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 Replies: 16 / Views: 3,408 |
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New Member
49 Posts |
I came across this lot at an estate sale. There were 20 - 21 coins, mostly what there appeared to be civil war tokens. However, there was what looked like a 1793 wreath large cent AG-G flat rubbed but with a design, date and with brighter orange toning, a 1796 Half Cent ~fine (nice), a fair flowing hair large cent with no date, and a coronet large cent. Maybe there was another Half Cent in there, I'm not sure. The seller tried to make me negotiate against myself so I walked - wouldn't give me an asking price and kept pumping me for info. Coppers aren't my thing so I ask the group - Are they real? I'm not sure with all the fakes out there. Also, what are the other coins? None were colonials or anything. What do you think? And what would you offer for the lot?   |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12057 Posts |
I would be highly suspicious of the 1793 and 1796 in particular as they are way out of place with the other coins. The rest appears to be an odd mishmash of Civil War tokens, Conder tokens, British copper issues, and hard times tokens. The 1793 and 1796 stick out like sore thumbs in this group because almost all of the other pieces are extremely low value items. Also, the no-date piece is a Draped Bust, not a Flowing Hair.
Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis Edited by paralyse
03/16/2018 9:14 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
Yea, if you aren't sure of what you're buying, it's best to pass, unless they're giving it away.
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Moderator
 United States
34402 Posts |
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3479 Posts |
How much was he asking for them? I agree that it looks suspicious but we've had a few members find some coins in similar lots over the last year that made me fall out of my chair. So anything is possible.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
Chances are you weren't the first one to come along. He's fishing for the best price offered. Somebody else already offered too much. Drives me nuts when somebody won't give you a price and asks for an offer. When that happens, I just point out how worn bent up and corroded the lot is if I'm being used for a free appraisal. I wouldn't mention the large and Half Cents, wouldn't even pick them up. They may be real and they may be fakes. A closer look would be necessary. I wouldn't show any interest because that would raise the price some more. There are about 4 or 5 easily marketable Hard Times Tokens there by what one side shows. This isn't a coin shop sale. Tell him that there are plenty of other coins out there for sale and we aren't taping for next seasons American Picker's show. |
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New Member
 49 Posts |
Funny - he said to me "This is American Pickers and you are the expert."
I played it exactly like TNG and Mike F did - thumbed through it, said "there are a lot of fakes out there" and "most of these are tokens" and made two low ball offers.
I wasn't going to get burned by someone watching too much junking shows who found some old fakes and passed them off as real. I did ask myself, "he could have gone down to a local coin shop less than 1 mile away to check them out before going down the road with me. Why am I the recipient of such generosity if they're real?"
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12477 Posts |
I think you made the right decision in walking on that lot. I also hate it when the seller will not give some sort of asking price to work with. I don't know enough about those to have been able to come up with a reasonable offer, but I could have lowballed the heck out of it.  In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
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Valued Member
United States
373 Posts |
The 1796 Half Cent does not look right at all. |
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Valued Member
United States
179 Posts |
The 1793 and 1796 are both 100% fakes for sure.
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New Member
49 Posts |
Really - What are the characteristics that set it off? My gut told me to stay away and you verified that. Just saved me at least $100 and a lot of second guessing!
Thanks.
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New Member
49 Posts |
I conferred with an expert on US coppers and from the pictures he said the 1793 large cent was probably an electrotype and the 1796 Half Cent was probably fake since it had the 1794 head - which it shouldn't; a 1796 should have a 1795 head. |
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Moderator
United States
34402 Posts |
Glad to see that you have followed up with us!
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
I musta been cranky that night I posted on 3/16. Tonight I probably would think that, but probably not post it. LOL Anyway, I am thinking about the tray in the picture tonight. I think the guy is probably a collector, having a coin tray like that to display them and these are his culls, castaways or problem coins. Tonight I would have asked him to show me some of his good coins, and then walked away.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12477 Posts |
Quote:
I think the guy is probably a collector, having a coin tray like that to display them and these are his culls, castaways or problem coins. You're probably right. I questioned the tray, as well. There were just too many negatives, or red flags, to the situation to make a deal. In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
from the pictures he said the 1793 large cent was probably an electrotype A good contemporary electrotype can be worth $300 or so. |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 3,408 |
Posted 03/16/2018 9:22 pm
