Your Opinion on surfaces, grade, of Barber Half

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VF. Maybe it's just me, but it could have been cleaned at some point. The obverse makes me suspicious.

 

Sorry, I don't know why pics are sideways. I got this barber for 5o dollars a few years ago. I once brought it to a show and this dealer said it was only worth 15 dollars. I've been looking at graded Vf barbers and I like the look of mine more in a lot of cases. It seems some level of older cleaning is acceptable to TPGs but I can't tell if this one is just like the others they pass or too abrasive. What is your opinion? I've seen Vf 20 and 25s in pcgs holders without bottom band line in Liberty, not sure about Vf 30 and am sure xf4o requires it.

 

You're right, it was cleaned, as pic 3 shows better. Maybe that dealer was right when he said it's only 15 then? I'll keep it in any case because it's still pleasant looking and details are tough in this series. I saw more clean graded Vf 35 and 45s for older type halves under 200 than barbers in same grades. This must be a tougher series, lower mintages? I'm not sure

 

I don't know why, but lots of Barber coins got cleaned over time. It's very hard to find original VF/XF coins. Yours, I'd rate as VF25 details, obverse cleaned.

 

I do think if you submitted it, it would come back cleaned. But like you say, it's not bad looking, and a lot of them are wore down to the G or VG level, or worse. I think I can get VF out of it, so $15 sounds pretty low.

 

Yeah, I think that's true about them, and your details grade is accurate. I guess 50 cents was a lot to save back then so most circulated. Even the earlier types had the same thing going for them but I think more were put aside by collectors, maybe that's why they are a tad more affordable. Some people still have an aversion to barber coinage but I love them

 

I just ask one of our well know Barber collectors to chime in on this one

 

It would take two minutes to open the case and take better pictures.


I have collected these (Barbers) for years, and this could be a VF

 

1909 Barber half dollars are odd. The obverse almost always comes with a stronger LIBERTY and band than the grade would suggest. It's why you can find 1909 half dollars that have almost a full LIBERTY and the rest of the details are VG. I would put your coin at VF25. It looks as though the surfaces were messed with as others said.

 

F15 cleaned. I got a kink in my neck before I scrolled down. Heh.

 

Details - Surface Hairlines + Rim Damage

 

Yeah, there are pretty obvious scrubbing lines on the obverse.

The headband looks great, but the wings look low VF. I hadn't realized that this was a characteristic of 1909 as @Log Potato observed. I'll have to go back and double-check my 1909-S -- ANACS gave it XF40, and I think it had feather detail all the way out to the tips, but now I want to see it again.

 

20-25

 

IMO, this would get a straight VF grade at a TPGS. Old hairlines like this under toning are usually ignored. Now, you have the coin. If you tip it up at 45 degrees and the coin flashes - then it will get detailed.

 

No rim damage though. That black indentation is from the capital holder plastic. Sorry for not taking out coin

 

VF-20 details, cleaned.