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 Replies: 15 / Views: 2,365 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3098 Posts |
I just won this auction for an 1858 Seated Liberty quarter, but if you look at the auction it's a curious coin. The obverse is an 1858, but the reverse has arrows which would make it an 1853. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1858-Seated...047675.l2557Now, at first thought there are a number of options running through my mind: The seller got the obverse and reverse photos from two different coins mixed up. I did check and he didn't have any other 1853s with a reverse that matched this one. It's an out-and-out fake. It's a trick coin, like a Magician's coin that attached an 1858 obverse with an 1853 reverse. (You can't really see the edges.) The date has been changed and the arrows somehow removed, or the rays were added to the reverse. And finally, my favorite, it's an exceptionally rare one-of-a-kind discovery piece. (Not holding my breath on that one.) But, it's got free shipping, a 14 day return privilege and the seller handles lots and lots of U.S. coins and has 100% positive feedback. If nothing else it will keep me scratching my head a bit and giving me a some excitment for a few days until it arrives and I see exactly what is going on. Paul Bulgerin
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Moderator
 United States
14463 Posts |
never mind misread this post.
I would suspect he mixed up the photos
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4618 Posts |
Quote:It's a trick coin, like a Magician's coin that attached an 1858 obverse with an 1853 reverse. (You can't really see the edges.) Wow! I think you're right. It is a fake or "trick" coin. Looking at the reverse rim you can see areas where the coin has a small seam that rums around about 70% of the circumference. It also looks as if someone tried to fill the seam and file it flat most of the way around. Here's a cut from the original photo in the listing. I sharpened the photo to bring out the possible seam where the 1858 obverse might have been hollowed out and the 1853 reverse dropped in.  The original photos are still in the listing. The color of the metal does not match all the way around the rim either. The obverse and reverse photos look to have been made at the same time. The gloves the seller is wearing look to have the same stains and small pulls in the cotton. It could be photos from two different coins, but it looks like a coin that's been joined. The listing says that "Bidding has ended on this item." but not that it sold. Has the transaction been cancelled? Ben ANA ID: 3203813 - CONECA ID: N-5637 Clean a coin that may be worth collecting? Please DON'T! When in doubt, leave it dirty!! 
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Pillar of the Community
United States
9792 Posts |
I believe it's been seamed and filled with another coin on the reverse, like a Magicians coin too. I am seeing tooling on the rim around 3:00-5:00 that looked like a grinder was used. The seam is strange. At first I thought maybe the 8 was tooled from a 3 but after studying it I'm not so sure on that. Very interesting coin to say the least, looking forward to your report on it.  "Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin" - Aaron R. Feldman - "And read it" - Me 2013! ANA Life Member #3288 in good standing since 1981, ANS, Early American Coppers Member (EAC), Colonial Coin Collectors Club member (C4), Conder Token Collector Club member (CTCC), Civil War Token Society (CWTS) member, Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) & Numismatic Bibliomania Society member (NBS), USMex, Member in good standing, 2¢ variety collector. See my want page: http://goccf.com/t/140440 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3098 Posts |
No, the transaction wasn't cancelled. The coin has been mailed. I'm starting to agree with Yokozuna and Westcoin that this is most likely a Magician's coin. It will be interesting to examine it in hand, weigh it and see what's what. If I do end up returning it I'm only out return postage, so it should end up being an enjoyable and interesting enterprise. Paul Bulgerin
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Rest in Peace
United States
1380 Posts |
For that price, I would definitely keep it as an example of an older Magicians coin. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3098 Posts |
Never having had one, can they be opened, or are the two halves attached permanently?
Paul Bulgerin
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
It varies. Some are intended to be opened and some aren't.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
OR half of it was made in 1853 and the other half made in 1858. At the Mint they started it, put it aside, found it much later and finished it.  OR two coins in someone's pocket so long they just fused together. Seller got photos mixed up. Seller is having fun with people. One of the first Magician's coinsWhat ever, when you get it let us know. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1247 Posts |
Perhaps there was a small time warp at the mint when it was being made? Like the Philadelphia experiment.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3098 Posts |
The coin arrived today and it turns out option #1 was correct. The seller mixed up his photos. It turned out to be an ordinary 1858. So, no Magician's coin. It's going back in the mail tomorrow. Paul Bulgerin
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3098 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
We have a saying in my line of work. "When you hear hoofbeats, it's probably not zebras."
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2757 Posts |
uhhh, what line of work is that? Obviously not with zebras ...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1536 Posts |
That is what I thought too. I thought the seller mixed up the photos. I would have asked him that.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3098 Posts |
I normally would have, too, but I came across the auction only a few minutes before it ended.
Paul Bulgerin
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Replies: 15 / Views: 2,365 |
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Posted 06/26/2014 03:24 am
