Need Help With 1856 Slant 5 Gold Dollar

Ok, that sounds more realistic. I have to agree it probably was polished for jewelry which gave it that appearance. Thanks for the replies. The coin does look fairly cameo even more so than photos I can show. That led me down a path of speculation. Don't get too bent out of shape tho. Gotta have some imagination for the possibilities,otherwise what is the point of coin collecting. I had 50,000 worth of fun looking into the possibility and learning more about these coins.

Absolute truth. My usage of the term "destroyed" is in the context of numismatic value; few collectors would pay more than the melt value of the gold plus maybe the smallest of premiums in consideration of its' age. This is the single-highest mintage of the entire series, and easy to find in well-preserved condition.

But these coins are our history. They're our heritage, and it is the sacred trust of any committed numismatist to do their level best to preserve this history in unaltered condition for those who will follow in our footsteps. Ownership of a coin is never permanent, and a true collector understands that bigger picture. Seeing a valuable coin mistreated in this fashion invokes something similar to moral outrage, even though it was originally done with innocent intent. That's the context in which I use the term "destroyed."

But if this is how you've found the coin, then all you can do is preserve it as it is.