I will have to rephotograph this coin at a later date as this is a quick and not so good photo on the road while I'm traveling, but I wanted to share what I picked up today. Feel free to share anything you want.
Well struck, better centering than most. Au-58 seems well earned. It's right on the edge with MS, but has that lightest touch of wear on the high points. Probably from friction rub in a coin cabinet rather than circulation. One of those coins you wish could talk and tell you where it's been!
Lovely! The highest grade Bust half I've ever owned was an AU53. It was a white coin, like yours. My present Capped Bust half type coin is merely an XF40- but a nice, original XF40.
Nice coin! I'd be happy with any Capped Bust, especially a nice "Largie". Never owned one or found one.
I'll bet there are some in the dirt up there where you've been diggin', Sal. The very first half dime I ever dug (in NC) was an 1829 Capped Bust (it was holed). A detecting buddy of mine dug a really nice 1820 dime down here (STATESOFAMERICA variety- with the reverse legend all crowded together like that- and in decent grade, too). In fact, I've seen a couple of my buddies dig Bust dimes, though it is not exactly a common occurrence down here in SE coastal GA. Up North where you live, I reckon you'd have even better odds. Depending on the sites you hunt, of course.
In my novice years as a Metal Detectorist, I've seen several dug but in lousy condition. It must just be the way they are struck??
Not necessarily. They just saw heavy circulation. Remember, small change was scarce in the US before and during the Civil War, which is also why so much foreign coinage (British coppers, Spanish silver, etc) was in circulation until 1857. The US Mint could not keep up with demand until well after the Civil War, when they started issuing larger quantities of coins on a more industrial scale. So the small Capped Bust denominations saw very heavy circulation, use, and abuse. Which is why so many of them encountered today are worn and/or ratty. I believe the larger Capped Bust half dollars were used more in banking and mercantile transactions than everyday pocket change, since they were the largest US silver denomination available from 1803 to 1840, when the Mint resumed silver dollar production. As a result, one sees the Bust halves in higher grade more often than their smaller half dime, dime, and quarter counterparts.
I like this. May be XF-40, but fantastic toning and still fairly sharp. That is an attractive coin. Nothing wrong with XF, some of the coins in my collection I enjoy the most fall somewhere between XF and AU.
I have 1 AU58, wanted a coin that looked pretty close to one that just popped out of the screw press.
Perfect for the grade. White, but not too white. I sold my AU example because it was just a bit too white for my taste. That hint of peripheral toning on your example there is just right.
I bought this one at the Lakeland, Florida coin show. I didn't go to the show looking for it, and I had to sit for a while thinking about whether or not to purchase it. You don't see Bust Half Dollars in strict Unc. that often. NGC graded it MS-64. And here's one that was graded "MS-63" which wasn't. My mistake. The fields were too dull. And yes, PCGS is not right 100% of the time.