1857 dime - details, but darkened. grade opinions?

Hi,

I have this 1857 dime with some really spectacular details but, as you can see in the scans (which I made sure captured the brightness levels appropriately), the coin is darkened from exposure to air, I'm assuming. The plastic in the 2x2 the coin sits in has a few small holes on the reverse side, you can see them below "DIME" and above the "8". How badly do you think this darkening affects the grade?

Please ignore the light flares from the plastic. I tried several shots but they kept showing up.

Thanks.

 

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I would say the coin is a VF

 

XF-45/50 :hammer:

Ribbit :smile

 

I'd say XF 40/45

 

EF details, but I wouldn't buy it for EF money.

Obverse is pleasing, but reverse isn't.

 

I would say that it that has EF-45 details! The thing that the coin really has going for it, is that it was Double Struck with Mis-Aligned Dies and the second strike is about 3% Off-Center. The Double Strike is evident on the Obverse as a double rim from about K-10:30 to K-3:30, the Reverse has a double rim from about K-10:30 to K-4:30 and double ticking from about K-11:00 to K-2:00.There also appears to be some nice Die Cracks on the Obverse but I can't tell about any on the Reverse as it is too dark.


Frank

 

Double struck ?

 

That's true about the upper rims - on both sides. Plus, on the reverse there is what appears to be a die crack over the E in "ONE".

 

Maybe CTRL should take the dime out of its holder and re-scan it so Huntsman can see it better? :kewl:

Ribbit :smile

 

It would be nice to see it out of the holder.

 

Yes, I believe that it is Double Struck! Look at the area between the rim and the ticking...especially above "STATES" on the Reverse and you will see that there is an extra set of ticking. Other than that, I can't really tell if the details on the coin exhibit any traits of being Double Struck. However, if the coin was Double Struck and I believe that it was, then the details at the least, should show extra thickness.

What intriques me about the coin is the Off-Set Double Struck! The top of the Obverse and the top of the Obverse of the coin are normally 180 degrees from each other. For the double rim and double ticking to occur at both the top of the Obverse and the top of the Reverse on this coin, it would either have to be Double Struck with Mis-Aligned Diies or one of the Dies was rotated 180 degrees out.

It is a very interesting coin to say the least and one that I would like to see pictures of out of the 2x2 holder or in hand! I would also like to know if the Reverse is rotated 180 degrees frrom the Obverse as this would tell alot!


Frank

 

Here are photos of the coin outside the 2x2. You can see it much better now, and the rim is clearer. The obverse and reverse are normally aligned, 180 degrees.

 

Who cares if its double struck, its BEAUTIFUL!

 

Au 50 -- doesn't affect grade much, but it would limit what I, personally, would pay for it to low XF money.

 

A general sentiment, I'm sure.

 

Well, new pictures of the coin out of the holder, give a completely new perspective on the coin! What appeared to be nice extra ticking on the Reverse, must have been an effect created (impression left) by the length of years the coin spent in the 2x2 but the coin slightly shifted in the 2x2 leaving the look of a uniform extra ticking. The coin still apears to have light extra ticking above the main ticking but due to the double rim, the coin defintely is slightly Double Struck. Now, my question is, when you flip the coin over end over end (flip the bottom up and straight over), is the Reverse right side up or upside down? This is key in determining whether the coin was Double Struck with Mis-Aligned Dies or whether one Die was rotated 180 degrees out!


Frank

 

The extra ticking is light, but it's there.

The obv & rev are aligned normally, i.e. flip the obv top-over-bottom and the reverse is right-side-up.

 

The reverse looked pretty bad in the 2x2 but out of it, the whole thing looks really nice. Awesome coin!

 

looks way better now that she can breathe !

 

ctrl,

Thanks! With this new info, then you can honestly state that the coin was Double Struck with mis-aligned Dies. Since in normal circumstances, a coin such as your's should exhibit evidence of a Double Strike at the top of the Obverse and the bottom of the Reverse, then your's is totally opposite due to the mis-aligned Dies. If the Double Strike adds any value to the coin over it's normal collectible value (and it should some), then having the coin Double Struck with mis-aligned Dies, should add additional value!


Frank