I was really tempted...

....to bid on this coin, but the detail shown in the photographs
(particularly the obverse) just doesn't look right to me. Does it look "too
sharp", or is it just my tired old eyes that are seeing it differently than
it really is?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8342633812

Larry
'loves this particular design!'

"Larry Louks" wrote in message
...
...to bid on this coin, but the detail shown in the photographs
(particularly the obverse) just doesn't look right to me. Does it look
"too sharp", or is it just my tired old eyes that are seeing it
differently than it really is?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8342633812

Larry
'loves this particular design!'




The date looked odd as well as the rim so I took his coin and superimposed
it on Ira's coin that was just listed and here is the result:

http://www.kornfamily.org/pics/halfdime.jpg

Everything seems to line up except for the date. I don't know if that means
anything, I just didn't have anything better to do

Larry Louks wrote:
...to bid on this coin, but the detail shown in the photographs
(particularly the obverse) just doesn't look right to me. Does it look "too
sharp", or is it just my tired old eyes that are seeing it differently than
it really is?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8342633812

Larry
'loves this particular design!'

A problem these days is that it's *way* too easy to manipulate a
photograph. This one looks like it's been sharpened and
contrast-boosted, etc. almost beyond recognition.

Also, I get more and more skeptical about any coin that's worth real
money not being slabbed. The $15 shipping (good thing it's not a *big*
coin and the 3-day, 5% restocking-fee return policy would also tend
to make me look elsewhere.

Jeff

"Stujoe" was wondering about it, so he asked Larry
Have you seen the one that Ira just listed? That is what I would expect
one to look like and how much I would expect one to cost. That about
says it all, I think.

Yessir, I did indeed see Ira's beauty! And I think you are right.

Larry
'watchful and vigilant'

"jeff" made some very salient points in stating:
A problem these days is that it's *way* too easy to manipulate a
photograph. This one looks like it's been sharpened and contrast-boosted,
etc. almost beyond recognition.

Ah, that is precisely what I was thinking.

Also, I get more and more skeptical about any coin that's worth real money
not being slabbed. The $15 shipping (good thing it's not a *big* coin
and the 3-day, 5% restocking-fee return policy would also tend to make me
look elsewhere.

Our thoughts are running parallel, Jeff. Those are indeed the things that
compelled me to keep my money in my pocket.

Larry
'once bitten, twice shy'

8----------------------------
Also, I get more and more skeptical about any coin that's worth real
money not being slabbed. The $15 shipping (good thing it's not a *big*
coin and the 3-day, 5% restocking-fee return policy would also tend
to make me look elsewhere.

Jeff
Although I certainly understand where you are coming from on the matter
of a slab, it is a shame it's gotten to this point because I usually
purchase and sell unslabbed coins. Usually when I've bought a slab on
ebay I've been burned on grade as well anyways. (the top two plastic
coffin companies) Mind you, I'm not saying your wrong, I wouldn't buy
certain items on ebay or unknown dealers w/o the certification, just
lamenting that it stinks when I have a 500.00$ coin I want to sell to
upgrade, and it's gone from 450 to 500 while I owned it, I don't get the
50.00 because I have to slab it, and then pay paypal fees since a lot of
people say they won't bid a non paypal auction.
-- dw

It appears that postprocessing of the image had the contrast and
lighting ramped up. Another possibility is that it was captured on a
flatbed scanner and they scanned it as line art. The sad thing is that
I have seen similar crap in professional auction catalogues. One that
does pre-event sales really gets to me. I don't know if it is to
deliberately hide details like scratches and rubs or the cataloguer
just likes the look more.