| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
CENTS - CORONET |
| Item Description: |
1C 1837 |
| Grade: |
NGC UNC Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
I bought this 1837 "Plain Hair Cord" or "Head of 1836" medium letters large cent (N7/8) at a local coin auction in November 1997 as an unimpaired brown uncirculated piece. I submitted it to NGC in March 2023, and it was returned "cleaned". The coin is slightly glossy, and the hints of mint color have a somewhat pinkish hue. It is an attractive coin notwithstanding any "cleaning".
I took the photos before submitting the coin for certification.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
CENTS - CORONET, BRAIDED HAIR |
| Item Description: |
1C 1847 |
| Grade: |
NGC UNC Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
I purchased this large cent at a local coin auction in February 2004 and submitted it for certification in April 2022. I knew that it had probably been recolored, although as I recall the auction company described it as an original red and brown piece. Others in attendance probably realized this, as it sold for a reasonable price. The NGC qualifier of "altered color" was as expected. To its credit the coin has no observable wear and was strongly struck with full star centers, which in my judgment makes it an appropriate coin for a type set. It also takes a better photograph. I determined the die variety to be N28, a scarce (high R4) variety. The coin was photographed before certification.
The "Redbook" has long included a warning in its listing of late date large cents for collectors to "[b]eware of slightly worn copper coins that have been cleaned and recolored to simulate Uncirculated luster". This chemical recoloring, with or without other forms of "cleaning", is also found on uncirculated pieces due to the strong premium paid for original mint color, which is perishable in any event. Such recoloring on this coin can be identified by a pinkish rather than orange hue and somewhat unusual toning pattern. Nevertheless, even coppers specialists can disagree over whether a purportedly "red" or "red and brown" coin has original color.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
FIVE-CENT PIECES - BUFFALO |
| Item Description: |
5C 1913 TYPE 1 |
| Grade: |
NGC UNC Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
I purchased this coin uncertified at a local coin auction in February 1992 for all of $36.75 and submitted it to NGC for certification solely for registry set purposes in April 2022. I was unsure whether it would receive a straight grade or would only details grade due to obverse spots being regarded as corrosion or environmental damage. NGC required me to submit it to NCS to remove "residue" to have it certified. It has been encapsulated as "cleaned".
I took the photos appearing above before the coin was sent to NGC. The coin had original appearing multicolored album toning of the sort that can command high prices in today's market and otherwise appeared to be original notwithstanding the spots. It now has an unnatural looking sheen, and the toning has been muted. There are now pits at some of the places that there were spots, while most of the spots remain. (Some of the change can be seen on NGC's photos on certification verification for #6451295-004.) The coin now does appear to have been chemically "cleaned", presumably by NCS. Based on this experience, I would respectfully decline any further service by NCS.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
THREE-CENT PIECES - SILVER |
| Item Description: |
3CS 1867 |
| Grade: |
NGC UNC Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
NGC accurately described this coin as "scratched" due to groups of light pin scratches on both sides and as "cleaned" due to its dullness and blotchy toning. It's nevertheless fully detailed and a very rare date with an original mintage of 4,000 pieces, most of which were likely melted in 1873. I purchased this coin in 2012. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
HALF DIMES - FLOWING HAIR |
| Item Description: |
H10C 1795 |
| Grade: |
NGC AU Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
I bought this early type coin in 2014. It was described as "cleaned"--which it is--and as "damaged", likely due to the planchet crack at around 9:00, which may be as struck. Well worth the "Fine" money I paid with this much detail. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
HALF DIMES - DRAPED BUST |
| Item Description: |
H10C 1797 13 STARS LM-4 |
| Grade: |
PCGS VG Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
Though given a details grade as "bent", this very scarce type (and die variety) is very slightly bent if at all. It is, however, obviously cleaned with an unnatural light gray color. I purchased this coin in 2017. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
HALF DIMES - DRAPED BUST |
| Item Description: |
H10C 1803 |
| Grade: |
NGC FINE Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
This entire type can legitimately be regarded as rare. It is harder to find than any other denomination featuring the Draped Bust/Heraldic Eagle design and when found is often well worn and/or impaired. I have owned a Good to Very Good details, damaged and heavily cleaned 1801 for many years and tried to have it graded for inclusion here, but NGC classified it as having an "altered surface" and would not encapsulate it.
I purchased this 1803 large 8 "Redbook" variety, the less scarce variety for the year, at a March 2023 auction for more than I would have preferred to pay. (Unfortunately, NGC doesn't distinguish between the large and small 8 varieties without the submitter paying an attribution fee.) Its color is slightly light and it is lightly hairlined, resulting in the "cleaned" description. It is otherwise a decent example of this difficult type.
Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
DIMES - DRAPED BUST |
| Item Description: |
10C 1805 4 BERRIES JR-2 |
| Grade: |
NGC VF Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
I obtained this 1805 "4 berries" reverse Draped Bust dime uncertified from a local coin auction in March 1999 and submitted it to NGC in March 2023. I hoped that it would be numerically graded at the Fine or Very Fine level but thought that the old obverse scratches could result in a "details" grade as "scratched". Instead, NGC described it as "cleaned". I'm not sure why. Perhaps the color on the devices was thought to be too light.
The 1805 4 berries and the 1807 are the least scarce Draped Bust dimes. The 1807s tend to be struck from worn dies, so the 1805 4 berries is a common choice for a type coin.
I took the photos prior to the coin's certification.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
DIMES - CAPPED BUST |
| Item Description: |
10C 1814 |
| Grade: |
NGC VF Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
I acquired this 1814 large date Capped Bust dime uncertified at a local coin auction in 1997. When I submitted it to NGC in June 2023, I thought that NGC might regard it as "cleaned" due to the lighter appearance of the higher points of the devices and some slight streakiness. They did. I regard the coin's appearance as acceptable for a coin of its age.
I took the photos before submitting the coin for grading.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
DIMES - CAPPED BUST |
| Item Description: |
10C 1834 |
| Grade: |
NGC UNC Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
Though designated as "cleaned" by NGC, presumably due to slightly glossy surfaces and mottled toning, this coin features a very strong strike and virtually mark free surfaces. Purchased in 2018. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
DIMES - SEATED LIBERTY |
| Item Description: |
10C 1839 |
| Grade: |
NGC AU Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
I purchased this coin uncertified at a local coin show in October 1994. In my records I described it as "Ch. EF, cleaned". As it was the most detailed specimen I have of the "no drapery, with stars" Seated dime subtype, I submitted it to NGC for registry set purposes in April 2022. The design is the same as the 1837-38 "no stars" except for the addition of the obverse stars. I photographed the coin prior to certification.
This coin has light but extensive hairlines and an unnatural gray color, identifying it as a coin that has been abrasively cleaned.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
DIMES - SEATED LIBERTY |
| Item Description: |
10C 1874 ARROWS |
| Grade: |
NGC AU Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
I acquired this coin at a coin show in November 1996 and submitted it to NGC for certification in April 2022 solely for registry set purposes as my best example of the 1873-74 with arrows subtype. I expected this coin to receive a numerical grade in the AU50-53 range and am unsure why it was given a details grade as "cleaned". The coin is not hairlined, and the color seems natural to me. I assume that the graders thought that the toning was irregular and concluded that the coin had been chemically cleaned. If so, it remains an attractive piece. I photographed the coin prior to certification.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
DIMES - BARBER LIBERTY HEAD |
| Item Description: |
10C 1893 O |
| Grade: |
PCGS UNC Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
PCGS described this better date Barber Dime as "Unc. details, cleaned". The coin shows some light abrasion on Liberty's face that I consider to be light wear but is otherwise frosty with no hairlines or other signs of abrasive or chemical "cleaning". In my opinion the coin should receive a straight grade of AU 55. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
I purchased this coin for a favorable price at auction in July 2019. It upgrades a well worn specimen in my complete set of Barber dimes, which I completed with uncertified coins back in the 1990s and is housed in a Lucite frame, with the coins grading from Good to Brilliant Uncirculated. My only certified specimens are this one, a 1913 graded MS64 now included in several of my competitive type sets, and the Proof 1893 appearing in my nineteenth century proof type sets in this registry.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
TWENTY-CENT PIECES |
| Item Description: |
20C 1875 |
| Grade: |
PCGS XF Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
I purchased this scarce Philadelphia twenty cent piece at an online auction in November 2020. I have owned uncertified examples of the 1875-S, 1875-CC, and 1876 for some years, so this was the only collectable date remaining for me to acquire, the 1876-CC being an extreme rarity, and the proof only 1877 and 1878 being expensive as well.
While this piece has been chemically cleaned, as indicated by an unusual shade of gray and some blotchy toning, it has relatively few hairlines, is quite well detailed, and has some remaining luster, especially on the reverse.
|
| Slot: |
|
| Origin/Country: |
United States |
| Design Description: |
QUARTER DOLLARS - CAPPED BUST |
| Item Description: |
25C 1825/4 B-3 |
| Grade: |
PCGS XF Details |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
Although cleaned, this is a well detailed (Ch. EF details?) specimen of this interesting issue that I purchased at auction in 2015. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
|