My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

[rhedden]

My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

A friend of mine who is a U.S. postal worker has been telling me about this old copper coin he found a couple years ago in the dirt outside a pizza place where the sidewalk was being torn up. Today, he brought it to the post office and it turns out to be an 1826 half cent! What makes it even more unusual is that it was found in central PA in an area that was sparsely populated in the 1800s, so it was really a longshot to find something like this. I have been detecting for 10 years, and I have not found a half cent yet (though I have 7 large cents). It's so corroded that it's only worth $3-5 in my opinion, but it means a lot to me as the only half cent I have ever seen "eyeballed" on top of the ground! Unfortunately, the sidewalk construction site was paved over, but I would have loved to have been there with my detector while it was still open.

 

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[dex378]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

I'd love to find that!!

 

[Colonial KirkPA]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

Out of dozens and dozens of coppas, I only found one half cent. It is an 1810.

Kirk

 

[SC_hunter]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

That would have been a great find..I think I would keep my open for anymore "improvements".

 

[creeper71]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

that's not corroded it's patina..isn't it? a good peroxcide bath will do it a world of good... 2009 redbook has an 1826 half cent going for 55.00 in Good condition a tad higher then your 3-5.00 guessamation... I would say (not a expert) that it is in the Very Good to fine range that value being 65.00-80.00

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

I have said it once, twice... a few times and I'll say it again. Dug coins don't grade anything but Environmentally Damaged, Dug, or Cleaned.

That is an awesome eyeball find! I would love to find one with my machine or my eye.

Keep @ it and HH!!

 

[creeper71]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

I have said it once, twice... a few times and I'll say it again. Dug coins don't grade anything but Environmentally Damaged, Dug, or Cleaned.

That is an awesome eyeball find! I would love to find one with my machine or my eye.

Keep @ it and HH!!

That's not what my coin dealer tells me.. usually he grades them good-fine but cleaned...

 

[DD-777]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

I have said it once, twice... a few times and I'll say it again. Dug coins don't grade anything but Environmentally Damaged, Dug, or Cleaned.

That is an awesome eyeball find! I would love to find one with my machine or my eye.

Keep @ it and HH!!

I agree with Dex - I'd love to find that!!!

As for the "grades" of coins - the two coin dealers I go to will NOT buy any coin that has been cleaned (unless it is incredibly scarce) - if they do, they offer much less than if the coin was left "dirty". While that coin may have some corrosion, it's not much - definitely has more of a patina on it. Considering that coin is 179 years old and has been under a sidewalk for who knows how long - it's definitely in at least G-4 condition. That puts real market pricing (more or less) at around 40 to 50 bucks. If he were to sell it - a dealer MIGHT give 20 to 30 for it. If it were me - I'd keep it. Something that old is definitely worth keeping in my collection - regardless of it's condition. I have seen coins in far worse shape go for much more money (not even truly "rare").

 

[CladMaster]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

The 'worth' is not important to me. The find is fantastic. Why would anyone want to sell it? GG

 

[Colonial Copper Zeus]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

I found one of those this year. Mine is probably one of the earliest of that type since everything else I found at that site is much older. I found 1 Liberty Cap,3 Draped bust and 1 Classic head. I need to round it out with a Braided hair. We don't find to many coins of that type because we usually hunt in earlier areas.
Chris

 

[rhedden]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

I would say (not a expert) that it is in the Very Good to fine range that value being 65.00-80.00

I am an advanced collector, and with all due respect, I do not think I could find a person to purchase this coin at half of the $65-80 you're quoting. Here is a pic of one I just sold to a guy on ebay for $65 + shipping this past summer:

I hope you can see the difference between this example and the dug coin. Dealers typically won't buy common coins with corrosion because they can easily obtain a non-corroded one. In reality, you'd be very lucky to get $3 at a coin show for a dug common date half cent. More than likely, you could buy one out of a dealer's junk box for $3.

Chain cents and other rarities are a different story because it is hard to find one in ANY condition, so dealers will buy corroded examples all day long (at discounted prices).

 

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

Nice "eyeball". Samdly enuf soometimes I'm detecting and the only worthwhile things I bring home are eyeball finds.

 

[ivan salis]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

sell value and worth to you are often way differant -- high dollar rare coin collectors are some of the nit pickingist folks you ever care to not meet for the most part . --- we metal detectorist just like to find old coins --if in good shape so much the better -- many a older (100 years +) "ugly" coin (by coin collecting standards) has found a home with me. -- most detectorist do not sell their coins since most coin shops and collectors will turn their noses up to lowly "dug coins" unless it is a ultra rare type --like a chain cent or such . and coins shops often offer 50% or less of book value or silver value on coins that they buy to leave room for their profiet on the sale . -- coin shops motto ---buy low / sell high

 

[rhedden]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

most detectorist do not sell their coins since most coin shops and collectors will turn their noses up to lowly "dug coins" unless it is a ultra rare type --like a chain cent or such . and coins shops often offer 50% or less of book value or silver value on coins that they buy to leave room for their profiet on the sale . -- coin shops motto ---buy low / sell high


Ivan, you nailed it, my friend. Coin shops won't pay anything substantial for common date dug coins with problems, if they even buy them. The real value of this half cent is the cool story that goes with it about how it was found, and some day in the distant future, it will remind me of my friend at the post office when I pull it out of my detectin' box.

I also collect the high-grade, high dollar coins you refer to- Bust material, and Proof and Unc. Seated and Barber coins mostly- and I understand the people at that end of the numismatic spectrum. If you're going to pay big dollars for a coin, it had better look like it's worth big dollars. Many people who collect that type of material will give the harshest assessment of your detecting finds because they have no use for lower-grade coins themselves. However, that does not mean that dug coins are worthless, despite what they may tell you. List a lot of 100 dug Indian cents on ebay, and someone will buy them, even if they're real greenies!

 

[ivan salis]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

yep many of the harder to find dates will be taken as G - 4 "fillers" * to help finish a collection --until a better shape coin can be found --- coin folks hate gaps in their collection

a private sale to a fellow collector / metal detectorist or trade if you have a double is often the best way to deal these types of coins, if you want to part with them.

those greenie indains often get cleaned up made into jewelry -- a bracelet made from several cleaned coins often times

for making jewelry a coin being "cleaned" is not an issue like it is for collecting .

 

[rhedden]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

Good point on the "jewelry" coins. If you're going to wear a coin around in a mount and subject it to further wear and tear, might as well start off with a low-value dug piece. I wouldn't clean them up, though- I'd make those greenies into an "emerald" bracelet or necklace!

 

[Wasabi]

Re: My friend "eyeballs" an 1826 half cent

First of all nice find. Maybe a find of a life time.

I think it really boils down to the individual grading the coin. I think if it were a rare coin there would be a lot of value added to it and yes they may deduct some for the coin's condition, but still it is probably worth more than 3-4 bucks.

WTG!

Rob ~ Out

I have said it once, twice... a few times and I'll say it again. Dug coins don't grade anything but Environmentally Damaged, Dug, or Cleaned.

That is an awesome eyeball find! I would love to find one with my machine or my eye.

Keep @ it and HH!!

That's not what my coin dealer tells me.. usually he grades them good-fine but cleaned...