1829 and 1831 Bust Halves.. grades/opinions wanted!

Just picked up these two ladies... paid $120 and $109 respectively on ebay.

Help on Overton numbers would be appreciated!

The auction has a 7 day return policy... so be brutally honest please. I will probably wind up keeping these coins unless they are fake. That said, I would like to know what anyone has to say.

1829: My guess is probably EF-40? The scratch on the reverse hurts but isn't as easy to see in hand.





1831: Why are the stars trailing towards the rim like this? Die attrition? It looks to me like this coin has got some serious strike weakness going on in places.. especially the rim on the obverse.. doesn't appear to be wear to me ?

Oh yeah and ... I really like the toning.. I think it is natural but am not sure.





Are either of these problem coins? Or did I just get a good deal?

Help!

 

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The 1829 does look like an XF, nice piece. I'll check overton later.
The 1831: as far as the stars 'trailing off to the rim' that is die wear, and normal.
Not a weak strike.
Grade? Tough one, I'd estimate VF. Nice piece, AT or NT? I would think NT, from a Wayte Raymond album.

 

The 1829 appears to be O-112, Obv 7, Rev I.
R-1.

 

The 1831 seems to be O-111.
Only use of this obverse, 7. With die cracks at base of date.
Obv 7, Rev H.
R-1.

 

Very nice!!!!

 

Nice coins on the 1831 I would go VF30 to 35. I like it better than the 1829 - which I agree with your assessment. The 1829 has what looks like a light cleaning(could just be the lighting in the pictures), but the scratch is distracting to me. Still both are nice coins!

 

I wouldn't call that a scratch on the 1829-- I'd call it a gouge, since it digs into the design. The illustration in the Overton book for O-112 does not show such a gouge, so I will assume that it was made after the coin left the mint. In my opinion, that would reduce the grade by one level, at least.