This coin is coming up in an estate auction. Not my area of expertise. Any information is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
If I was you I wouldn't give longshot any credibility, but he thinks maybe the reverse especially looks buffed or smoothed somehow.
I don't see this as a terrible coin. Yes the reverse is super flat, but I don't see cleaning hairlines. When it comes to a well circulated coin of this vintage, you can expect that it's been cleaned at one time or another. The question is, had it been damaged significantly. I don't think so. Now as to what to pay, I've been out of loop for a long time. If you can buy it for somewhere in the VG to Fine range, that would be okay. The trouble with estate sales is that you can have people with more money that brains show up and bid it to the moon. Less often no one bothers and it goes cheap, but don't go in thinking that is going to happen.
It appears to be a Fine O-109 (or T-16 on the new Steve Tompkins guide) an R-4 coin. This means that somewhere between 75 and 200 examples of the die variety are known to exist.
From the photos, there is no reason to doubt that it's genuine, but if you have not had much experience with these early pieces, I can understand your hesitancy.
Pictures? And look how the coin is being handled. Even a G08 1795 rates a TPG slab. I would pass if I were offered the coin.
It looks genuine, but in an estate sale, once you buy it, it's yours, even if you discover problems later. If you have the chance to examine it yourself up close, that could affect the risk/benefit calculations.
thanks everyone for your input. Seller has some gold bullion, including mint products. Just don't see these early ones often. Sometimes there is a "sleeper" and just wanted to be prepared.