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 Replies: 17 / Views: 2,767 |
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New Member
United States
3 Posts |
I just bought a really nice looking Oregon Trail commemorative half on-line. After receiving the coin I realized that the coin was backwards in the holder from what I would expect. That is, looking at the front of the holder, the wagon is displayed, not the Indian. Is the wagon or the Indian considered the obverse? Would ANACS have encapsulated the coin like that or has the coin and holder been tampered with?  |
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
 . Did you check the serial number for authenticity on the ANACS web site before buying? John1  |
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
21583 Posts |
The original owner can request that the coin be inserted with the reverse facing the front if they want.
It is a nice looking Coin.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Sure looks nice to me as well. Can you show us the other side? to the CCF! |
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New Member
 United States
3 Posts |
Thanks for the responses. I just resumed collecting after many years of inactivity. I didn't know that ANACS had a verification site but looked at it after your recommendations. I don't know that it answered any question except to verify that a coin was graded. Here's the other side.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1316 Posts |
I have asked ANACS that some of my Buffalo nickels be slabbed with the buffalo as the obverse (toning, variety, etc making the buffalo side the more interesting and valuable), and they been happy to do as requested. I have a few that were slabbed prior to my ownership that I have placed in my binders upside down because the buffalo side is better, and they look wonky with the slab now backwards. Its a tough dilemma to be in, and maybe with my next submission I will have them reholder as I prefer the display to be. |
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
United States
12250 Posts |
Technically speaking, ANACS inserted the coin correctly as the official US Mint position is that the Conestoga Wagon side (with the date) is the obverse side of the coin and that the Native American side is the reverse. This flies in the face of modern convention/collector preference, but it is technically correct. You can read more about it here: - Obverse or Reverse?More of my posts about the Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar (and other commemorative coins and medals) can be found here: Commems Collection. Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
Edited by commems
02/12/2022 12:02 pm
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New Member
United States
3 Posts |
commems - thank you so much for that explanation and link. Very interesting and it puts my mind to ease. Now I'll have to fight the temptation to have the coin re-slabbed. LOL!
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Moderator
United States
94636 Posts |
yep, as Commems has stated the wagon side is the obverse. I had just recently bought one myself and had to look up which was which myself...
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12804 Posts |
@taherte, that's a great-looking coin. Lots of luster.  to CCF! |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19109 Posts |
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Moderator
United States
15384 Posts |
Thats a very nice looking example.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
697 Posts |
While you now have the correct answer, I'll point out that for this coin in a MS64 slab, it's extremely unlikely to have been intentionally tampered with, due to the value of around $200 or so. If an unscrupulous character were to try to play games, I believe they'd do it by using a slab with a higher grade (like MS67), and then using a MS64 or 65 coin to put inside.
Do I think like a crook, lol?
Steve
A day without fine wine and working on your coin collection is like a day without sunshine! My collecting "Pride & Joy" is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set: https://www.PCGS.com/setregistry/ty...edset/213996 |
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Moderator
United States
187469 Posts |
to the Community! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5177 Posts |
How often is this coin slabbed with the wagon facing the front of the slab? Is there a way to search for it, apart from looking through thousands of photographs?
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Valued Member
United States
357 Posts |
taherte, in the future, make sure you verify the coin on their site before buying, just in case there is an immediate red flag right away. Also, this is a very nice half you have. Well done.
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Replies: 17 / Views: 2,767 |
Posted 02/12/2022 10:06 am
