Kirt

As a general rule, circulated wheat cents are not worth a lot. They're heavily collected and a lot of kids start(ed) out collecting them - I have several hundred of them, and I don't even try to collect them. If the '53D in the pictures is an example of pretty good shape, you'd need about two hundred like it to get 2 or 3 dollars.

Take a look at our host's price guide; it will help you determine a value range for your coins.

I'll take the more optimistic route on this. I'll take your word on your research - this is not a period I collect. You have a lot of evidence stacking up that supports, but doesn't prove, authenticity.

- XRF analysis with a probable match to colonial American silver

- NE stamp within the variability shown on the single threepence and the contemporaneous sixpence

- Coin holder that certainly appears of the age with the right combination of dates, family names, and geography (side note: you don't mention where you acquired the cabinet or where it was from; the use of the word "token" may be important, particularly if the cabinet was English or European)

However, I agree with @Just Bob - if you ever want to sell it, you'll need to have it authenticated. I would go a different route were it mine; I'd reach out to the MA Historical Society directly. They have an existing threepence in their collection and, if your coin is authentic, would likely be extremely interested in it. With a coin this (potentially) rare, my advice is to let historians take the first swing at it. It will take much longer, but you'll likely get a wealth of information and some clear indication as to authenticity before you spend money to have it commercially graded.

Sorry, I'm not quite sure what you're asking... 1943 cents were zinc over steel. If you're thinking that this is one of the extremely rare 1943 D cents struck in bronze, then re-struck as 1944 D, I hate to burst your bubble but the odds against that are astronomical. If you think that the die was a 1943/1944, that's more probable but extremely unlikely. In your photo, there's a slight variation in the metal that comes off the bottom of the inside of the 2nd 4 at about 5 o'clock. If that is what is making you think it's an overstruck '43 and that's the tail of the 3, it's in the wrong position - it is too high and slightly too close to the 4. Given the heavy wear on this coin, that's random post-mint damage.

So there's another state quarter with that dark toning that keeps showing up. First time I've seen it on a 1997, though. While my sample size is ridiculously small, state and later quarters seem to tone in that way in remarkable numbers. Anyone have a hypothesis?

Agreed, face. Not seeing anything particularly significant. Something may be up with the rim of the 1983 cent but it's not anything valuable and probably just post-mint damage

56 minutes ago, Revenant said:

I don't get these cross-over games. I don't. The whole thing is a waste.

Me either - it reminds me of gambling stories...you hear a lot about the big wins, not so much about the busts.

Very cool!

Potentially https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces20636.html. Weight and measurement are important; there's a lot of fantasy stuff floating around that looks like cash coins.

They're both 1969 S cents without the DDO. Both are circulated; it's hard to tell with the lighting but the one on the right might be just a smidge better than the one on the left as it looks like more detail has been preserved in his eye, bowtie, and lapels. Reverses matter too!

Much better picture than your other thread; definitely not the DDO.

It does not appear to be the 1969 S DDO. The 6 and 9 look well struck and single.

1 hour ago, kbbpll said:

I have a dime like this. I think they go at it with a Dremel or something to make it look "shiny". E**y is filled with scammers.

To me your dime looks different. If I were to describe it, I'd say yours is slightly pitted while the others are significantly pebbled. I would have no problem picking up your coin at the right price; the OP's images would make me keep on walking.

Nah, you might be able to squeak a few bucks out of it. That's all. It's old but not particularly special, and as you said it's rough.

Yup both circulated and (unfortunately) damaged. Fortunately you can still spend it and get back what you got it for!

My experience too - the statehood and later quarters show up with that charcoal toning with some regularity. Some are almost black.

Beautiful cent, though. Just not worth the cost of grading. Definitely a keeper!

There's a lot of time elapsed there, too. I'm sure you would have mentioned if there were more contemporaneous notes, but waiting a decade to comment on an "illegal[ ] insertion" seems odd.

11 hours ago, Jonescoins said:

Oh ok 👍. what makes them turn that way? also thank you

Copper is pretty reactive. In moist soil, the water accelerates corrosion. The amount of corrosion depends of course on the composition of the soil and the amount of moisture. That's one way -- and the most likely way --  to get a coin with a surface like yours. 

My own question about this is that some cents found in soil corrode like this one did, and others develop verdigris. I have yet to see an explanation for why that happens!

Wasn't there a narrow window of time when the melt value of copper cents was higher than face, and the law making it illegal to melt them down was not yet passed? Might explain why all three were carved or scored like that. The first and third have some patina developed on at least some of those scratches.

Before you spend a lot of time trying to get a better close up -- some friendly advice. Even if the coin had a D over S mint mark, it is badly damaged. That will make it extremely difficult to tell if there is in fact a D over S, and will substantially impact the value...not in a good way.

Given the sentimental value and your willingness to pay to have the coin graded and slabbed regardless of the financial soundness of the decision, send it to NCS. They cannot reverse what corrosion has occurred, but they may be able to stabilize the surface to prevent future corrosion. Yes, it will likely details grade but you have other priorities so, so what???  For all the reasons you provided, spend a little money to have this keepsake preserved.

Thanks for the new pics; while the coin is well circulated that reverse sure doesn't look right. The devices to the left of the line are markedly indistinct and very different than to the right so to me it looks like something interfered with the strike of the coin. I'm nowhere near expert enough to say what - it does look like lamination - but I don't think it's PMD. 

Is that shadow on the reverse due to the difference in height or is it actually undercut, as in you can slip a piece of paper or something under it? Don't actually do it, just wondering why that shadow is so significant.

7 hours ago, Jonescoins said:

by Liberty I thought it was a die break.

Really helpful...took me less than a second to see what you're seeing!

I'm sorry but that's not a die break. It is possible that there was something there when the coin was struck: a strike through, lamination error, or potentially a badly eroded die. However, it's also possible that it is post-mint damage. The coin is a heavily circulated wheat cent so on balance, you have to assume it's PMD.

Still a wheat cent so you have that going for you!

Without pictures of the coin, it's not possible to tell if the weight is due to a thin planchet or something else.