The Poe Collection
1953-D


Obverse
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Reverse
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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Origin/Country: United States
Design Description: HALF DOLLARS - FRANKLIN
Item Description: 50C 1953 D
Grade: NGC MS 64 FBL
Owner: physics-fan3.14
 
Winning Set: The Poe Collection
Date Added: 1/7/2006
Research: See NGC's Census Report for this Coin

Owner's Description

The 1953 Denver mint Franklin is in the middle of the 1951-1954 series that shares very similar characteristics. All of them have good luster, very good strikes, and a terrible case of bagmarks. Tomaska estimates that 50% of this issue that qualifies for MS-65 also qualifies for FBL, so it is a generally well struck issue. Color coins are rather difficult to locate, as most are drab mint set toned gray or brown. <br /><br />However, the 1953D starts to have another problem – water spots. Frank Chiong described this problem well in his PCGS forum Franklin Tutorial series. “Bright white examples are sometimes covered with unsightly water spots which can tend to lower the grade and make the coin unsightly. Water spots are the result of improperly rinsed planchets. When planchets are readied for minting, they are usually bathed in a low acid solution to remove grease and other blemishes, and then rinsed. If improperly rinsed however, the acid can remain on the surface of the coin and the resulting ‘milk spot’ will actually be etched into the coin and cannot be removed.”<br /><br />My 1953D is an average specimen of the issue. It has decent luster, a decent strike (obviously, as it garnered NGC’s FBL designation), and overall white color. It escaped the fate of the dull, drab mint set toning. Bagmarks are remarkably few for such a notorious problem. However, my coin has a terrible case of the water spots. It may be difficult to tell in the picture, but water spots cover most of the coin. They appear as parallel lines of droplets, on the obverse going from 1 o’clock to 7 o’clock, and exactly opposite on the reverse (11 o’clock to 4 o’clock). I am quite sure that this coin would grade MS-65 if it weren’t for these water spots, which significantly impact the eye appeal. <br /><br />Entertainment in 1953:<br />From Here to Eternity won Best Picture, starring Burt Lancaster, Donna Reed, Deborah Kerr, Frank Sinatra, and Montgomery Clift, one of my favorite actors of the 1950’s. <br />Audrey Hepburn wins Best Actress for her debut in Roman Holiday, a good film by one of my favorite actresses of all times. <br />Stalag 17, starring William Holden, premieres. <br />Disney’s Peter Pan is the top grossing film of the year.

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