF-64. Interesting. I thought most would call it ugly and not something they would wish to own. Several with good skills have taken a shot at imaging it but none have been able to catch the color it has because of the dark toning.

 

I hate to be the Negative Nelly, as Ned Flanders would say, but I just don't like coins like that. I like coins that have more vibrant colors, instead of coins that have toning that just seems thrown around in odd patches. No offence.

 

me too

 

From what I see in the picture, I find that coin very attractive!

 

I've picked up a few inexpensive Bust Halves on eBay over the past couple of years to study. When I know very little about a series I find that's a good way to get interested.

I had an opportunity to buy a very dark (much darker than yours) 1825 Bust Half for $60. The coin wasn't advertised as such, but was clearly an Overton-109! The auction was ending at an odd time and I thought I had stumbled onto a great deal.

The pictures were very detailed and the coin looked like a slam-dunk EF-40 (maybe better). I won the auction and when I got it...it looked great "in hand" (to me, anyway). A few months later I decided to remove the tarnish and submit it for grading.

To my HORROR, once the very dark tarnish was removed, it was clear the coin had been very harshly cleaned...there were unsightly scratches all throughout the fields. I had examined the coin, but never detected the scratches until the tarnish was removed.

I don't know if that's happened to anyone else, but I certainly learned a lesson! I don't think that's the case with your coin...just sharing a bad experience.

 

many seated half and seated dollars look like that. Most of the Gobrecht dollars look like that, wish I can afford one.

 

I will agree completely. It is WHY toned coins used to be dipped regularly.

I like the coin though, and I know its close to the toned/corrosion border, I don't see any evidence it has crossed over it. Lovely coin, and hopefully the slab will stop the toning.

 

As a proof, and provided the toning hasn't impaired the mirrors and I liked the coin, absolutely. Proof coins, for some reason, often tone darkly without damaging the surfaces.

If this was a business struck coin, I would think twice.

That said, proof seated halves in 64 are not rare coins, so I would likely wait until there's a coin that really speaks to you -- and if you are asking the question, that means there is likely some doubt in your mind.

Also, be aware that dark toning sometimes hides hairlines, and given that hairlines typically dictate the grade of proof coinage, I would inspect the coin very carefully for them and be sure they are minimal for the grade. Said another way, if the coin were dipped, would it look worse, the same, or better for the grade? If worse, be careful. You don't want to buy a coin with 62 hairlines with toning covering them up to make the 64 grade, IMO.

 

Unless the coin is in the holder slightly askew, it is going to be VERY tough without freeing the coin from plastic, in my experience.