This half is dominated by pewter-tan patina that displays noticeable luster shifts across the portrait, while the fields yield a plentiful supply of dull greyish patina that gravitates in and about the stars. On the reverse is an intermingled combination of these same competing colors, although the greyish tint is splashed more widely across the eagle's motif and the lower right margin.

Judging the coin at arm's length, it appears remarkably free from abrasion, with a tiny tick above the hair ribbon and a pair of sharp scratches entering the obverse rim at 3:00. A similar pair of scratches are between STATES OF. Several longer hairline scratches can be seen beneath the eagle's left (observed) wing, but they are shallow and old, and blend into the field remarkably well. Magnification is required to view most of these defects.

Dentilation on the reverse is exceptionally sharp and well defined all the way around, and as is typically the case, appears less sharp on the obverse. For those collectors that seldom get the chance to look at these early half-dollar type coins up close, the dentils differ from side to side, those on the reverse being typically consistent in oblong "finger" shape, while on the reverse, most of the dentils are curiously asymmetrical and have a "saw tooth" appearance. The slab insert permits fair examination of the rim, and there appears to be not a single noticeable rim tick whatsoever.