1835 Half Dime

Very nice, I like the toning. I'd give it an XF-45. The reverse looks closer to 50, but lack of obverse detail holds it back.

NTC EF-40
The word LIBERTY looks a little mangled and the the hair and ear show quite a bit of wear. On the other hand the reverse has excellent detail. I'm going to say VF-25 because of the obverse.

The assigned grade is XF45 and NTC did identify the coin as "cleaned" on the label. Overall this is one of the more accurate assessments I've seen from NTC. The reverse is solid for XF45 detail IMO, with significant remaining luster. The obverse is more like a VF-30. The only obvious indications of cleaning are the overly bright centers on both sides. The photo shows obverse hairlines but those are faint and well scattered, unlike the swirled or parallel scratches from abrasive cleaning. I think this coin was dipped white at some point and has re-toned rather nicely. I wouldn't be surprised if it continued to tone inside the slab.

The seller had mislabeled the coin as a dime in their listing which (along with the blurry photos) probably put off some bidders. My total cost was $37 which I think was a great deal.

I experimented with angle and lighting to attempt better images of this Half Dime. These photos I think capture the toning more accurately and overall are more flattering. The evidence of cleaning is evident in the washed-out look of the obverse portrait. You can also see some significant scratches above the date and near stars 11 and 12. Nevertheless, I think I got "a lot of coin" for the money.