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 Replies: 19 / Views: 2,213 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1603 Posts |
Here we have a 1859-O SL dollar that I'm considering as a purchase. First, what sort of letter-number grade do you think this would come back with? Mine eyes have (they talked like that back then) bounced back and forth trying to decide whether the color is original tarnish or has been dipped and recolored. What do y'all think? [edit:I've put in pics of a similar coin in a little better condition. I'm thinking this one might be considered AU and problem free]   Here's an ob/rv of the same issue, offered by same seller for $100 more ...   Edited by Biedercoins
03/05/2017 09:13 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11904 Posts |
The coins both appear to have AU detail and they are both well struck. The issue with both coins is that there isn't the slightest hint of toning in either coin. There also does not appear to have any mint luster. Looks like they may have been dipped and cleaned.
IN NECESSARIIS UNITAS - IN DUBIIS LIBERTAS - IN OMNIBUS CARITAS THE MAN IN THE ARENA, Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne Paris on April 23, 1910: " It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." My coin website: https://fairfaxcoins.com |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8137 Posts |
Both coins look cleaned to me. I would pass on both and keep looking.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5684 Posts |
Agree with AU details for both. The second one is more attractive, but I don't think either have original surfaces.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1603 Posts |
AU surprises me, details does not. CoinNerd: I agree that the first coin has absolutely no toning, no luster; in fact it looks like a black&white photo. This is true top to bottom and why I was concerned that in might have been dipped and re-tarnished. The second [added] coin, especially now that I have daylight on it, does have some of the blue, green and pink faded luster I would expect on a coin almost 170 years old - but not enough. On the other hand, I have a certified 1859 half-dollar from the New Orleans mint that's bright white like a WLH. About a year ago I picked up a Half Dime from the same year that was a little "too clean" in some peoples' minds. It was suggested it might have been cleaned very early on or that it might be an impaired proof. That's not the case here, my points is that a lot of things can happen to a classic coin (especially) between strike and the present. Thanks for responding, folks. Edited by Biedercoins
03/05/2017 12:19 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
18712 Posts |
i dont like the surfaces on either of them and when you are paying this kind of $$ i'd keep looking
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
AU-55 dipped.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6370 Posts |
AU on both, and both have been cleaned.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2125 Posts |
I'd keep looking. They're rather unattractive.
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
11922 Posts |
1) AU-55 Details.
2) AU-53 Details.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3479 Posts |
Definitely AU's but with altered surfaces. I see a lot of raw Seated dollars like this floating on ebay. They usually have the title 'Choice BU +'. If they really were original why wouldn't the seller send them in for grading to capture the premium? Edited by MikeF
03/05/2017 10:45 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3479 Posts |
Seated dollars are one of the most frustrating coin types to collect. I'll point you in the right direction. This is what you want to look for when searching for an original sld and they are not easy to find. Patience is needed to collect this series.  
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1603 Posts |
Mike, I'd love to find one like that for 1859. I search for type coins for particular dates (see signature) so not just any old sld will do. That makes it even more frustrating.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3479 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2495 Posts |
Definitely two things: AU and cleaned!!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3843 Posts |
A lot of distracting marks on the coins shown in the OP and the surfaces of each coin are not ideal. AU-Details cleaned on each IMO.
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Replies: 19 / Views: 2,213 |
Posted 03/05/2017 11:40 am
