| Author |
 Replies: 10 / Views: 4,545 |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
3098 Posts |
A week or so ago I posted a question about an 1833 Capped Bust half dollar I'd purchased. Here's that link: https://goccf.com/t/229326I examined the edge lettering today and it appears to read FIFTY (vertical line) CENTS (vertical line) O LF (vertical line) A DOLLAR (vertical line and Star) It should read FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR Is this a sign it's a fake or is this a known edge inscription? The coin weighs 13.38 grams on my scale, but I know my scale is a bit off on the light side, so it should be close to the 13.48 of an authentic coin. I still have time on my 14 day return privilege if it is a fake. I'm looking for some guidance on this. Thanks! Paul Bulgerin
|
|
|
|
Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
All sorts of oddness - overlapping, missing letters - is known for the edge lettering on these. I would not consider that a red flag.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1748 Posts |
The vertical lines are correct and sometimes a run through the Castaing machine would not get all the lettering onto the edge., Paul. However, I have a contemporary counterfeit where the edge lettering could fool anyone. So that is not a good method of authentication. The coin can be truly authenticated by finding the Overton die marriage of it. Good pictures may help determine it.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
3098 Posts |
I did post some photos I took on original posting.
Paul Bulgerin
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
589 Posts |
Quote:
O-106, I think, and a good VF. I'm leery of the surfaces myself - they look too homogeneous for a coin of that age. Not really worried about authenticity, though - the missing edge details are a function of a very late die state, also evidenced by the stars drawing to the rim.
 with the O-106 in very late die state. Quote:
FIFTY (vertical line) CENTS (vertical line) O LF (vertical line) A DOLLAR (vertical line and Star I have a raw one that has the same writing. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3098 Posts |
Thanks! That makes me feel a lot better.
Paul Bulgerin
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
8904 Posts |
Edited by Moe145
05/20/2015 09:06 am
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3098 Posts |
That's exactly what it looks like! The edge reeding on my coin is pretty non-existent, if there at all.
Paul Bulgerin
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
the missing edge details are a function of a very late die state, also evidenced by the stars drawing to the rim. The edge lettering has nothing to do with the state of the obv/rev dies early or late. (How could it, the edge was lettered before the coins were struck. By the time it meets up with the dies, early or late state, the edge has already been "set".) The Castaining machine lettered the edge using two separate edge dies that the planchet was rolled between. One said FIFTY CENTS OR, and the other said HALF A DOLLAR. If the machine was not drawn all the way back t the starting point you could get an over lap of the lettering. Draw it too far back and you might lose a few letters. Draw it back before released the planchet and you get a partial or a fully doubled inscription. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
OK, so now I'm instantly hooked on edge lettered coins, and have to have one.  Those edges look seriously cool.  |
|
Moderator
United States
188770 Posts |
I have one, but being in my 7070 prevents me from seeing the edge.  |
| |
Replies: 10 / Views: 4,545 |
|
Posted 05/19/2015 10:42 pm
