Hi...I thought I'd share this outstanding 1853
Half Dime with you as an instructive piece.
This coin has been harsly cleaned, though the deep toning on the obverse makes this nearly impossible to tell with the coin in hand. Even when viewing the reverse, the scratches are hard to see unless the light is just right. Remember that
Half Dimes are small coins, so these scratches, though obvious in 1:1 macro photos, are not terribly big and certainly not visible to the naked eye. If you use a 10x loupe with good light, and if you're experienced, you will likely see them.
The coin obviously has AU details (The fingers on both hands are still intact, the thighs and breast show no obvious wear, Liberty is complete, the folds of the drapery are in tact and strong, the stars are reasonably detailed; the reverse shows strong details as well), maybe even UNC, and I got it for VF money, so I'm quite satisfied. I know that the purists on the board would never allow a cleaned coin into their collections, but, what can I say...I'm no purist!
The lesson here, for newer collectors, is that toning will often obscure damage to the surfaces of coins, so while many actively seek out heavily toned coins, they must always be wary of what is hiding underneath...and then decide, when the time comes to buy or walk away, what they are willing to pay for the coin, and if they even want it at all.
Just some thoughts.
Posted 03/08/2008 5:37 pm
. You need to warn people to have a druel cup handy before entering . Fantastic coins .
