1863 Proof 1/2 Dime

It's an OK price, for me it would depend on how it looked as I prefer the frosty as-struck look rather than excessively toned examples. Also Proof 64 is a tricky grade, the question is whether it's not quite 65 or just above 63 which would certainly impact how much I'd be willing to shell out for it.

NCS is not some "new start up for ebay coins", they have been around since 2001. They slab the problem coins(with a details grade or as genuine) that NGC will not slab and they will conserve(not clean in the traditional damaging sense) your coins if it will improve them. That improvement is debatable in some circles but the majority are drastically improved. Many of the coins are able to be slabbed by NGC after conservation.

None of this has anything to do with the issue that HABIB brought up though. A coin can just barely make a grade, be right in the middle, or be a hair away from the next grade. Not an issue of upgrading or downgrading, just an issue of "does the coin look above average for the given grade?" Another thing to take into consideration is the level of cameo frost if any. It may not have enough for a CAM designation but some frostiness is more eye appealing than none and certainly lends to the value.

I will certainly never say if a sight unseen coin is a good value or not when its cost is in the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Just because it is in PCGS plastic, doesn't mean it won't be a dog. I have seen plenty of barkers in Top 4 plastic that I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole for the selling price attached to the listed grade. If the eye appeal isn't there, I usually couldn't care less what the price is. Now if it had a CAC sticker...

The picture makes it look like it could be Cameo. Whenever I look at coins like this, you have to see it in hand and be ready to return it if you don't like it. I own a number of Proof Half Dimes and the number one consideration for me is how deep the mirrors look. That toning could really hamper the mirrors or it could make the coin look stunning. I think the date is a great one by the way and one that I don't own...yet. I guess the price is in line with today's retail pricing of these little guys.

its low because relatively very few people collect proof Half Dimes