http://www.ebay.com/itm/1793-1-2C-L...759?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item234b533d5f I have NO problems with the seller. He's highly respected and I've had great dealings with him in the past. The coin is somewhat underpriced. My concern is with what appears to be a planchet defect (lamination?) Is that sufficient to lower the price on a coin graded F-15 to the price of an F-12 coin? As I understand it the US got its planchets from England at that time and quality was often a problem.
Lamination, dig in the eye, rim ding at about 6 o'clock. Should not have graded problem free, but, possibly net graded
It looks to be a fairly secure lamination. Of course, the coin has other surface issues, too and this likely played a role in the asking price.
Planchet quality was, indeed, a problem for many early coins, and particularly copper issues. I don't know if this is one of them, but there are dates and varieties that just don't come in what collectors of 19th and 20th century coins think of as "problem-free" conditions very often.
The 1811 half cents are particularly notorious for porous planchets. I shopped a LONG time for good ones. I got both varieties from Chris McCawley. I'll wait until the June Baltimore Whitman Show. Maybe I can negotiate it down some more.
Good luck in June. His site is one of the few I regularly watch. I personally like the coin in a problem free holder.
