Picking out a Columbian half for someone that needs it to complete a set. They want an 1892 for under $150 in MS64 that is nice for the grade. I came to these 2 and wanted to see what you guys thought before I pulled the trigger on something. If anyone knows of one somewhere that's nicer in that price range feel free to post a link. http://www.ebay.com/itm/22201946927...49&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&autorefresh=true And the other one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/331774264069?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
I thought the 2nd one looked cleaner but I thought the 1st one looked more original. The only thing I didn't like about the second one is that it looks like it was dipped and retoned. That's just the vibe it was putting off to me. The surfaces didn't look as original as the other. That's why I was split
I think the first might look nicer in hand under a light then the pic appears, but yeah the second has better eye appeal. I think the prices might be a tick high. Maybe I just got lucky, but a while back I won an ebay auction for a great rim toned ms64 in a fatty slab for under ninety bucks.
Can't say I'm enthusiastic about either. I believe the NGC coin overgraded, and the PCGS coin to lack original surfaces. Entry-level toning after 123 years? Doubtful. Neither are much of a strike, to boot. Hold out for one with actual hair showing at the bottom; if you're doing the picking you owe it to the recipient to find a "good" one.
Stand by, relooking and rethinking.... Edit the Second: Looks so; their scanner's white balance is off and that threw me. That makes surface determination all the more problematic, and still not much of a strike.
http://www.mountvernoncoinco.com/co...ns/products/columbian-half-1892-10142015-1198 http://www.apmex.com/product/19855/1892-columbian-expo-half-dollar-bu8 https://www.northeastcoin.com/mobile/mobileInventory.jsp;jsessionid=0FD3ABC9F44830E68C18D86606C28A2B My personal choice is this one http://www.typecoins.com/store/product?pid=76912
As far as scans go they're a pretty good quality and I had suspected they were using scans for a bit, but it wasn't until I actually got a coin from them that I knew for sure. If that scans translates anything like the ones I've gotten from them before that coin likely has decent luster. Most of their coins aren't as dead as their scans make them look.
I don't have another option to offer, but FWIW I was thinking down these lines too. You might look around some more. Bozarth usually sells nice coins though so...???
Bozarth is a solid seller. Given baseball21's observation, I'm giving them a pass on the apparent color but all the same it's not a coin which would Bean. The OP owes that to his customer.