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 Replies: 12 / Views: 828 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
959 Posts |
So I just won this coin today and figure it at possibly an EF 40/45 with a weak strike around obverse 11-12 and corresponding weakness on reverse around 5-6. Awful seller's pictures that were completely washed out. I tweaked the exposure and contrast some to make them more viewable. Couple of questions: What is the die variety? I could not identify it through Grellman from these pictures - may have to wait to have the coin in hand. The big question - what is that series of dots that starts and runs horizontally across above the "I," over the "B" to above the "E." I see three well-defined dots with possible 4th and 5th dots on either end. Any ideas on this? It was one of the things that made me bid on the coin. No idea what they could be. I'm in at $45 with shipping.   Edited by Blastenpene4
08/02/2023 6:31 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1048 Posts |
Pretty coin, though I cannot agree that it is quite in XF territory. Denticles aren't quite that sharp, and there's enough missing coronet and hair detail to bring it to about VF30. I've never seen or read about those odd berries above "I" and "B". That doesn't mean they haven't been documented before, of course, and I just don't know about it. They sure look like they were part of the die. A mint error of some kind perhaps? But I suppose it is just as likely that they represent early PMD that's aged into harmony with the coin. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
959 Posts |
Yeah, I think the missing detail you're seeing is from a weak strike, but it hurts the coin. Note the same soft areas on the reverse when flipped 180 - ribbon tie, dentils, last few letters of "America." Points to a strike issue to me more than wear. Note the sharp strike of the stars on either side of the date.
I'm completely baffled about the "berries" as you called them. They'd have been crossing the top edge of the LIBERTY headpiece when the coin had less wear. Be interesting to see in hand.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Strike aside, just can't see this better than VF-30 if that.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1048 Posts |
Uneven strikes are pretty common throughout the series. But I think the wear pattern is consistent with mid-VF.
It's attractive, and well worth $45 just to examine close up.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4680 Posts |
I can't quite get to XF either, nor do I see it straight grading. Surfaces do not look original. There are some points of slight strike weakness, but still consistent wear. VF Details, cleaned.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12057 Posts |
Cleaned/porosity in areas, VF25 details The mark above IBE is maybe PMD but hard to tell? It doesn't look really like anything I've seen on Large Cents. From about 1850 through 1856, the Braided Hair cents had progressively worsening issues with die misalignment and mushy strikes, etc. There are lots of broadstrikes and off-center strikes to be found as well. The 1857 varieties are exceptions, as both the Large and Small date types are usually decently struck up and well-centered -- perhaps a result of the much lower mintages in the run-up before the transition to coining Flying Eagle cents. Die varieties on anything after 1848-1849 can be tricky. I'd start with the Grellman numbers and go from there. You might need a good 10x or 15x doublet or triplet loupe to nail down the positions. Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis Edited by paralyse
08/03/2023 1:49 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
18663 Posts |
i agree with the weakness in the areas noted. no idea where the dots came from as there is nothing like that that could have transferred to the die however since they cross over the ridge surrounding LIB and that area being weakly struck the dots stand out as being struck on the coin somehow. I agree with paralyse regarding a cleaning. there is some minor pitting but not enough to detail the coin but the cleaning would. I'm at VF details (cleaned)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
959 Posts |
Heck, it's worth the money just to satisfy my curiosity. Once I get it in hand I'll try to get some better pictures. These pictures were just too weak to identify a die variety from Grellman's book. It's a real head scratcher.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3156 Posts |
looks like N-15 or 16 by date position and line off base of Y in Liberty. Can't see lump on N in ONE so probably N-15
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Pillar of the Community
United States
959 Posts |
Edited by Blastenpene4
08/08/2023 9:40 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3156 Posts |
you said you couldn't ID die variety. Did you look at N-15,16 in Grellman book? Thats my guess.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
959 Posts |
I looked until my eyes were sore, cannot determine.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 828 |
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Posted 08/02/2023 7:38 pm
