1946 Canadian 50 Cent Coin Variety - Coin Community Forum

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I just received this coin in the mail.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...m=8427409631

The coin is overgraded but that is not my issue. I figured it for a base level Fine. The marks on the obverse are toning streaks not scratches. For my problem - look at the 6 in the date, the enlargement and in particular the Description. What would you think you had here?

I own very few Canadian coins but thought this might be the hoof in 6 variety. I violated one of my own cardinal rules by not knowing what that variety actually looked like. But the bid was an essentially throw away "bottom fishing" situation.

The spot inside the loop of the 6 is a scratch. A very bright scratch when viewed at a slight angle but a scratch that is not visible when the coin is rotated. Actually it is a very recently made series of scratches that pick up some light when held just right. There is no oxidation of the silver at all on these scratches but EVERY OTHER surface blemish on the coin has had time to ozidized. None of the small scratches inside the 6 - on the base of the numeral - NONE of them touch the edges of the numeral. So care was taken by a coin Doctor to scratch ONLY the bottom. Whatever made the scratches did so without contacting the sides of the 6.

The seller thinks his description is fair. He says he got it that way and provided an enlargement so I could judge for myself. He also seems to plead innocent about knowing he was describing a scarce die variety. So to believe him I need to accept that he didn't know there was a scarce variety, that he checked the coin with a magnifying glass but didn't notice it was a scratch and that he accidentally photographed the coin from the one precise angle that makes it look like a die feature.

What do the members here think? It this seller a total fraud? Or am I being too hard on an honest guy?

I think its possible that it was a legit mistake, but the odds lean the opposite direction

Just a couple of comments. It is definitely not the "hoof through 6" variety but having said that I think you got reasonable value for the price. This looks to me to be one of those coins that does not grade the same on both sides. The obverse looks like perhaps VF but the reverse is much better than that. So often these coins are worn in the area at the top of the sheild and the bottom of the crown but this one seems very sharp there. Looking at my grading guide I would almost go to AU.
As for the seller, his opinion may be suspect but he did provide good pictures to help with your decision.

Bill

Bill, I don't know much about grading of Canadian coins - I was raised on more European grading standards which I thought Canada followed. Using US standards I would raise the grade to VF or possibly EF. This coin is, as you note, well struck but does not have more than 20-30% luster on the best side. It was apparently stored for some time in an old Whitman style cardboard holder so that the rim and edge are heavily oxidized with the black "silver sulfur" compound. The streaks on the King's portrait are a similar compound.

I was not bothered by the price or actually the resultant cost as much as the way it was described. There is simply no way there is a "fill" in the 6. It is simply a bright area exposed by carefully scratching the surface. I am upset only that he made a point of mentioning that "fill" when it was only a scratch.

He already left me a positive feedback for the payment and is open if I choose to Whack him with a negative.

I don't have the advantage of seeing the coin but from the photograph there needs to be more detail in the King's hair below the part for it to grade to EF.The reverse , as I said, is another story. Even XF, according to my guide, has less detail than yours between the sheild and the crown.

Bill

I would ask him to take the coin back, he did make a mistake by calling it partially filled 6. Ask for a partial refund? Another option, I think you should get about half the price of the coin off and all of the shipping except actual cost. IMHO

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