You Vs NGC. 1822 CBH

definitely looks cleaned to me. as for the grade, I'm no expert

I would agreee VF-30. I seem to see some hairlines on the upper reverse, but the fields in general don't look especially cleaned to me.

WOW, cleaned for sure. Still, I agree VF-30, even though the hairlines are noticeable, in hand it probably looks good enough to pass as a full grade coin.

Two parts to this in my opinion:

1st part -- as the years progressed in the 19th century, Bust Halves circulated less and less, until by the early 1830s they were almost exclusively used in banking and business-to-business transactions. Lots of them survived in higher grades, XF/AU, for some reason a lot of Bust coins from that period don't really tone up as quickly like the circulated ones do. When the Seated dollar was launched it replaced the Bust half in the Bust half's former role, so that's why there are not nearly as many early Seated halves in the higher grades, because they were circulating coinage. Eventually with the growing production of silver mines the Seated dollars started to circulate, too, and circulated longer, especially after the universally-disliked Trade dollar began production.

2nd part -- TPG's play with what they call "market acceptable" cleaning, if the cleaning is common among a given population of coins and did not negatively reduce eye appeal, sometimes it will full grade instead of details/cleaned. This mostly happens with 19th century and older coins when cleaning coins was an accepted (and expected) practice, making the supply of uncleaned original coins scarce in any grade. This explains why 19th c. and older coins with original uncleaned surfaces will bring in bigger bids vs. "market acceptable" cleaned coins.

The cleaning has left this piece with negative eye appeal and it should be in a problem holder. I have seen worse in other holders but that one is pretty bad and does a disservice to new collectors who might view it without knowing what a cleaned coin really looks like. VF30 detail? Perhaps but nowhere near that value.

Thanks for all the comments. Honestly, I have seen better looking CBHs in details holders. The fact that this one isn't details is really strange.

VF-30 Details. Would probably pass on that one unless it was significantly discounted below VF-30 money.