1965 Half Dollar Grade?

Some fingerprinting in the patina, especially notable on the obverse
This will not affect the grade, but along with uneven patina does affect the eye appeal.

Difficult to assess the wear on the high points of the design on the obverse, due to the uneven patina.

The reverse has lots of high points in the design, which together, often result in Elizabethan 50 Cents coins having a split grading, with the reverse grading higher.

Light scratches in the patina on the obverse may?, or may have not? affected the metal underneath.

As with Australian coins with Machin bust, the hair detail in the design is often indistinct, and so makes looking for wear in these areas more difficult.

To achieve mid MS grading the very tiny nicks and scratches associated with this grade level are very difficult to find under the patina.

AU-53 obv, MS-62 rev.
With this opinion, one may well ask:
How does one side suffer from wear, and the other doesn't?
But necessary in this case, with this patina and pictures, to grade each side on it's own merits, independently of the other.

Personally I would consider that coin impossible to grade accurately from those pictures. It could be anything from 40 to 68 depending on what is toning and and what could be wear. (or not) The pictures, while showing some detail, are not that crisp. I know that's tough on this site with the restricted file size. There could easily be a lot of wear and damage hidden in that toning...or none. The obverse could very well be AU but the OP also says it looks 64-65 so possibly in hand it looks much better than the pictures suggest. I'd never offer a grade on it without having it in hand myself. I'd say the eye appeal is not there regardless and it's a common issue so value isn't likely to be much above melt unless condition is spectacular under that toning.

@2rtgah678
Sorry to be totally off topic here, but I was very surprised...



I have spent an awful lot of time in Canada and travelled from Newfoundland to BC. I have never seen or heard the word "yall" when North of the border. You have me puzzled! :)

I kind of thought you might be from south of the border LOL!

Picked up the "eh?" as well? Now THAT would be an unusual combo :)

My Dad's side immigrated to Canada first (likely in colonial times) then later sometime moved to the NW corner of PA in the Lake Erie Snow Belt. I guess they liked Canadian-style winters :)

I was on the border a good deal of my life and was always back and forth across the border. I am a bit "homesick" now not being able to do so anymore.

...and my local (Ohio) Tim's is terrible, but teases me being literally only a block away!

Earle .... Just for your info, I used to announce for two Great Lakes golf tour events that used to be held at our club. And one of the first times greeting golfers on the first tee to announce where they were from, I said "How y'all doing, eh?" My friends at the club teased me for years renewing the episode again and again over beers with other friends.

I doubt it could hurt.

what I use to dip coins, it works pretty well its a diluted ammonia mixture. works very well with cloudiness on proofs and can remove light toning. its not super strong.

It does the exact same and can't be detected. But technically yes it is damaging, but I don't do it on expensive pieces and I understand the consequences.