I'm looking to fill some of the holes in my type set. Among other coins I need a Draped Bust Half Dollar. This coin is in the Heritage auction at the ANA. I don't have the book and Breen's Encyclopedia is of no help. It is labeled as a O-102. Is the spike coming out of the forehead normal? It appears to be raised so I assume it was caused by a die defect.
I never even try to attribute these since varieties never held any interest for me. But in trying to find the coin for you to answer your question it looks to me like the answer to your question is no. Either the coin you have is misattibuted or that raised metal in front of the face is abnormal. It looks to me like the coin might be a O-103 - see link for similar - http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=28103&Lot_No=23173 Here are links for the O-102 variety and the spot you question is not there - http://www.sixbid.com/nav.php?p=viewlot&sid=126&lot=1946 http://books.google.com/books?id=nZ...EwAw#v=onepage&q="coins" "1807 O-102"&f=false
I believe it's a damaged die since there is a match behind the head as well and not through the head itself which is lower on the die. The die was just about to fail as the break goes rim to rim. Here is a worn example with the same late state die marks from HA. http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=1143&Lot_No=9323#Photo Oops! same coin. I'll keep looking for a second to confirm die rather than PMD. Left of Y above T in Liberty. 1 almost touches curl. The diagnostics are there for the O-102. OK! After reading the next post, I concur with the O-103 which share's the Obverse with 102. It may be the last die state of the variety as the breaks under OF have multiplied to go along with the additional failures on the obverse than typically found. This could be a die state rarity, though I don't know if that carries a premium like it does for early copper.
Based on your links, it does appear to be mis-attributed. IMO it's WAY too linear to be a die crack. I suspect damage during use (Someone dropped something on it? Something foreign got in during a strike and damaged the die?) I'll pass on it. There will be others.
Correct. That's the one I was considering bidding on. In lieu of lack of evidence that this was "normal" at some point in the life of that die, I'll pass. (Rats, it's the perfect grade; just what I was looking for.)
OK! How's this for wishy washy. After looking at this late state O-103 side by side with your coin, they do NOT have the same breaks though they are in the same area of the Reverse. The O-103 has the break through O and yours has it through F if the comparison coin is properly IDed. They ARE the same obverse. This comparison coin has breaks higher through LIBERTY and left through the rim which your's does not. So your coin couldn't be a terminal die of the Obverse. There is mention of an interupted die marriage and perhaps they had to smooth off the rough area your coin shows. Double check whether it is raised or lowered if you get a chance to see it in person. http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=454&Lot_No=1401#Photo
All the diagnostics match the O-102. Yes - the O-102 and O-103 share the same obverse, but different reverse. Diagnostic is on O-102 the leave points to extreme right base of I and on the O-103 in point to below right half of I. From looking at heritage pictures it is O-102. Besides the point since Kanga decided to skip it, just thought I would point out the differences. Don't know what caused the horn look.
The spike is not normal. Since that exact coin is listed by HA as a O-102, the rarity is R.2, common enough that there is no rarity premium. The die defect may make it a bit unusual, but my guess is not enough to command a significant premium.
From the Heritage images, it is no question an O-102 and the "defect" by the forehead is deliberate PMD.
Its an O-102. Obv.2 Rev. An R2 or R3 depending on who you believe. Nice looking coin.. The spike.. I think that this is a LDS coin and a crack has developed on the obv die resulting in what is seen, but its hard to tell with the pictures. One thought and I dont have the time right now to confirm is a possible die clash from the arrows perhaps?
An oblique cut into the metal can cause a raised line on one side of the cut. You will commonly see this done on coins to form a raised X and then people try to sell them as "being struck from canceled dies". A close examination will show the underlying cut. Sometimes the person will gently force the edge down into the cut to make it less noticable. If you go to the heritage link posted by Marshall in post 3 and blow up the obverse image of the "spike" about as far as there software will let you, you can see that this is definitely a raised defect made by undercutting the surface.
If what you say is true Michael I have a hard time believing that PCGS would slab it - and they did. Or that Heritage would fail to describe the cut if it was a cut.
I agree - but when you blow the picture up it really looks like a cut. As for heritage well seems like lately some of the coins in an auction don't get much of a description. I also notice several large cents without varieties mentioned any more. Not sure if they stopped doing it or what. Maybe the concentrate more on high dollar items, but they used to have pretty good descriptions.
Oddly enough this one of those where I agree with the TPG in that that is not a cut, regardless of how much it might look like one. But I do understand Michael's point and agree that an oblique cut can produce raised metal. But in this case there is raised metal on both sides of what is being called a cut - and that a cut cannot do. No could it produce the rectangular spot at the left end of the raised metal - which also appears to be raised. My point about Heritage was simply that when they disagree with a TPG they typically say so in the auction description and they didn't this time. That usually indicates that they do agree with the TPG.
