1890-S Barber Half Dollar

I would bet it's a Chinese copy or a replica of some sort. Pics always help, and I'm sure someone here could verify.

If the date is clearly an 1890 and there is no possibility that the date is actually a worn or damaged 1898 or something, there is no chance it would be authentic.

It weighs 12.5 grams

Gdlovgren, could you provide a photo?

Given that weight then, my best guess is an altered date. This oldtimer has seen some amazing coin alterations in my day, precision work. Those micro-O Morgan "dollars" that were made outside the mint even stumped PCGS for years. If you're convinced it has a good chance of being genuine, why not submit it for certification? I'd say that your odds may be better than hitting the lottery! If you're reluctant to send it in, visit one of the larger coin shows and show it to some of the experts. Good luck!

Thanks for the pics! It sure is a neat item that, to my eye, doesn't resemble a Chinese counterfeit.

Zooming in on the date to 400%, the numerals don't look right to me. The 8's on other 1890's era Barbers tend to be less thick at the top and bottom, and the sides of the 8's tend to swell. On your 1890, the thickness of the numbers looks unnaturally uniform to my eye. Also, look at the letters in the legend, IN GOD WE TRUST. Your coin is VF-XF, yet the lettering likewise lacks uniform appearance to those on a Barber Half I now hold in my hand. In particular, look at the O in God. I'm now suspecting it could be a diecast copy?

I checked my Breen book, and he notes that it wasn't until Sept. 26, 1890 that a change in the design was authorized. He goes on to state that letters were sent to sculptors, inviting design submissions. Breen did note that a few 1891 Barber Half pattern coins exist. It seems quite unlikely, given this scenario, that the San Francisco Mint would have produced an 1890 Barber half.

Sorry I believe it is a fake, just one of the 'better' ones. The lettering is all subtly wrong, not just the date. The color also has a look that I have seen on fakes. I collect the series heavily so those who haven't seen 100's of these coins might not notice I guess. Try dropping it gently on a harder surface...if you get a 'thud', its not silver.

However, I also don't think its a chinese counterfeit, looks contemporary (made in the old days).