Oldhoopster

Just on off hand thought, but I think a lot would depend on where the ore was refined, the consistency of the process, and whether there are trace elements specific to GA/NC that won't get confounded by refined ores that might be mixed into the melt.  

I still would love to see a project like this succeed. It would be a big contribution to the body of knowledge. 

I think it would be making a large assumption that the melts used were from similar coins that used ore from specific mines.  I suppose with enough data you could tease out the stats, but initially, I think it would be tough to get meaningful data, especially with the European recycling of bars, and coins

That being said, I think it would be easier to get something on when Southern gold was first used, of CA gold was used at the southern mints.  But to say that the gold from a 1797 Eagle came from Mexico may be difficult

XRF would be the way to go in my opinion, but I believe lab instruments would have less variability for trace elements than a hand held units, and it's the trace elements that will give you information.  That also assumes the refining method(s) didn't introduce variability

Great idea for a project, and the data would be fantastic, I just think it would be difficult

Science experiment after it left the mint.  Here is how to make more just like it

https://www.sciencecompany.com/Turn-Copper-Pennies-Into-Silver-and-Gold-Pennies.aspx

On 3/21/2022 at 10:06 PM, VKurtB said:

Similarly, the Roman alphabet also lacked a “J”. I didn’t need a Mint letter to know this, just a Classical education. 

If only educators would have documented that info in books or other educational sources

Not sure where you're getting your info, but pics and descriptions of the 58DDO are easily accessable on Wexlers doubled die site, Variety Vista, Lincoln Cent Resource, PCGS CoinFacts, and Heritage Auction archives to name a few.  You can search these sites for pics.  It will be good practice and you'll become familiar some some very useful sites that will help you learn.  These are basic research sites that most variety collectors/seekers should have bookmarked.  Find and study them before you decide to be critical of the help this board provides.

You are sadly mistaken if you believe "If this coin came from a well know collector automatically it would be shown to be authentic...".  It has to have the characteristics of the variety.  Do you think people on here just guess on ID or authenticity?  

If/when you compare your coin to pics of an authenticated example, you'll easily see yours aren't even close

On 3/21/2022 at 1:36 PM, Joseph Franklin said:

. 

All I know is what I read and am able to compare too. I would have preferred getting more information on this coin then get on here and get told by someone else that your research is faulty. If this coin came from a well know collector automatically it would be shown to be authentic even if it hasn't been graded. It's the nature of who we are. If I'm wrong on the Doubling please share with me an example that looks like this, that's damage or due to die failure. 

 

On 3/17/2022 at 4:46 PM, Stephaniec418 said:

I see die clashes also I’m wondering if it’s a thickening or a crazy ddd?

There are no die clash marks, only heavy scratches

The thickening isn't anything like one would find on a doubled die.  Its been flattened by circulation damage, nothing more.

Characteristics of doubled dies

https://www.doubleddie.com/58222.html

Spend some time studying that section and look at the pictures of doubled dies on the site, and you'll understand why your coin doesn't have thickening

On 3/17/2022 at 4:53 PM, VKurtB said:

Here is an example, Al and “Finger”. Roger has repeatedly written that Daniel Carr is a counterfeiter. What would be CORRECT is to write that in his OPINION what Daniel Carr does SHOULD BE CONSIDERED counterfeiting. But no, Roger never writes that way. It’s ALWAYS in the language of absolutism, and that’s intellectually dishonest. 

Here and on other sites, it appears that his opinion on DCarr is part of a very small minority.  The ANA and the hobby have heard Roger's opinions and comments and have disregarded them.  

If he wants to keep pushing his opinion (btw I haven't seen anything from RWB on this subject recently), that's his business.  He'll run the risk if continually pushing an unpopular and generally discredited opinion at the risk of harming his credibility.  After all, people tend to lose respect for ones credibility and knowledge when he keeps beating an unpopular dead horse.

On 3/17/2022 at 4:41 PM, VKurtB said:

And my “company” (to the extent a government is one) required me to shred EVERYTHING on the way out the door. 

Isn't there a significant amount of documentation in the Congressional Record and the state equivalents?  

On 3/17/2022 at 4:08 AM, Stephaniec418 said:

It looks like someone tried to scrape the excess metal off or something

Exactly. The scratches and mushy appearance are from damage after it left the mint. As to the exact cause...you'll probably never know.  However, whatever caused the damage DID NOT occur at the mint and damaged common coins have no collector interest.

Hope this helps.

Memories fade, people get old, stories start to change, overtime subjective opinions become facts.  Contemporary documents are the best thing we have to approximate what people were thinking and doing.  No, they are not perfect, people can lie and embellish, but generally they give us a pretty good picture.

If you don't document it, how is anybody going to remember the info?  

My company requires me to keep a lab notebook of all my experiments. Not only does it contain data, it has conclusions, theories, and ideas. It's an extremely useful tool to remember the details. I've used old notebooks to get information.  Imagine if I had to try to find somebody who was around when the original experiment was done and hoped they remembered something.

I'm going to disagree with you.  I feel contemporary documents are extremely important, and cataloging/organizing/archiving that data is equally important.  

The philosopher George Santayana once said, "those who fail to remember the past are condemned to repeat it".  If you don't document it, it is unlikely it will be remembered

@RWB

This was recently posted on another site.  I don't Have a copy of The Guide Book of Peace Dollars but figured I would go to the source.  Is the following post perpetuating an urban legend, or is it factual?  My understanding is that the V was part of the classical roman design elements.

Thanks

@Ron_48

You already did the research to prove it's plated.  In your first post you said it weighs 3.11 gms and is the same diameter as a cent.  Unless there is a noticeable thickness difference (it looks normal in your pic) that would indicate that the density of the metal is the same as a cent. 

For example steel and aluminum have lower densities than 95%Cu so a coin of normal size would weigh less, while silver and gold have higher densities would weigh more.  Your coin weighs the same, so unless You can find a metal with the same density as a cent AND find some evidence that the mint used it as experimental planchets or to strike foreign coins, you simply have a plated coin. 

No sense in sending it back in, you already proved it.  Gotta love science 

On 3/13/2022 at 11:02 AM, Greenstang said:

Oldhoopster

You say all Small Dates, I think you meant all Large Dates (At least I hope you do).

Dumb mistake. Thanks for the correction

All small dates. 

Here is a pic from the Following link. 

http://lincolncentresource.com/smalldates/1982.html

Notice the differences in the shape of the 2 (easiest pick up point for me to see), size and top loop of the 8, and distance between the 2 and rim.  In 1982, Denver made over 6 BILLION (with a B) cents.  In 40 years, Only two 1982D small date coins have been found.  You have much better chances of winning the lotto than finding one.

Could be due to excess polishing. Design elements like this are not added to individual working dies, they are on the master hub, so if was missing there, all the cents would be missing the VDB. 

Maybe a minor premium since it's a proof if you can find an interested buyer, but nothing rare or spectacular IMO

It's tough to see clearly, but I don't seeing any evidence of split serifs/notching, which are characteristics of hub doubling.  The dome doubling looks flat which is a characteristic of mechanical doubling. 

If you disagree with the opinions, you can always send it to a TPG or CONECA for authentication.

On 3/3/2022 at 12:16 PM, Walter Holmes said:

Just purchased a tube of 1996 American Silver Eagles. Of the 20 bullion coins one (1) is toned/tarnished along the entire edge.  No other coins were effected. The outlier was located in the middle of the tube, obviously the tube had been opened at some point and the coins randomly replaced in tube. To what extent does  this alter value?  Is cleaning an option, perhaps dipping in xylene? 

Xylene and acetone are organic solvents.  They will have no effect on toning.

It only takes 2 bags of wheat cents to get into 5 figures.  At one time I had 5 bags (25,000 coins) in the closet, but eventually sold them years ago when I moved

Not my area of expertise, but the raised "pimples" in the rev fields and a few on the obv. concern me regarding authenticity.  

On 2/26/2022 at 7:40 PM, VKurtB said:

See “hoop”? This is the kind of err, feces, that spikes my blood pressure. If you can tolerate it, you’re a finer man than I am. 

I'll concede to your comment in this case.  I try to give new collectors the benefit of a doubt and provide an educational answer, but tend to draw the line for stuff like this member posted.  They were given accurate information, but choose to insist that it had to be an error because that don't understand the minting process.  There contention seems to be, "it's new to me, so how can others possibly know it".

I just get a little put off when we jump on a newbie before they they show their hand.  Give 'em a break to start, until they prove with subsequent posts, that they don't want to learn and grow.  Just my opinion.