1807 Draped Half Dollar 0

[Mandii]

I have a 1807 draped half dollar. I’ve been told it looks to be a VG-10 or maybe an F-12. Any idea how much this coin is worth? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[JKK]

Photos can do odd things to color, but something to me looks off about this one. Are you sure it's authentic? Date looks weird, some of the lettering is strange, and the bust has more in common with fakes of 1804 silver dollars I've seen than with real busties.

[Greenstang]

Sorry Mandii but I am going to have to agree, the coin is counterfeit. Hope you didn't buy it and it was given to you.

[Mandii]

I’m obviously not 100% since I haven’t had it verified or graded but it came out of my grandfathers coin collection that has been put away for over 20 years and he was pretty on top of his collection. I can’t see it being counterfeited. The scan doesn’t do it justice from how it looks in hand.

 

 

[JKK]

15 minutes ago, Mandii said:

I’m obviously not 100% since I haven’t had it verified or graded but it came out of my grandfathers coin collection that has been put away for over 20 years and he was pretty on top of his collection. I can’t see it being counterfeited. The scan doesn’t do it justice from how it looks in hand.

 

 

I doubt the scan affects the way the detail is presented, the irregularity of letters and numbers, and all the other little tells that make me think it's probably counterfeit. There were plenty of fakes being made twenty years ago--that was only 1999 (they were generally shoddier then; they've improved, sadly). But if you think we're dead wrong and are quite certain it's authentic, by all means send it in and get a better answer.

[Greenstang]

If you could provide a clear photo of both sides, I will do a side by side and point out the areas of concern and maybe save you some money.

Scans aren't really good enough as you lose too much detail.

[Just Bob]

There is a die crack that runs through the "1" and "8" to the "0,"  of the date, and another that runs under the "1," and through the bottoms of "807." The "B" in "LIBERTY" is higher than the "I.". On the reverse, a die crack runs from the " D" through the wing tip, through the tops of "STAT," rises over the "E," and drops down to the "S." The "A" and "M" in "AMERICA" are joined at the base, and the "A" touches the wing. Most importantly, the lower right serif of the "F" is completely missing. All of these markers are present on a genuine 1807 O-108. If this is a counterfeit, the forgers used a genuine R3 half dollar as their template. If you look at a late die state O-108, the denticles are indistinct in places, much like this coin, and the tops of the letters of "UNITED" fade into the rim. 

I am on the fence on this one.

[Mandii]

Okay, I got it looked at by three professionals at a coin show on Sunday & It is in fact, real. Thank you for all the replies.

[Just Bob]

Well done. You did exactly what you should have done. The best that we can offer here is opinions based on pictures. Seeing it in hand is the only way to be sure. Congratulations.