I stumbled onto this half in the Heritage archives, for no particular reason. It is graded PCGS 30, and in looking closely, to me it appears that someone did a little cosmetic surgery to the lower edge of the breastplate, on the right. It just doesn't look right to me. Certainly with an issue like this there are financial incentives to performing some augmentation, just as with movie stars. Am I just seeing things? http://coins.ha.com/itm/walking-lib...f30-pcgs/a/1225-4620.s?hdnJumpToLot=1x=0&y=0#
The photo does look that way, only because the "cut" (if it is an alteration) extends into the design on the right and "appears" to be too deep under the bust. However, the "extended" cut may be due to a "hit" in the perfect spot to make it look joined. I have just looked at a half in a similar grade and you may have spotted something - there is room for doubt. This type of tiny design alteration May easily missed if a grader is inattentive.
The only reason that straight graded is that it is a conditional rarity. The whole coin has hairline scratches.
A design alteration should have more effect on a coin's value then some cleaning hairlines. Otherwise, I guess if some one were to tool the bands on a 16-D dime in high AU with some hairlines it should be straight graded also? I certainly don't think so. And this TPGS malarkey of putting coins with added details to defraud the unknowing into "details" holders is shameful. In the old days, these coins were treated the same as a counterfeit.
My only point is that if it is a hit and not a tool mark as you say that it still should not have gotten a straight grade.
My point is this. There is an unusual cut under the breast. It is a cut where the normal design should be. It is not a hit. The tiny little mark at the right end of the cut MAY be a hit which would LOOK LIKE an engraving "slip-up" IF the breast is indeed altered. It LOOKS LIKE the TPGS may have missed something. That is what the OP said and he may be correct. Gun to my head...He's correct. As to cleaning. IMO ALL you guys need to talk/take instruction from a current TPG. A majority of you are too strict with scratches, hairlines, rim dings, and cleaning. THAT'S OK. My standards are more strict than any of you. Nevertheless, the TPGS play in the market-acceptable world. When I post, I try to present a TPGS side from only my experience. I don't expect anyone to agree. You can lead a horse... However, and this is very important. In the case of the op's coin. Both PCGS and myself agree straight grade all day, every day! Now, If I had the coin under my scope, I could tell you in one second (OK, 3 if it is a good job) if the breast was tooled.
Sure looks like tooling to me . Imagine a hit that just happens to curve of the breast almost to a T . That's a big coincidence in my book . I think you're right Doc.
Yes, M.D. Sometimes I start threads like this if it gives me a chance to inject a little medical humor into the proceedings. But, I do think that breastplate edge was engraved to enhance it. the edges of the incision are clearly raised up on both sides, if it were just a hit the raised metal would probably be on one side only, as hits usually occur at an angle. The cut also clearly takes an upward curve at the right to align with the normal edge of the breastplate. This sort of thing might be enough to bump the grade up from a 20 to 25, or as here a 25 to a 30. We can't expect the TPG's to catch everything, especially as small a detail as this, it's really up to the collector in the end. The lesson is inspect key dates very carefully before purchasing, especially the details that are usually used to justify a grade bump. Also, I don't think the coin has been cleaned, based on the Heritage images.
IMO, and just saying as I'm not interested in this thread anymore...When 2-3 average (?); way above average (?); slightly above average (?) collectors can detect what appears to be a tooled breast USING A PHOTO ALONE that is something that a group of Professional Graders should NEVER MISS! That goes for the folks at Heritage too. Sooooo, we may be wrong on this, even though it looks altered.
I agree the tpgs should never miss something like this , but they're human with a set quota of coins to finish every hour . Also Heritage just auctions coins and probably doesn't care if it was tooled . JMHO
If the current owner decides it's tooled, and pcgs agrees, they can get reimbursed under the pcgs guarantee. I recall a draped bust dollar (?) some years back that had engraved star centrils that were missed by the graders. heritage pulled it before it was sold at auction, fortunately.
Rusty, you have a point. I can't say if the left side was tooled as well.. it might be but the lighting isn't quite good enough to assess. Certainly a possibility. In any case, my point in starting this thread, besides a chance to exercise a little medically based humor, is that ultimately the buyer is the last line of defense against altered coins. (Would this coin have gotten past CAC? I doubt it)
