1836 Capped Bust Half - Fake or something else?....

Hi,

Here is my 1836 Capped Bust Half Dollar, but Lady Liberty just doesn't look right to me. Both of the obverse and reverse look "smoothed out" too me in some places. You can see this smoothing if you look at Liberty's cheek and bust, but I have seen NGC slabbed coins with this phenomena and it didn't get a "details" grade. I think this smoothing is also evident on the obverse banner above the eagle where some of the letters are just obliterated. Some of the feathers on the eagles wings have also been smoothed. Additionally, both surfaces seem abnormally shiny.

Here are the "tests" I've conducted...

1) The ring test - the coin produces a very nice, melodic tone suggesting silver.
2) Weight - 13.30 grams. The 2026 Red Book indicates 13.48 grams.
3) Diameter - 32.25mm. The 2026 Red Book indicates 32.5mm.

While it's worn in some places, the edge says the following....
|||FIFTY|||CENTS|||OR|||HALF|||A|||DOLLAR|||

I know there are many Overton varieties of this coin and although it appears to pass all the "testing" (if you want to call it that) I've done, Lady Liberty just doesn't look right to me somehow.

I am required to liquidate this coin (and a few others) due to direction by an estate. I've generally been using Great Collections with a good result.

Today, the melt value of this coin is $36.77. If I send it to GC, I don't want it returned to me as "suspect authenticity" or for their auction to get $20 for it because the TPG gives it a "details" grade because it may have been whizzed, cleaned, scratched, polished, etc. If this was slabbed and received a straight grade, I think it might be around VG-8 which would put the value in spitting distance of $100.

What do you think? How should I liquidate this coin? Photos follow.

Thanks!!!!

 

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I would have a hard time seeing that coin even bringing $60 IMO. It looks real to me, just heavily abused.

 

I looks genuine to me, but it has been heavily cleaned. I'd guess it to be worth $40-$50.

 

I see nothing to make me question it being real but she has been heavily abused.

 

Maybe just a pocket piece then OR now, perhaps.

 

Thank you @JoshuaP @Mr. Numismatist @lordmarcovan @Collecting Nut @SensibleSal66 I really appreciate the insight. It just didn't look exactly right to me, but I didn't think of it being a pocket piece. I am still learning - thank you for teaching me.

 

Yep. She spent way too much time on the buffing wheel….. Myself, this is exactly the kind of coin that should go to a young budding coin collector. If I had a piece like this when I was a pimple faced kid I would have been over the moon ecstatic. You’ll get way more than fifty bucks worth of appreciation in return. That I can assure you.

 

I've never sold anything, but you mentioned GC so these links might be useful. They don't sell raw coins, but they will submit them for you at discounted rates. The cheapest route for this coin would be ANACS at $10. If it sells for $40-60 (from the above estimates) your low end net might be around melt value or maybe a small loss. But if you're liquidating a collection, taking a small hit on this coin is probably less hassle and expense than trying to unload it raw individually some other way besides GC. If I was selling them all, that's the way I'd look at it at least.

I agree with the others that it's genuine but whizzed and polished to death. Being the lettered edge version might appeal to somebody despite how abused it is.

First Time Consignors: Consigning Raw Coins to GreatCollections
https://www.greatcollections.com/kb...ing-Raw-Coins-to-GreatCollections-t334-4.html

Grade and Auction Program for Raw Coins...
https://www.greatcollections.com/kb/Grade-and-Auction-Program-for-Raw-Coins-t152-4.html

 

Certainly a valid option. My comment comes from the perspective of whether it's really worth the time and effort (and shipping cost) to handle it differently than the rest of the estate over a ten buck or so difference in proceeds.