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Replies: 21 / Views: 4,361 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3058 Posts |
I tried posting this last night, but I guess I never hit the 'Post New Topic' button. Lol. So I bought this coin the other day, and after looking it up on Heritage Auctions, it looks like a $500-$750 coin however, I was told that this one could be fake because it doesn't have numbers counterstamped on the coin as well. I did look at the August 1987 Numismatist and found nothing on counterstamped OKLA commemoratives without numbers. Any info would help immensely!  
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
21627 Posts |
Looks like a well worn counterstamped coin to me. Can't see where their would be any extra value in it. Anyone with a punch set can create something like that. A counterstamp collector might pay a small premium for it though.
Edit- Correct typo
Edited by JimmyD 09/26/2018 4:59 pm
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Pillar of the Community
  United States
3058 Posts |
Search OKLA counterstamp on heritage auction records. Any recent sales for OKLA counterstamps in this condition are between $500-$750
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
 United States
12290 Posts |
I offer a few observations.
- There is no definitive list of all Stone Mountain counterstamps ever issued. New pieces are discovered (and verified) every year.
- There are known pieces that have a state counterstamp w/o a number counterstamp. The lack of a number on your coin is not a marker for it being a counterfeit piece. A piece stamped with "OKLA" and no number was sold in 1994 by Heritage. It was described as XF-40 with rim damage in the same place as on your piece. I wouldn't call your piece an XF, but there is a chance that it is the piece sold in 1994 but was kept as a pocket piece in the intervening years and thus is now a lower-grade coin due to pocket wear.
- The size and shape of the letters on your piece match those of known and verified Stone Mountain half dollars with Oklahoma ("OKLA") counterstamps.
Based on this, and the overall appearance of your coin, I would suggest that it is a legitimate counterstamped Stone Mountain half dollar.
As such, it is worth significantly more than a regular circulated Stone Mountain half dollar I would venture to say that collectors of the series would pay hundreds of dollars for your example, even its lower grade condition. A trip to PCGS/NGC might be in order if you plan to sell it.
Hope that helps!
Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
Edited by commems 09/26/2018 5:37 pm
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Moderator
 United States
15471 Posts |
Difficult to argue against commems input - commems has earned the honorary title " CCF Master Historian of USA Commemorative Coins" for very good reasons. I can add some supplemental information - Appears to my eye, with experience in evaluating circulated classic silver commemorative, that your example exhibits wear consistent with a low VF grade - say VF20/25. As such, it's main attraction to most collectors hinges upon the authenticity of the OKLA counter-stamp as the base coin is common in this grade. Also - the obvious rim 'damage' based on your photos does not seem to be a natural portion of the coin - to my eye it looks perhaps like solder/flux remnants of removal from a secondary mount/bezel. If so - that rim 'damage' ensures the coin will receive a 'details' grade any any TPG - although the TPG authentication of the counter-stamp is the main driver in the coins value. Thanks for sharing with us.
Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art
Edited by nickelsearcher 09/26/2018 6:03 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Great input from commems and nickelsearcher.
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Pillar of the Community
  United States
3058 Posts |
Thank you all for the input! Yes that is solder on the coin, as I have seen many with the counterstamp have.
I sent pictures of the coin to someone who is writing a book on them that will come out in 2019. He (as Commems did) told me the coin was real, and stated some diagnostics that matched this coins counterstamp perfectly. He asked if he could put my pictures of the coin in his book (which I very excitedly agreed to).
Something tells me that paying $10 for it the other day was a good idea. Lol.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5029 Posts |
That is a fantastic piece! Referencing where I live makes it even more spectacular 
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Valued Member
United States
469 Posts |
Regardless of grade or condition they are not easy to find. It wouldn't take long for this one to find a home in an auction :)
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12845 Posts |
Thanks for the bump on this one -- missed it the first time around. Really a cool piece. The counterstamp just adds to the intrigue of the wear of a commemorative.  Good eye, nickelsearcher, on that (very likely) bezel solder.
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Pillar of the Community
  United States
3058 Posts |
Hey everyone, it is at NGC right now. I should get the grades today. I will let you know!
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12845 Posts |
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Moderator
 United States
189199 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
  United States
3058 Posts |
Sorry guys. NGC didnt get the grades today. I will let y'all know as soon as I get them.
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Moderator
 United States
189199 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
  United States
3058 Posts |
I am really upset right now. I got the grades of this coin along with another 13 or so from NGC. Almost every singe coin got a horrendous grade!!! This OKLA counterstamp (after even being authenticated by the expert) came back 'Questionable Authenticity'!
Sometimes, grading services just make me mad. Lol.
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Replies: 21 / Views: 4,361 |