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 Replies: 15 / Views: 2,191 |
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Valued Member
China
141 Posts |
  Hello everybody.I am new here, this is my favourite one.I love the black vulcanzed layer.I've got a question,why people engraved letters on silver coins?Please tell me. thanks!
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Moderator
 United States
34413 Posts |
Impossible to know the intent behind some graffiti such as this. "HI" could be someone's initials but this seems much more sloppy than a love token, for example.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
6514 Posts |
I agree with Spence. Who knows the intent. Crying shame that beautiful coin was graffitied like that.   Check out my counterstamped Lincoln Cent collection: http://goccf.com/t/303507 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4416 Posts |
 to the CCF, Wan I'll second what Spence wrote. The poor quality of this particular "engraving" is akin to graffiti that's scrawled on a wall. Fine engravings on coins often tend to increase the value of a coin, but graffiti damage diminishes value. Consider that way-back-when, a half dollar was a lot of money to many folks. Someone may well have been proud to have this coin, perhaps a gift or well-earned, in their pocket. Businesses often saved and even framed their first earned dollar bill as a memento, hanging it on the wall. Many collectors confuse engraved coins with counterstamped coins like my avatar. The prepared L. POMEROY counterstamp is that of Lemuel Pomeroy, an early gunsmith, matching those seen on his guns. Knowing this, adds history and value to such a piece. In the case of graffiti, no true history can be attached. Still, early Bust Halves remain most popular coins among collectors. Your piece looks genuine, but there are ever increasing numbers of counterfeit pieces floating about in today's market. Buyer's need to learn to spot the fakes. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Tagging has been around for a long time. There is even evidence of it in ancient Rome. to the CCF! Edited by Coinfrog
08/28/2022 09:21 am
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Valued Member
 China
141 Posts |
Yeah thanks Spence#65292; chafemasterj#65292;ExoGuy and Coinfrog#12290;ALL Your replies let me have a better understanding of this graffiti#12290;IT is really a good place hahaha#65281;nobody tells me about this in China through it is a difficult question.and I have to say good US coins are really expensive and hard to find in China for me a US coins fan.And I can't buy coins from United States because our customs will detain the coins.So I dream I could come to US to pick up my favourite coins myself!By the way,I wonder if I can reply directly to you? |
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Valued Member
China
141 Posts |
@ExoGuy I really agree with your opinion.It is a shame that In some of Chinese made fake coins.There are so many high imitation Chinese silver and that is the reason why I started my US coins collection two years ago.But I gradually find more and more fake Trade dollars, seated,mogans,and even Washington quarters (they make the quarters as large as a Morgan dollar which is really absurd).But I will keep on learning US coins.The only 2 good news is that there is a lot of information about US coins and a great many of collectors.As the community "motto" says:education is the key to collectors success. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4233 Posts |
Maybe it's a cultural thing? In North America it's fairly common to see someone's initials carved into birch or aspen trees, rocks at the top of a popular hike, cliff walls, picnic tables, bathroom walls... an "I was here" kind of thing. It's obnoxious but common. Often they'll add a year to their initials. I've seen them back into the 1800s in various remote places where cowboys camped with their cows, etc. Maybe 1821 was significant to this person, they were competing with a sibling over ownership ("this one is mine!"), or just so they could imagine other people seeing their initials as it circulated - a variety of reasons.
You can communicate privately with someone on here but they have to have it set to "allow" in their profile, and I think you need a certain number of posts to be able to initiate a private communication.
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Valued Member
China
141 Posts |
@ Kbbpll I have see it ,the private communication not allowed yet,Thank you! The graffiti already has a sulfide layer,so I think this graffiti is belongs to North American hahaha,I think your analysis is very reasonable and interesting!I love the feeling of history . You can see many Chinese characters stamps on Trade dollars to say:"it used to be mine."which is annoying.So I come to a quick conclusion that Chinese love leaving stamps,and cowboys love leaving graffit hahahahahaha!!!! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
752 Posts |
Welcome to the forum, @Wan. You ask a good question--I agree with your own answer that people like to "leave their stamp" on history. For most of us collectors, that simply means owning and safeguarding the coins, despite that they will "outlive" us and move on to other owners (assuming we do our job as stewards!). For some, it means actually carving into/altering the coin itself. I see that as both selfish and vain, as you do the merchants of old stamping the Trade dollars. I also agree with the Spence and ExoGuy, that some of these are probably just "sloppy love tokens" or "friendship token," as 50 cents was a big deal back then. I don't graffiti modern coins, but I must confess I wouldn't be nearly as disturbed by seeing someone graffiti a modern Kennedy half dollar as I am by seeing old graffiti on these old coins. Maybe the graffiti is almost as old as the coin itself? If it the graffiti is significantly less old than the coin, then I have a harder time imagining someone consciously defacing an antique for a "sloppy love token." I like ExoGuy's example of official stamps as graffiti, although I would not buy such a coin myself. Again, welcome to the forum, and hopefully travel between China and the USA will become easier soon. I miss my Chinese friends, and hope that you will be able to get some cool USA coins. |
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Valued Member
China
141 Posts |
Yes @Adam590 I like unpack kennedy and benji coin roll.My local coin shop also sells Wheat penny coin roll which I can find indian head in the roll. I originally planned to visit the United States to pick up coins during this summer vacation-My high school graduation summer.But my town was closed for half a month because of the epidemic.I can not fly directly to the USA.And it completely broke my plan.But I am sure I will come if there is any chances. There are so many attractive historical relics and beautiful scenery. Thank you for your reply! |
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Moderator
United States
188660 Posts |
to the Community! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3848 Posts |
Grafitti is common on these bust halves. Unfortunate too, because this is a nice looking EDS half. I would guess that the grafitti is pre-1880.
Suffering from bust half fever. Want to learn how to attribute early half dollars by die variety? Click Here: http://goccf.com/t/434955Shoot me a PM if you are looking to sell bust halves. |
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Valued Member
China
141 Posts |
@jbuck thanks!
@jacrispies That's right it is a nice coin,I love the black surface.
Your information is helpful,Thanks!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
735 Posts |
I agree people want to "leave a mark on history" though it is a shame they had to do it in such a destructive way.
I've been collecting for a couple years... Favorite Coin's are Standing Liberty quarters, Working on my type set | Coffee, Corvettes, Coins & the CCF what could be better? |
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Valued Member
China
141 Posts |
@Jakes Coin I agree with you.This graffiti reduces the visual effect of the coin.And I can't even confirm what it's trying to say. You say you like Standing Liberty quarters.Hope you finish your type set soon.I know most of them appear at lower quality. |
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Replies: 15 / Views: 2,191 |
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Posted 08/28/2022 09:08 am
