The subject of coin weights and how to weigh them has come up several times in recent months. The weight of a coin will determine if it is a counterfeit or not, usually definitively unless the original specifications aren't known. The coin's weight may also determine variety and/or condition. A serious collector should have an accurate measure or scale if, for no other reason than to add a bit of professionalism and detail in auctions or sales, but it is not necessary to spend a lot of bucks on an electronic digital coin measure or scale. Instead, go to the nearest gun shop and buy a cartridge reloading powder measure. Or go to (where else?)
ebay:
Powder Measures On eBay or
Powder Scales On eBay Make certain the powder measure has a broad enough range for most coins, i.e., up to 500 grains.
Since original US Mint (I'm not certain about non-US coins) coin weight specifications are given in grains and most gram scales do not have the fineness to be as accurate nor specific, powder measures in grains are more suitable and inherently more accurate than other scales.
Powder scales or measures (there's a technical difference, but academic for this discussion) are mechanical or electronic/digital. They can be very expensive or relatively inexpensive. On
ebay, there's some digital scales as low as ten bucks. I use an old RCBS 5-10 balance beam scale which cost $30 in 1980, still works well and accurately down to a tenth of a grain, and doesn't have electronics nor batteries to burn nor wear out. The same scale now sells new for $60 at retail, but can be obtained for less on
ebay. I personally prefer mechanical measure/scales because they are more rugged and less prone to damage during my travels. YMMV. Additional note: many modern general purpose digital scales will present weights in grams, grains, or ounces, selective.
I have often considered a small study to determine the condition of
Morgan silver dollars by weight. A Mint State silver dollar of any vintage up to 1971 (clad and <90% silver not included) fresh off the press will weigh, by Congressional dictum 412.5 grains**. An 1879-CC Morgan I have which grades at G-06 weighs 398.2 grains, so there's plently of room for weights of grades in between. I just haven't followed up with this notion. BTW, a counterfeit Morgan I have weighs 380 grains, a very definitive difference from an authentic Morgan.
For your reading pleasure and critical comments,
Fred
**
Some room for interpretation here with the Coinage (or Mint) Act of 1792 and Act of January 18, 1837 together with the relatively crude means for stamping coins in the late 1700s and early 1800s resulting in varying weight from coin to coin, but this discussion is best left for a separate topic.
Posted 07/27/2006 10:55 pm
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