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 Replies: 16 / Views: 2,225 |
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New Member
United States
5 Posts |
Hello everyone. I am a bottle collector and every now and then I come across a coin digging for bottles. I recently found this 1865 Seated Liberty half dollar and its a little funky. It was dug in a layer dating to 1870 at the latest. The blackened silver on the outside of the coin is flaking off to reveal a white metal underneath. Its taking a lot of the detail with it. I do not know much about coins, except not to clean them, and thought it was a little odd the metal is flaking. When talking to some fellow bottle collectors on our bottle forum someone who also collects coins said silver will not flake like this and its a counterfeit... So I decided to look for a coin forum and ask the experts. So what do you folks think? (wish I could get the rust off it, it wont budge...) sorry about the terrible pictures...   Edited by Tigue710
01/03/2013 9:12 pm
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Valued Member
United States
442 Posts |
Well silver won't rust so I take it that it Is a fake but that's just my first thought
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Pillar of the Community
861 Posts |
Get a magnet....if the coin sticks to the magnet, than it's fake.
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New Member
 United States
5 Posts |
thanks for the replies folks
its not magnetic, I tried that, should have mentioned it. The rust is not from the coin but part of a nail or can or something it was laying with that adhered to the surface...
It seems to me to be lead with a silver gilt...
Edited by Tigue710
01/03/2013 10:15 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3755 Posts |
Well, if it is lead you should be able to easily bend it. Given the way it is flaking and the like, I am thinking a fake of some sort.
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New Member
United States
5 Posts |
didnt think of that... it will not bend easily... tin maybe? I'm stumped...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
Are we seeing the effects of tin pest here?
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Pillar of the Community
861 Posts |
I believe the coin is real. All the diagnostics are correct and the wear pattern is consistant with a dug coin. Probably worth silver melt value.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
36744 Posts |
I think this one might be genuine also. Looks like it spent many years in salt water.
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Valued Member
Canada
271 Posts |
When I have something rusty, I put it in lemon juice. I am also a bottle/can collector and it works with them, I've never tried with a coin. I would imagine that if the coin was real, it would be fine.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
What does it weigh? (Grams to 2 decimals if possible) I suspect it is real and there is something else on the coin which is flaking off.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1721 Posts |
I have dug silver coins and brass items where it was buried next to a piece of iron and over time the two have fused together.
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New Member
United States
5 Posts |
I only have a postal scale, it weighs 12 grams on that, but that's not much help... I originally thought there was a layer encrusted on the coin flaking off until I discovered the thin layer flaking off also had most of the detail of the coin in it... Its like the outer layer of the coin is coming off in a thin skin, about paper thick... an 1849 Franc I dug close by to this coin is sparkling new looking, although the layer this coin came out of is burnt while the franc was not...
I've still not ever seen silver flake off in layers... I've seen pitted, but flakey?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1721 Posts |
Is it possible the pit the coin and bottles came from was a fire pit? The obverse looks cooked. I have also found that different soil conditions produce different results on assorted metals.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1704 Posts |
Quote:
Is it possible the pit the coin and bottles came from was a fire pit? It does have the surface characteristics of being significantly overheated. Ed ANA LM-3175 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
36744 Posts |
mds308 might be on to something, being in a fire is very possible.
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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,225 |
Posted 01/03/2013 9:37 pm
