i have had this coin for years and never really had time to look into it much. had a friend of the family notice it and i could tell from his reaction that it may be valuable. what do you think it is worth? what i know: 1833 capped bust with lettered edge. (reading along the edge it should read "fifty cents or half dollar" with stars between dollar and fifty. mine reads "fifty cents or alf dollar" or and alf are very close together. guessing this is a mis mint?) i can't find a mint mark on it either... i tried to get a clear picture of it but i had a hard time getting the camera to focus on something this small. my cell phone took the following pictures. i would greatly appreciate any info you have. thanks, justin
I found out today Im not an edge expert, but if you post a better picture of the obverse/reverse, it would be helpfull in identifying your bust halve dollar. Im a wing nut at the photos, but I keep trying and they are coming out better. Lay the coin on a white, or some prefer black background, set your camera to macro and dont shine the light right on the coin. Go near a window or offset the lighting somehow. I got some good advice on Coin Talk about shooting the picture through a magnifying glass and it worked. Keep trying take like 50 photos (post two though) your bound to come up with a couple keepers to post. Welcome to Coin Talk, Steve
Some people like to collect capped bust halves by overton varieties, (there are hundreds) to tell if yours is a rare variety you should post a picture where some of the tells can be read from the photos. The rarest overton variety for 1833 is an 0-111 which is not real super rare but somewhat rare. Some people like to collect overdates on the capped bust half dollars, if you look at the date with a magnifying glass you might be able to tell if there seems to be the remnants of another number underneath, I do not think that 1833 had any overdates tho. Many collectors like to collect coins with original surfaces, that means that the coin has not been cleaned, polished or dipped, you need better pictures to tell that. Some collectors like colorfully toned coins, yours looks like it may have some rose hues within it, you can see that for yourself by looking at the coin at various angles. People who specialize in these coins and have a certain number of varieties of them have a club that they can join, called "The Bust Half Nuts", also some like these early designs and they have a club called the John Reich collectors, named after the chief engraver at the mint. I am just ticking these off from memory so some more experienced collector might have better information.
He probably polished it up for us so it would look good and shiny and that we would tell him it was worth more. :goofer:
i know better than to clean a coin or any antique for that matter. its actually very dark, just has some wear on the raised areas which has a little shine. took yalls advice on taking pictures, i think i got some better ones up there now. that help?
jacollin, I have an 1829 Bust half dollar with the same "lettered edge overlap". Mine instead reads FIFTY CENTS ORLF A DOLLAR, seeing the HA missing. It does NOT give the coin much premium (when I was told that about mine I was a little surprised). The coin does not appear to be cleaned, however. The lighter colored 'silver' is from wear to the coin. Also, these bust halves up untill 1838 (I think) did not have mint marks on them.
Jcollin, Even with good lighting I have to work at assigning an Overton #. Many here can do it buy looking at the photos. Im not that good, I need my Overton book out when trying to identify one. Try & get more light on the subject. And I can only do that on weekends because of my work. Its an Overton something, Steve
here are some more pictures hopefully lighting is a lil better here. i dont understand what an overton is. how do you determine that?
Overton refers to a book titled "United States Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836" originally published by Al Overton. Updated editions of this volume refer to Donald Parsley as the author.
Based on what I can make out in the pictures: O-103 R2 coin. Grades VF25. Cleaned details. (hairlines are evident in one of the last pictures) Value $60.00.
jcollin26; What I call the Overton is a book written by Mr. Al Overton. He somehow had the spare time to make a mission of identifying all of the possible matches of working dies or marriages as he refers to them, so you can identify your coin precisely, even early die state or late. Each coin has an Overton# so you can look up the rarity, est. number of mintage Etc. For example a 1833 Bust half dolllar might have 18 varieties each with its own Overton number. Im at work, or I could tell you from the Overton exactly how many were minted in 1833, but you get the idea, Yes? Steve
green18; What updated versions, please let me know about a updated editions! I have been collecting by myself to many years I can see. Please respond. I would buy one today! Steve
Actually, at least for me, it can become quite complicated, measuring dates, how close a star is to Libertys hair curl, or her cap. Some people here can do it with a picture very quick. I am not one. I cant identify it without my book, (work) but I would grade it at EF-40, details. Steve
That's right... in 1838, New Orleans cranked out the first branch mint silver. If you find an 1838-O 50c in grandpa's attic, be sure to post up !
