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 Replies: 15 / Views: 1,400 |
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Valued Member
United States
92 Posts |
I recently won a raw 3 legger on an ebay auction. After I received it in the mail I was bummed to find that, under 30x magnification, it appeared that the leg had been expertly removed. There seemed to be a low spot where the leg was supposed to be and this low spot extended towards the beard. However, all the other landmarks appeared to be in order - bad looking hind leg, bubbles below the belly, beard longer on one side, rough patches on the obverse, etc. The seller graciously extended his return privilege to allow me to have it graded. ANACS then authenticated it for me as GENUINE!. Question: What would cause that low spot where the leg is supposed to be? Wouldn't a low spot on the coin imply a raised area on the die, and isn't that just the opposite of what occurred back in 1937? |
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Valued Member
United States
191 Posts |
I am no way near an expert. I can say that nobody is perfect. There is a small chance that something fishy could have gotten by a TPG. Even a better one such as anacs. |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
1077 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2540 Posts |
Very unusual description, and I agree, a low point would be raised on the die.
Hmmmm...
Gotta think.
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Valued Member
 United States
92 Posts |
Here's the best I can do. It shows up better in your hand than it does in this photo. Try to imagine someone "scooping out" the leg and scooping it in the direction of the beard. I can see it in this photo but I know what I'm looking for. Not sure anyone else will see it.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
92 Posts |
I'll try to put up a "whole reverse" photo when I get home tonight. I say TRY because I don't have the little green camera icon to help me upload files. Don't know why. I struggle with HTML!
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New Member
United States
31 Posts |
I'm no expert either, but could the cause be a planchet flaw?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
860 Posts |
I have a couple on hand and yours does look very real from the photos. The lines you mention are sometimes present, I guess determined by the die stage. I believe that the portion of the reverse die that impressed deepest was that area that was around the missing leg, with the leg being slightly incluse to that high point. If the edges around the missing leg were damage, grinding that down to the inclused leg, would eliminate the damage and the leg.If the grinding wasn't perfecty flat, but rather rounded at the edges, it would leave the depression. The "correction" left marks and often fool collectors and dealers who haven't seen many, and leave a good deal for those who have studied them. That is why TPGs are recommended and why many dealers would rather sell raw than submit. You were very lucky to find a dealer who gave you the time to submit. You should mention his name as they seem very ethical in my opinion.
Jim
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
From what I see it looks genuine.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
860 Posts |
ZoomBuff, I recopied your photo here and added mine below it for easy comparison.My photo is of 2 different 3-Leg, notice that the one on the right has the characteristics you described about marks towards the beard, while the one on the left has lesser marks, but one area that is hard to forge is the top of the hoof where the arrows are. I have seen fakes and none of them had the little "bumps" on the hoof where the missing leg would be. I don't know if it is true for all fakes or not. Jim  |
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Valued Member
United States
92 Posts |
desertgem - Thanks! At this point, I'm no longer doubting that it's genuine. ANACS said it was genuine and that's good enough for me. Heck - that's GOOD for me. I'm just a little confused about why the area (on MY coin) seems to be hollowed out and lower than the field area around it. When the mint worker polished away the leg he was actually creating a bit of a low spot or "valley" on the die. The reverse of that, what you should see on the coin, is a high spot or "hill". My coin seems to have a bit of a low spot there and that is what I'm trying to understand.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2540 Posts |
I don't see any problem with the piece.
The diagnostics seem to be there.
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Valued Member
United States
92 Posts |
wheezydog - here is the full photo I said I would post.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
Like they said, has everything, and clearly E PLURIBUS UNUM does not touch the back so I say you have a real 3 legger. Nice aquisition!
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Way, way back when I was a kid and Buffalo nickels were the Nickel of the day, us kids used to delete a leg with an eraser. Some kids were really good at it. Of course many other legs were deleted as well as the one that was supposed to be the one. Then all went back into circulation. Possibly after all these years it would be difficult to really tell the difference. Yours does look real though. |
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Replies: 15 / Views: 1,400 |
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Posted 10/22/2008 3:35 pm
