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 Replies: 10 / Views: 1,997 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
Hi everyone!  Here's an update on the 1858 Half Dime I found at a friend's shop that's apparently missing the reeding on the edge.  First a few specs on the coin:Weight: 1.17gr (scale accuracy +/- .03gr) Normal: around 1.2gr Diameter: 15.3mm, Normal: 15.5mm So we're wondering if the small difference in weight and size can account for the missing reeding. Despite some damage on the corners of the coin (see pic below), I could not find any signs of abrasion or reeding traces under my scopes under various lighting angles. There is even toning consistent to other areas of the coin. In fact, one interesting detail are many raised bumps along the surface of the rim, as pointed out below. If the reading were ground off, would bumps like that remain--and were those gouges in the collar? The pic shows some damage to the coin edges, causing that raised lip. Instead of reeding, there are several raised marks:  Here's the obverse/reverse of this coin showing the damage around the rim, such as the mushy denticles and wire rim. It almost looks like the coin was put in some kind of holder--but would that erase all the reading? Any ideas?  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
I just looked at a G4 1854 1/2 dime that I own and the reeding is weak but plainly identifiable. It is possible that the rim was filed down and then the coin circulated for a number of years, thus smoothing out any abrasion marks but still have contact marks from circulation. It is just a guess and I really don't know why someone would file an 1858- the silver specs were lowered in 1853 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5318 Posts |
Hmmm...looking closer under the scope, there's definitely something going on.
To my eyes, that raised edge is a slightly different color than the metal between.
There's something off about the metal, as if it's lifting off from the surface.
At this point, I suspect the coin rim was flattened a little and silver solder was worked
into the rim with the raised lip acting as a boundary.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
860 Posts |
Kurt, The weight being within the accuracy of the expected, and the diameter being that much less, along with the raised edge would lead me to believe that the coin was compressed rotationally similar to "dryer" coins today. ( Yes I realize it is out of time zone  ). Jim |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
Jim, Yes--I considered whether the coin was "spooned", but actually there's something far more interesting at work here (imo) Somehow, a careful person has done some tricky metal pushing to raise a wire rim--that part could be "spooning". Then, the raised edge was worked outward into a boundary to hold silver solder and cover the reeding--for reasons unknown. Under a scope, it's obvious now this material was fluid because there are signs of working it around and embedded material sticking from the surface. I'd draw a diagram, but too much to do right now. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1807 Posts |
Silver soldering requires a whole lot of heat, any signs of such heat?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
No, not the usual discoloration--yet based on what I saw under the scope, that seems to be the most obvious explanation.
The clincher are the details on the rim. Check out the first edge shot in the pic and that metal chunk jutting from the rim.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
860 Posts |
Sounds like it was being "manufactured" to fit some jewelry holder. Some silver solders are "extra soft"
which requires much less heat than the "hard" silver solders, but still difficult to avoid damage when such
a large area.
Jim
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2443 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
I don't know enough to tell either way, but if it's counterfeit I don't know why they would work up that rim--just make it that way. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2443 Posts |
Maybe someone got lazy? They figured that no one would notice? You should see some of the contemporary counterfeits...they don't even look much like the coin.
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Replies: 10 / Views: 1,997 |
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Posted 12/10/2008 10:32 pm
