I've been looking to pick up a few bust half dollars on a lower budget. I came across this coin on EBay, and I can't quite tell what I'm seeing on this coin. Am I seeing a cast fake, or a coin that was chemically cleaned badly? If you look in the open area on the obverse, you'll clearly see what looks like pitting. If you look at the bust head, the color doesn't seem right. Your thoughts? This a questionable one, or just an overly cleaned one?
The detail of the coin is sharp and therefore to see surfaces that look almost corroded definitely sends up a red flag for me. this is not to say that it is not genuine, but certainly that for a coin with this kind of detail, I would expect to see original Mint luster.
Fake cast you can see the how grainy it looks, bet doesn't weight either. Do not pull the trigger on this one! One must ask themselves how can a coin with this much damage have such details on the high points? Everywhere you would expect to see wear it isn't ...... stars, pin, Hair etc...
I think it's genuine but harshly treated to remove corrosion or something. It looks terrible and I wouldn't go near it.
1839 was the last year of the CBH series, not 1838. This one looks genuine but with some surface corrosion. And not nearly worth the dealer's asking price ($570). You can do A LOT better for that much money. Lance.
Thanks for your input everyone. My gut is telling me something is off about this coin. I will definitely pass. Where I'm no expert in this series, and my budget forces me to look for raw examples, I know I'm going to find a lot of fakes. Just trying to educate myself before pulling the trigger to purchase one of these!!
No worries, SchwaVB57. Easy slip-up because the seated series began the same year the bust half ended. BostonCoins - are you looking for a reeded edge half dollar or a lettered edge? Although they're both lumped together as capped bust halves there are significant differences. Dies for the earlier lettered edge coins had a lot of hand engraving (necessary for screw presses), making each die visibly different and, hence, strong interest in die marriage collecting. Reeded edge halves were produced with much stronger steam presses, allowing hubs to be fully engraved and the coins well impressed. Only minute differences among dies. Maybe an example of each type? Lance.
I honestly am not looking for a specific edge design, nor a particular year. I am a late-rebloomer who is restating my collection. Over the past 5 years, I've purchased coins as types, kinda like building my own 7070 set. I've concentrated mostly on early large copper, but have always wanted to own some good bust examples of each denomination. Based on a lower budget, and no need for certification, which design do you recommend? Is one more affordable than another in VG+ grades?
The earlier bust halves are much more in demand than the later years. Lots of collectors draw the line at 1836, the last year of the screw press for bust halves and the quirky coins from hand engraved dies and Mint foibles (like overdates and punching blunders). Some "snobs" draw the line even earlier, around 1822. This is not to say the later reeded edge coins (1836-39) have no following. Many collectors like the revised design and the nicely struck appearance. I would recommend you buy the earliest year you can...more desirable as an example of what the Mint was first producing. For $200-300 you can have a problem-free 1810-1819, let's say, in VF30 or better, especially if you're okay with raw. Lance.
Lol @Treashunt . Fairly certain football season is over... and as a New England naitive... it was a GREAT season!
This coin is absolutely genuine, but I believe it was corroded and harshly cleaned to remove the (probably black) corrosion.
This coin is genuine. It was either damaged by an acid cleaning, or it was dug from the ground (corroded while it was there) and was subsequently harshly cleaned.