Just came across this while looking for my 1887-S 1/2 eagle, LOL, I picked this one up last year if I recall when prices were L O W. What grade would you say she goes. I think it might push XF-40 when compaired to others I have graded by ANACS. I really have to get organized Bone P.S. I'm experimenting with the setting on the camera too...
what is the giveaway that tells you all this coin has been cleaned?? just trying to educate myself... thanks
See how dark all of the protected areas like the coils of the hair, legends and the lines of the shield are as compared to to the rest of the coin. That's usually a pretty good indication.
Without being able to see the coin in person or much larger pics I'd guess someone cleaned it with a cloth and some sort of cleaning agent - it could have been anything from baking soda to toothpaste. Look at the pics again, see how the higher points of the design and legends are clean but down inside there are all the dark spots ? Well a cloth wipes the dirt off the top but it can't reach into the tiny spaces so the dirt is left behind. On the reverse in particular - look at the areas around the legends. See how much darker the field areas are in-between the letters and around the left wing tip. The cloth never got down into those areas. But yet the area below the motto and above the eagle is very clean in comparison. If a dip had been used, areas like this would be clean as well. There may still be dirt in some of the fine recesses after dipping, but it wouldn't be there all around the reverse legend like it is.
