1892 Half Dollar - Grade?

VG-F details cleaned and or maybe scratches. sorry

 

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Do you have something like the ANA grading standards or Photograde, which describes how the coin should look in each grade? If not, I highly recommend you invest in something like that. I agree with the majority of posters, who say this is a high VG at most.

Additionally, the coin you bought has a variety of surface issues. It has been harshly cleaned. When you get the coin in hand, look at the reverse top left quadrant. I'll bet there is a strong patch of hairlines that will jump out at you at certain angles. Additionally, there is a big scratch across the eagle's wing.

If you don't know how to recognize these issues, I'm sure the members here can recommend a good book or you can check my signature below.

I don't know how much you paid for the coin, but given that you thought it was a VF I'm guessing you paid way too much. If the seller will accept returns, I strongly encourage you to return this coin.

 

Vg 10 and cleaned

 

HI @physics-fan3.14, I have your book and only now I could understand what you meant when you wrote "You, as a grader, and as a buyer, need to determine how much each problem is worth to you". I didn't do this.

 

Well, I'm happy to hear you have my book. When you get the coin in hand, I hope you can identify the issues that we're talking about here. It is much easier when examining the coin in hand, under your familiar light set-up.

The next step in your education is to be able to identify them in the pictures before you buy the coin - and that's hard. I don't really cover that in my book. That will come with experience, and this particular coin seems to be a great learning opportunity. Once you get it in hand, you'll be able to compare what you're seeing to what the pictures show.

The statement you quoted assumes that you recognize the problem when you're buying the coin. That's not always true, as your case shows. If you didn't realize the coin had problems, you will value the coin differently.

Don't feel bad - use this as a learning opportunity.

Closely examine the coin before you return it. Look at the problem areas - and compare them to the pictures the seller shows. See how that problem presents itself in the photos, and learn how it looks in a different light. If you can return it with no penalty, then you just learned a valuable lesson for free. If it costs you something, consider it the price of numismatic tuition.

 

What a lesson !!
I have no words to explain what everything you said to me really means to me now.
Thank you very much, Professor Jason Poe.

 

VG details, harshly cleaned.

 

Any time you have a question, please ask. The more experienced members are here to help educate and guide members who ask for help.

Its easiest if you ask before you buy a coin, of course. If we see problems, we'll warn you against buying a coin. As you grow as a collector, this should help you understand what we're looking at, learn, and help you avoid problems.

And you have some options - feel free to ask in the open forum for opinions, and the members here will be happy to help you. You can also send me a direct Private Message and I'll help you as much as I can.