Posted 02/03/2011 1:09 pm
The only way to know what you have are to see actual photos of the coin in question.
Based on the comments you made
The coin is from Mexico City (the M will have a small o above it.) If the small o is not there it is a counterfeit and probably worth more than a common original. The assayer initials MF are correct for 1845 at the Mexico City mint. There were 14 mints that operated at various times in Mexico and all of them that were in operation in 1845 produced significantly different looking coins. The dies were mostly hand punched at that time so variation is the norm.
Add to that the fact that you said it had been made into a pendant - and you clearly have the possibility of a circulating counterfeit version as well. Counterfeits were often "drill cancelled" by adding a hole. This effectively stopped coins from circulating because the hole removed silver. The hole served also as a way to string counterfeits together for use on a teller line so that known forgeries would not be accepted at banks. That practice was still in place in Massachusetts until the aearly 1900s.
So please post a photograph and I am sure we can identify what you have and it's value. Right now I would say it could run from a low of $15 (for a common non-silver fake) to a high of $200 depending on what it actually is.
Based on the comments you made
Quote:
"*8R.M,1845.M.F.10D.20G" and "LIBEREAD"
"*8R.M,1845.M.F.10D.20G" and "LIBEREAD"
The coin is from Mexico City (the M will have a small o above it.) If the small o is not there it is a counterfeit and probably worth more than a common original. The assayer initials MF are correct for 1845 at the Mexico City mint. There were 14 mints that operated at various times in Mexico and all of them that were in operation in 1845 produced significantly different looking coins. The dies were mostly hand punched at that time so variation is the norm.
Add to that the fact that you said it had been made into a pendant - and you clearly have the possibility of a circulating counterfeit version as well. Counterfeits were often "drill cancelled" by adding a hole. This effectively stopped coins from circulating because the hole removed silver. The hole served also as a way to string counterfeits together for use on a teller line so that known forgeries would not be accepted at banks. That practice was still in place in Massachusetts until the aearly 1900s.
So please post a photograph and I am sure we can identify what you have and it's value. Right now I would say it could run from a low of $15 (for a common non-silver fake) to a high of $200 depending on what it actually is.
