1801 Half Dollar - no cheating

[Dwaine]

[BillJones]

Looks like a VF-20 to me. The surfaces are not original, but given the rarity of the date, who cares?

[MBA101]

I like it as a VF 20. Looks like it had an old bath then sat in an envelope for a long time. Really tough date that will always be in demand.

[physics-fan3.14]

I like it at VF-20 also.

[Coindude]

I'm gonna go 25 and say that I think I'm in love.... again.... and don't tell my wife!

[Dwaine]

F15 and it is in a rattler.

 

[James_OldeTowne]

I did not think it quite made VF, but that sure is a rare coin.

[coinman1794]

 

Technically, this is a VF coin--the flatness is mostly due to striking, and the extensive hair detail and decent wing definition help varify the correct grade. However, it would be very hard to have it certified to VF these days. The graders go strictly by detail (instead of by wear), and dont always know enough about each date/series to recognize weak strike porperly. For instance, the stars probably had NO definition when this coin was struck.

[BillJones]

To add to that, the Draped Bust is opposite the field of stars which accounts for the weakness there. The bust was in high relief, and the metal flow was not correct when the coin was struck. The stars were quite weak or almost missing when the coin was Mint State.

[RI AL]

So, this is another example of an early type coin with typical areas of weakness of strike that are not accounted for when assigning the grade. I had VF 20 in mind too. I sure wish that early stuff could somehow be graded based on typical strike with areas of weakness taken into consideration. I guess this is impossible, but I sure would like to see it happen somehow. What I would love to see is a book with all U.S. mint issues up to 1807 (at least) with each type and variety identified as to typicallity of strike. Then there are the capped bust halves...that would fill volumes!

 

RI AL

[RI AL]

In my humble opinion, it is worthy of a VF 20... or even a 25. I really like all the detail on the reverse. I'm wondering if what they say about stricter standards in the old rattler slabs is demonstrated in this coin?

 

RI Al