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 Replies: 10 / Views: 1,847 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
731 Posts |
Below please find images of an 1829 Bust Half at auction on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/1829-Capped-Bus...ar_W0QQitemZ180472159053QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCoins_US_Individual?hash=item2a04fa9b4d The stars on the obverse seem a bit weird - stretched - particularly those on the left hemisphere of the coin. As I do not possess many capped busts in my collection, I am curious if this is a legitimate characteristic of this coin? Input would be appreciated. Thanks.   |
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Valued Member
United States
436 Posts |
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
Yes, that's a legitimate characteristic of a worn die. I think this one to be O-105, a relatively common variety so the price was....OK for the grade. I worry about the obverse appearing to have brush marks, and the missing details of the C in 50C.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
731 Posts |
Thanks for the feedback and guidance. I appreciate it. Is it true that counterfeit Capped Bust Halves are (more than average) commonly found on ebay? |
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Valued Member
United States
461 Posts |
I am by far the last person who would claim to be an expert on these coins. However, I am very good at comparing photographs and picking out any differences even if they are extremely slight. I have compared these pictures with about 10 others on PC GS and a few on coin museum books which I have and there is no way that the nose on the obverse is correct. If you look at a known original the nose slope is continuous and straight (proud) and compare those to the pictures of the ebay sellers photos the nose is round and pudgy! If it were me I would not touch this coin with a 10 foot pole! Just my humble opinion.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4846 Posts |
i wouldent touch it with a 10 foot pole even if that diffrence wasnt there!
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
I agree with SuperDave, this is the result of a worn die. The coin looks legit to me. This is an 1829 O.105 from my collection.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8904 Posts |
Yours looks legit. I would guess pretty harshly cleaned, however. The stars can get very elongated in a usage of a die that should probably have been retired. Here the obverse of an 1827/6 very evidently from a very late die usage:  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Quote:
I have compared these pictures with about 10 others on PC GS and a few on coin museum books which I have and there is no way that the nose on the obverse is correct. One problem that you encounter with Bust Halves is that unless you are comparing like Overton varieties, any comparison can be almost useless. Remember that this coin comes from an era where dies still had some hand engraving work done and that is part of the reason why there are so many die varieties in the Capped Bust half dollar series as compared to the mintages. In regards to the stars, that stretching phenomenon is due to a late die state and the fact that the coins were not struck in collar so they can actually vary slightly in diameter. No collar= no containment of planchet expansion during striking. The stretching of the stars is usually accompanied by weak to nonexistent denticles. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
731 Posts |
The halves from that era give me the heebie-jeebies. With so much talk about Chinese counterfeits and [it seems] a lack of detailed guidance in common books about the series, I think it's best I should steer away from them for right now. That said, the ones that I do possess in my collection I am a bit trepidatious about. Aside from the specific guidance provided in the Red Book 2010 pg.185 about edge lettering (periods 1807-1814, 1814-1831, and 1832-1836), are there other known deviations/inconsistencies in edge lettering present in the series? Thanks. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1304 Posts |
Late die usagr foe sure. Bust halfs have a special place in my heart, I like this one common date, late die usage and all
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Replies: 10 / Views: 1,847 |
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Posted 02/25/2010 11:38 pm
