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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;lordmarcovan, post: 7914661, member: 10461&quot;]FWIW, I do not see any red flags as to authenticity here.&nbsp; They&#039;ve all got some issues (mostly cleaning) that would preclude a straight grade if they were sent in, but I don&#039;t doubt they&#039;re real.</p><p><br /></p><p>(Edited to add: there is, of course, the chance I could be wrong on that.)</p><p><br /></p><p>However, there may be some value to sending the Barber half in, merely to certify it as a proof.&nbsp; That&#039;s up to you.</p><p><br /></p><p>I believe (and someone will correct me if I&#039;m wrong), that proof sets of the era that coin (the Barber) was struck in, were issued with tissue paper covering the coins, and the sulfur in the paper caused toning which sometimes progressed to coal black over time!&nbsp; So many of the proof Barbers on the market have been cleaned. </p><p><br /></p><p>I had a lovely PCGS PR63 CAM 1898 half from the Benson collection.&nbsp; It was white with Cameo contrast, and it had likely been cleaned, but not harshly enough for PCGS to &quot;details&quot; grade it.&nbsp; They gave it a straight grade despite some hairlines.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have my doubts that the Barber half in the OP here would straight grade, but it does look like a proof to me.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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