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 Replies: 18 / Views: 1,485 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1388 Posts |
Hi all, Pleased to show off my latest circulated commemorative acquisition! Just bought this 1925 California half on ebay... the price was right, and I love the amount of wear that it has. Does it look cleaned to any of you all? The hairlines in the pictures don't seem to be all in one direction, so I'm hopeful that this one appears in hand as a worn, circulated coin. This seller does offer returns, so if it looks off once it arrives it's heading back. But fingers crossed for some honest wear! If anyone has thoughts on what the grade might be I'd love to hear them! I think it's an AG-03, but I'd hope for FR-02 as that would tie the current PCGS lowest graded California half. Obverse:  Reverse:  Edited by The Silver Searcher
08/14/2024 7:47 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
 United States
12263 Posts |
Congrats on the purchase!
The straight-line marks are a bit worrisome to me, but I'll defer to our circulated commemorative coin aficionados,
Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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Moderator
United States
95443 Posts |
wow, yes VERY circulated..
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5394 Posts |
Obvious a very well loved pocket piece !
Probably will not straight grade as AG3
Due to the obvious scratchy , scuff marks
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Moderator
United States
95443 Posts |
yeah, didn't think it could be a pocket piece..
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10500 Posts |
Very cool lowball commem.
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Moderator
United States
15403 Posts |
Congratulations on finding such a well worn example. I'll join the AG03 opinion - I doubt it would go FR02. No question this example has more wear than my G04. Compare the amount of legends remaining: 1925 California Diamond Jubilee Half - PCGS G04 Difficult to judge the surfaces with this photo. The apparent straight line marks are worrisome. With full return privileges I would have taken a chance at at - let us know what you find when the coin arrives. I'm pulling for you that it might straight grade.  |
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Moderator
United States
188052 Posts |
Excellent! |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1388 Posts |
Well, it's here! To me, in hand, this looks cleaned, it pains me to say that. Those hairlines are there, but subtle. Now, I need to decide if it's going back or not. On one hand, I'm avoiding cleaned coins for this set, and I've passed on some before. On the other, though, $100 is low-ish for a California half, and it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to carefully turn this into a pocket piece and see what happens. I'm considering that only because it's so very worn, and the hairlines aren't awful... there is still some patina. What would you all do? Keep this for a lowball set or turn it loose and keep looking?   Edited by The Silver Searcher
08/26/2024 7:29 pm
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
United States
12263 Posts |
I say only: "Always remember, coins don't heal!"  Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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Moderator
United States
15403 Posts |
Quote:
To me, in hand, this looks cleaned Unfortunately I agree with that assessment. Your photos show the surfaces better than the photos the seller provided and the cleaning is much more apparent. Quote:
What would you all do? Keep this for a lowball set or turn it loose and keep looking This is a question only you can answer. Are you square on your goals for the set? If so, follow your own standards as it's your collection not ours. Too bad about the cleaning - this is indeed a well circulated example. |
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Moderator
United States
188052 Posts |
Quote:
it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to carefully turn this into a pocket piece and see what happens  Quote:
This is a question only you can answer.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Much prefer the PCGS 04 example.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1388 Posts |
Thanks for the input, everyone! I was going to say, "Oh, I'll sleep on it and see what I think...." but the more I consider it, the more I'm certain that this one is going back. I'm not opposed to having a details coin in the collection, since I don't really submit them for grading. In fact, I think a couple of my classic commems do have old cleanings. The difference, though, is that I bought them, liked them, and then thought, "Well, this might have a cleaning. Oh, well, I like it!"
This one, though, the hairlines are extremely distracting in-hand. I was hoping that they would be less obvious, but it's quite the opposite. And for $100, it's just not worth keeping. If it had been a $20 or $40 dollar pickup, I might have held onto it as an example of the kind of wear I'm looking for. But 100 is a big chunk of my collecting budget, and I'd rather spend that on a problem-free coin. In fact, I passed on a nice Grant half because I had already bought the California one.
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Moderator
United States
188052 Posts |
Good call. Keep searching! |
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Replies: 18 / Views: 1,485 |
Posted 08/14/2024 8:38 pm
