Just Bob

On 7/18/2018 at 2:15 PM, Capone1929 said:

If you don't mind me asking, no numbers needed, but did it set you back much?

I don't mind, especially since I got it for what I consider to be a good price.

First, a little clarification: It is a Merchant Token, which predates the Civil War (I'm from Mississippi, so I cringe to call it that). It is actually the only Merchant Token from Mississippi in Russel Rulau's token book. This token was struck in several different metals, and it is hard to tell from those pictures, but  this one appears to be a Miller 3, which is copper, or maybe a Miller 4, which is brass. If it is copper, it does not look like it has original surfaces, but since I have not seen an M3 for sale since I have been collecting them, I was willing to give it a shot. I have an M4 in AU that I bought years ago for around $100, and, even though those don't come up for sale all that often, right now, there are two for sale on Ebay . One looks AU, and is $150 plus $16.50 shipping , and the other is an NGC MS63, for $300.

So, having said all of that, I got this one for $50, including shipping.

Won this one last night. These were from the 1850s. Seller's pics:

I hope you will post pictures of some of the others.

4 hours ago, Coinaholic said:

Thank you!  And yes, I bought the coin from Heritage.  This was, by far, the most I've ever paid for a single coin.  But I've been squirreling away money a little at a time for over a decade for just this kind of purchase.  This is NOT my typical purchase level... not even close!

Looks like Heritage's pictures were a bit juiced compared to yours, but it is a great looking coin, and a scarce one, as well. I think you made a great buy. Is this part of a Barber set?

34 minutes ago, Coinaholic said:

Here's my most recent purchase:

 

That is an impressive first post. Did you pick that up at a recent auction?

Do you have a link to a particular coin? If it is a US coin, and it is from China, there is very little possibility that it is genuine.

Aliexpress

This is a website designed to allow people in China to set up businesses to drop ship Chinese goods all over the world. That includes Chinese-made counterfeit coins. It is the retail arm of Alibaba, a BTB site. There are NO real US coins on this website.

DHGate

This is another Chinese site that is similar to the one above. It also DOES NOT have legitimate coins.

Please feel free to add any and all known counterfeiters.

At the suggestion of Mr. Lange, I have decided to start a thread listing known websites and individuals who sell counterfeit coins. This is done so that future readers of this forum will have advance warning about this problem. Please add any site or seller that you know to be selling fake coins.

I will start with these three:

Etsy.

While I am sure that there are legitimate coin sellers on this site, it seems that most of the coins I have seen are fakes. '43 copper cents, 44 steel cents, and others are plentiful. To quote from another post:

And now you have your verification.

Welcome to the forum. Since there are only 4 known examples of that pattern in white metal, I would bet yours is a copy.

9 hours ago, KarenHolcomb said:

 You see, while I've only been looking at coins for a few months, I have yet to come across a single error. Not one. Even when I thought I had they turned out to be different varieties. While everyone around me is posting, posting, posting all their wonderful coins,  I have squat.

Not true.

Well, maybe.

Mr Lange posted this about your '43 Lincoln:

"The raised line on the reverse of your cent is a die-clash impression. The outline of Lincoln's profile was transferred to the reverse die when the two dies came together without a planchet between them."

While some classify a clashed die as a variety, Fred Weinberg considered them errors in his Error Coin Encyclopedia. In 2010, he had this to say:

"Of course Die Clashes are errors;

We've had this discussion a million times
before.

The term "error coin" can, and has, cover
both mechanical errors and die varieties.

Then,more recently, the term is broken down to:

Mechanical Errors - double strikes, off centers,
off metals, clips, clad layer
missing, and yes, die clashes

Die Varieties - VAMS, RPMs, Doubled Dies, etc.

Die Clashes are the result of a Mechanical Error -
there was a mis-feed of the planchets being fed
into the striking chamber and collar; the dies clashed
together due to than mechanical failure; the coins
struck from those dies are the result of this mechanical
error malfunction.

Yes, die clashes are on the dies - but what caused that
to occur? A Mechanical Error/Malfunction.

That's just my opinion, of course"

PCGS has labeled Franklin Half dollars with the "Bugs Bunny" die clash as errors.

Lincolncentsonline calls them errors.

The article differentiating between variety and error on our hosts' site, HERE,

does not specifically mention die clashes, but does reference die errors.

Error-ref lists die clashes under die errors.

It maybe said, however,  that a die error is just that: an error on the die, and that coins struck from that die are considered varieties.

So, you see, there are differences of opinion, even among experts,(and so-called experts), as to what your coin is - error or variety. I am not posting this to cause confusion, but to encourage you and to let you know that you have indeed found something of interest, and you shouldn't give up. I have never found a die clash in circulation, and I'm sure many other members here would say the same.

Good luck to you and your daughter.

Although it appears quite impressive, it looks like machine damage doubling to me. A clearer picture might suggest otherwise, but my money is on it not being a doubled die.

Actually, those are 1982 cents, not 1983.

4 hours ago, Abuelo's Collection said:

@Just Bob this is VF35, so either is the XF, a very very very bold fine, or a third one (I assume perhaps wrong that is the XF).

So, you own one of either two or three coins that are known to exist. Very, very cool.

40 minutes ago, Abuelo's Collection said:

For your viewing pleasure. Unlikely to see another one like this any time soon. This is the definition of rarity.

Is this the "Bold Fine," or has a third coin been found?

2 hours ago, leeg said:

This one on the way soon: 

 

 

Isn't that one supposed to be delivered to my house?

I'm out of the loop on this one. What is a "pac-man" error?

Since anyone here who has read this thread will know the story behind these coins, why not list them in the Marketplace section for starters? There may be some one here that would be interested in using them as a teaching tool or as a hole filler.

On 4/4/2018 at 12:34 PM, AlexStoddart said:

 

PS The ICG AU50 1875 T $1 came back NGC XF;  Hooray!

Since the forum does not give notification when a post has been edited, I did not see this until today.

Congratulations on having it grade!

So, if I have this right, the 1874 went from XF40 to EF Details - Cleaned. The bright 1875 went from AU53 to AU Details - Cleaned. And, the 1875 in the first picture - the AU50 - is awaiting a grade. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be surprised if it came back "cleaned" also.

 I really wish that Mark or Doug or Bill or Micheal or some of the other members who have looked at thousands of coins over the years would give their opinion on what has been done to that 1874. That is one of the most unnatural looking coins I have ever seen. I don't know if it was an attempt at whizzing, or baking soda and a toothbrush, or just what was done to that coin, but someone really did a number on it.

14 hours ago, rrantique said:

Thanks guys. 

How about some 1884 O's?

These are the feature coins in your next big give-away, right?