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 Replies: 14 / Views: 922 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1388 Posts |
Hi all, Through following CCF's excellent "Days of" commemorative coins thread from 2014, as well as checking the PCGS population reports, I am fairly sure that Arkansas half dollars are extremely difficult to find in honestly, heavily circulated condition, i.e., below AU. As such, I almost fell over when I saw this coin on ebay this morning: https://www.ebay.com/itm/175845019584  I was about to "Buy it Now" and was getting excited when I noticed the extremely unfortunate gouge right over the fourth digit of the date. The seller is calling it a "1935," but I don't see how that can be determined from that localized damage. They're asking $119.00, which is, unfortunately, more than I am willing to pay for a coin that may not even get a details grade. If the gouge was anywhere else, I'd probably buy it anyway, as I don't send my coins for grading and I consider a gouge to be a consequence of circulation. Even more unfortunate is the fact that this exact coin sold for less than $30.00 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/145173575077 - about a month ago, and I missed it.  I would have absolutely paid that to have this example... oh well. The hunt continues for a problem-free example. I'm posting for a few reasons. One, I thought that our lowball half collectors might want to see this one, or buy it, if someone doesn't mind the damage. Two, just to commiserate since I'm sure that a lot of us have seen a coin we'd love to have but couldn't buy it for some reason. |
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Moderator
 United States
34396 Posts |
That is interesting--I wonder if it was someone's pocket piece.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Beautiful coin, but agree that's pricey.
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Very interesting, but out of my area of expertise.  |
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Moderator
United States
15394 Posts |
Wow - that is a very poorly located gouge and renders the coin unidentifiable from a TPG standpoint. Had it been anywhere else on the coin but the final date digit you likely could get this into a problem free TPG holder IMO. And you are absolutely correct that honestly circulated Arkansas are very difficult to come by. You might see a single example every decade in this grade range. I put this ebay coin in the F15 range like my example. 1935 Arkansas Half - PCGS F15 Quote:
but agree that's pricey Actually @Frog if it were not damaged IMO it would be a bargain at that price. These is an inverse pricing model for these truly lowball commemoratives and while not many folks purse them there is significant completion for the few rare examples that do show up. For example - I paid $173 in 2012 for the coin I showed above, and it was raw at the time of purchase. Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art |
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Moderator
United States
94892 Posts |
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Moderator
United States
15394 Posts |
Quote:
Here is another in great shape @Dearborn - appreciate the link but I think you are missing the point. Silver Searcher is looking for classic silver commemoratives that have experienced circulation wear. I can find hundreds of nice MS examples of the Arkansas coin - finding one in F/VF grade range is a once a decade coin. Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2280 Posts |
These are all pocket pieces, anyone can do it, just takes time.
You realize when you know how to think, it empowers you far beyond those who know only what to think.
-Neil deGrasse Tyson
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1388 Posts |
I contacted the seller and asked how they determined that the date of the coin is 1935 - since they have it in hand, I figured that there might be a hint of that last digit that isn't visible from the ebay pictures. They said that they determined this based on the surviving bottom of the last digit, and sent this close-up picture.  There isn't a mintmark, so it's a Philly coin. That means that it is one of the following five dates: 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, and 1939. We can rule out 1937 and 1939 because of the way the 7 and the 9 are rendered on Arkansas halves. The seller says they see 1935. I feel like I can't make a determination. Do you all see any indication of what that last digit could be? Edited by The Silver Searcher
08/04/2023 1:42 pm
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
I am not sure, but I think I see an 8.  |
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Moderator
United States
15394 Posts |
Quote:
Do you all see any indication of what that last digit could be? Not enough to have TPG confidence in it. Sorry but this is a wasted rare example. Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1388 Posts |
The plot thickens... I sent the seller a message thanking them for sending the additional picture of the date, but saying that I wasn't a player for the coin at the price they want with the damage. Then they dropped this bombshell: They're certain of the date because the coin has been certified by ANACS as a 1935! This is the cert # - 7563750. That comes up on the ANACS site as a damaged Arkansas half, dated 1935 with a grade of F12. They don't have it in-hand yet, so they couldn't send a picture of the coin in a slab. I'm still skeptical, but I let them know I'd consider a purchase if they can get me a picture of this exact coin in an ANACS slab. We shall see!  Edited by The Silver Searcher
08/05/2023 4:18 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5604 Posts |
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Quote:
They're certain of the date because the coin has been certified by ANACS as a 1935! This is the cert # - 7563750. That comes up on the ANACS site as a damaged Arkansas half, dated 1935 with a grade of F12. Interesting. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
I completely missed the hit on the date!  |
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Replies: 14 / Views: 922 |
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Posted 08/03/2023 1:46 pm
