I had to crack her out.

I won her in a Heritage Auction in April 2008. Selling my late father's collection about a year earlier sparked my interest in coins especially early ones. I had just enough knowledge to be dangerous (to my wallet); and in this case I compromised on originality in the pursuit of rarity. She was in one of those old NCS slabs, gray label, gray plastic, truly an ugly tomb; on the headstone of this sarcophagus was "F details, cleaned." I couldn't allow her to languish in there any longer. Freedom was achieved with the side cutters, but it was a chore; those old NCS slabs are really tough!
Now she's free, dropping her on the counter I hear that sparkling "ting!" and tilting under light I can see some iridescent toning. Accurately designated "cleaned" as there are some fine hairlines and overall the surfaces are too reflective to be original. Still fun to hold and imagine what she has purchased and how she looked fresh off the press in Phila. 216 years ago.
O126-A R4

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Nice!

 

Great coin all around, congrats.

 

Worn but still an absolute beauty.

 

she looks a bit like mine.

 

very nice.

 

You meant “Bust I can do…”



@ksparrow I hope you’re ok with us posting some 1800s halves…

 

I couldn't tell if OP was showing a half or a dollar coin. Mine is a dollar.

 

Nice 1795 half. I don't think the old cleaning and hairlines are particularly troublesome as I pretty expect some problems in early circulated coins. BTW, you can tell it's a half just by the OP's attribution as O-126. That's an Overton number and only applies to half dollars.

Here's my 1795 half. An O-110 with adjustment marks on the reverse.

 

Thanks for the Overton comment. Makes sense.

 

thanks for the comments; I wish she had surfaces like the ones y'all posted. It's always good to see some nice early halves posted! that's a great looking half, Publius. Here is an auction description for a Small Head sold by Stacks a while back: "Three distinct die marriages comprise the Small Head subtype of the 1795 half dollar; O-126(a), O-127(a), and O-128. Each variety employs a unique obverse die, which were most likely made by assistant engraver John Smith Gardner from an obverse hub prepared by Chief Engraver Robert Scot. Overton-126a, represented here, is the late state of O-126 and identifiable by a light reverse die crack from the border outside the letters ED in UNITED to the border below the left ribbon end that forms a retained cud."
NCS called mine "Fine details," but frankly it looks more like VG8 to me.

 

I like the coin and it is very possible that some natural window-sill storage ober a long time would further add to her appearance. Nice one.

Here are my two 1795 halves, one is intensely toned, the other is still entombed.

 

I would have cracked that one out too. There's ways to fix those things that are wrong. I just got my first one. An fr02 that I hope gets CAC.

 

Ok, since we are 'piling on', here is my 1794 half. Raw.

 

Nice!

 

Beautiful halves Eduard. I love it that you bought 2 of them raw! YOurs looks nice and original Vertigo. Hope it beans.

 

I think the windowsill idea has merit. Just may try it.