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Replies: 16 / Views: 1,529 |
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
Hello all, I haven't bought this yet because the dealer I buy from hasn't bought it yet. It weighs right, pings right, and diameter is right. He has a few other commemorative halves... Thoughts on this one in particular would be appreciated. R.  *** Moved by Staff moved to a more appropriate forum. ***Edited by Roma2021 04/09/2024 12:40 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
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Moderator
 United States
15392 Posts |
I don't see any obvious authenticity issues. Appears to be lightly circulated and I say the obverse scratches are significant enough to detail the coin.
The Cincinnati half was minted in one year (1936) but at all 3 US Mints. This coin is from Philadelphia.
Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
5393 Posts |
There are deadly silver counterfeit examples of this issue out there. This is a coin I would NEVER purchase raw! Extremely hard pass !
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Pillar of the Community
 Italy
1130 Posts |
@pacificoin I had a bad feeling about this coin in hand. I can't describe it but it felt off.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Please do your best to explain why.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
5393 Posts |
Go to PCGS or NGC website and do a comparison. The OP coin lacks details and looks off .
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Pillar of the Community
 Italy
1130 Posts |
@coinfrog, I've handed about a dozen commemorative halves so my experience is very limited. The dealer had three others - the two below and I believe a stone mountain . A few points or observations 1) The Cincinnati coin felt very weakly struck and the reeding was weaker. The metal, although weight and diameter, didn't feel dense enough (a description but hardly a descriptive one). The Cincinnati coin felt shallow. Less purposefully struck. 2) Before weighing and pining, the dealer said it felt off to him too so maybe that biased me. Or this Cincinnati is just a weakly struck example. 3) all four commemoratives he had had significant wear for commemoratives. This seemed off too. Any 64 KHD feels more solidly stuck and less soft in hand than this coin. But again, I haven't handled these and maybe the strike was weak and the seller (not present and the dealer hadn't bought them yet) happen to have four circulated commemoratives? Or these are well done counterfeits with circulation used to hide details? 4) there's a major coin dealer in Rome. Moruzzi numismatics. He deals in higher end coins and provides paperwork etc for ancients. These were offered to a semi numismatic - mostly bullion dealer by the train station that sells me silver at melt. These coins are a little out of his wheelhouse and a great place to toss a few better counterfeits? Moruzzi would pay well and charge above retail. This shop sells below retail, cash and carry, etc. In fairness, the dealer is 83 and he's been spot on in every transaction I've had with him.    
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Pillar of the Community
 Italy
1130 Posts |
@pacificoin, I find PCGS and NGC helpful to a degree but an MS 64 is often difficult to use as a point of comparison to something in the VF or details range. At least for me it is.
Edited by Roma2021 04/09/2024 5:19 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
@Roma - Thanks for your analysis. The Cincy looks good to me, but understand your concern.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4588 Posts |
Isn't this the bad joke of commems? https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin...cinnati/9283Quote: David Hall: The 1936 Cincinnati commemorative half dollars were struck in very limited quanties at all three Mints. A little over 5,000 coins were distributed for the 1936, 1936-D and 1936-S Cincinattis. This commemorative was a totally contrived issue. It was supposed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Cincinnati as "a center of music, and its contribution to the art of music for the past 50 years." It featured the obverse bust of Stephen Foster. The only problem was that no one outside of the few promoters of the Cincinnati halves viewed Cincinnati as a music center in the United States and Stephen Foster spent only a very short time in the city and didn't write any of his famous songs there. Nonetheless, the Cincinnatis were struck and offered at $7.75 for the three coin set. But very few sets were sold to the public as most of the original mintage went to a small group of insiders. The value of the Cincinnati set almost immemdiately went to $40 to $50, netting the original conspirators a nice profit. By 1939/1940 they were back down to $15.
-----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/
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Pillar of the Community
 Italy
1130 Posts |
Apparently, depressions in the hairline indicate a counterfeit. When I am back at this shop on Friday I'll take a closer look.
I know it's one coin per thread, but do the others look ok? One suspect coins puts me off a bit.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Seriously awaiting your reply.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5604 Posts |
My 2 Cents. The Op's Posted Pictures are Not like Any other Commemoratives I Have Seen, ........ These, " Commemoratives " are All Off in Color and Stale Dull Lifeless Coloring, Buyer Beware..... Just My Opinions...... 
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2125 Posts |
The rims look off to me. Flat in some areas, the reeding bleeding into the coin itself.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
5393 Posts |
They are all counterfeit!
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Replies: 16 / Views: 1,529 |