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Replies: 19 / Views: 3,227 |
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Moderator
 United States
16677 Posts |
Purchased this year's ago from a gentleman who found it detecting in Virginia. He believed it was a CSA counterfeit as some did make these. The obverse, of unknown metal, is obliterated but the reverse you can make out United States of America and the eagle and clutched arrows pretty good. There are still areas of original gold plate.   swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2373 Posts |
First for me and I live in VA. Thanks for sharing. nlp
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Moderator
  United States
16677 Posts |
Sure Noel!
Wish I knew more about it but that's the info I have.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
You sure, v? Looks more like a quarter dollar reverse than a quarter eagle. Capped Bust?
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Moderator
  United States
16677 Posts |
Almost certain. Same size as $2.50 too. + the gold plate in spots.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Moderator
  United States
16677 Posts |
I'm going to get a clearer picture of the reverse. This was taken under white LED. I'll try my warm LED.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
Don't know a lot about 19th century gold, but did any antebellum quarter eagle's reverse not have the words of the legend separated by the eagle's wings? Or maybe it's just the quality of Confederate counterfeiting. Was it bad enough to lose them the war?
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Valued Member
260 Posts |
The front looks like a round cake of dirt with cracks.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4809 Posts |
I love posts/threads like these and the discussions that are raised. Good stuff! Thanks to everyone!
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Moderator
  United States
16677 Posts |
Quote: The front looks like a round cake of dirt with cracks Why yes, yes it does. Thanks Rackster! I need to get a better pic tonight of the reverse. It is a fairly light metal..possibly tin. I would love to do a metallurgical analysis of it to know for sure :-)
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
I believe it's a game counter.
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Moderator
  United States
16677 Posts |
If it's a "game counter", then why bother to put an eagle similar to that of a period quarter eagle Coin on its reverse with United States of America plus gold plating? Anyone who knows about the US Civil war will concede that the South were much more poor than the North. So how did they do this? Asking your opinion.
Like I said. Same size as $2.50 Just can't tell if it says denomination.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4809 Posts |
Is a game counter a specific type of counterfeit or is it just that - a token for a game to keep score? Would seem elaborate to make such a counter if just for gaming.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
Huge numbers of gaming tokens imitating real gold coins were produced in the late 19th century. Made the game a little more exciting, I imagine. This was mainly a European fad, with the token-makers largely based in Birmingham, England and Nuremberg, Germany. To avoid any possible accusation of counterfeiting, they would imitate obsolete coinage, like the "spade guinea" of George III, and substitute their own legends. Or copy foreign gold, like the brass South African Kruger pound token found on a Scottish beach that was lately posted in the Unidentified forum. Seems some counters mimicking US quarter eagles were made in Nuremberg, but can't find one with a reverse like this one.
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Moderator
  United States
16677 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
That is a counterfeit $10, but no way to know if it was made in the north or the south.
And game counters were commonly made with designs similar to those of US gold coins. Frankly the coin in the OP is only somewhat similar to the real coin, there are significant differences. That is why I say game counter.
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Replies: 19 / Views: 3,227 |