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I think I've got a real 1776 Mass. Pine Tree, copper

Started by TomK-migration,

14 posts in this topic

TomK-migration

TomK-migration

Posted
Posted

My girlfriend's Grandpa gave this coin to her, and he cannot remember where he got it from. We have searched around for information about this coin, and have found that there is only one offically known in existence. The coin that we have does have a seam, which we read is proof of the old style of making coins, and the coin does not have "copy" stamped in it. We have compared it to pictures, and the coin looks exactly the same. My camera is not working properly right now, but I will get pictures as soon as I can. My question is, what can we do to find out if this is real, or just a copy? Many coin collectors at shops around here have refused to look at the coin, and one even denied knowning anything about these types of coins. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? Any information would be helpful.

 

Thanks,

Tom

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gmarguli

gmarguli

Posted
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Most dealers would know nothing about these coins. Colonials are not a popular area.

 

The coin that we have does have a seam, which we read is proof of the old style of making coins

 

Actually, it is more likely the result of someone making a FAKE coin.

 

You can send the coin to NGC for authentication and grading. You will need to submit it thru an NCG dealer. It will cost you around $30 + S&H.

 

You can take the coin to a major show that ANACS attends and they will give you a free opinion. Also, many colonial experts should be there to give you an opinion.

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michael

michael

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for me

 

a seam is not a good sign and these coins were reproduced for many promotions back in the 1960's and 1970's

 

but it sounds like a great find and who knows??????

 

i would again suggest as greg does to send the coin to ngc and IF it gets holdered

 

then you got one spicy (($500,000 or more lots more!!)) meatball

 

michael

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Hoot

Hoot

Posted
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Hi Tom - glad you dropped in. Look in the Yellow Pages for an NGC or PCGS or ANACS certified dealer. Take the coin to that dealer and ask to submit the coin to one of those services. They (the service) will tell you if it's authentic or not and it'll cost you around 30-50 bucks, depending on the dealer. Ask them when the coin will be submitted and under what tier of service. Have it submitted under the regular tier or higher, but not economy.

 

Good luck!

 

Hoot

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spy88

spy88

Posted
Posted

Tom, first off, welcome to the forum!

 

I agree with Greg and hoot as to submitting thru a local affiliated dealer. But, just on the chance you have the real mccoy, DO NOT let it out of your sight for half-a-second until you package that baby up snug and sure and see with your own eyes, it gets to the post office! Odds are against you that it is real, however, the potential should it be, warrants careful handling and over-sight until you are sure!

 

David

 

Oh, and get a pic for us as soon as you can! Obverse AND reverse.

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braddick

braddick

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You can always fly out with it to the Long Beach Convention coming up (be sure to invite your local news team to follow your every move-).

Seriously though, MORE of these Counterfeits do NOT have the (now) required "COPY" than do. Most were faked back in the sixties and seventies. Some look pretty good. I can almost guarantee yours is not real.

But, the suggestion of getting a professional opinion is a sound one.

Is there anyone here he could send it too outside of a ($30.) Grading Service? Seems like one of the Jade Boys could step up and render a valid opinion quickly and cheaply.

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James_OldeTowne

James_OldeTowne

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I doubt that it is real. I want to say it was Reader's Digest (or some other high-circulation magasine) that put out a lot of replicas like that in the 1970's. The replicated pillar dollars, mass silver, and a lot of other Colonial coins, and it sounds like your coin may be one of those.

 

Good luck, and congratulations if it is real!

 

James

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gmarguli

gmarguli

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Posted
You can always fly out with it to the Long Beach Convention coming up (be sure to invite your local news team to follow your every move-).

 

Are you referring to the NY/Florida hillbilly? I don't know if it was discussed here on the forums or made the local news, but some hillbilly spent his mortgage money on going to the FUN show to get his 1943 copper cent authenticated. The news showed Miles Standish walking up to the guy holding a PCGS blue box and deliver the bad news that it was fake. The guy was crying after hearing the bad news.

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Hoot

Hoot

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Are you referring to the NY/Florida hillbilly? I don't know if it was discussed here on the forums or made the local news, but some hillbilly spent his mortgage money on going to the FUN show to get his 1943 copper cent authenticated. The news showed Miles Standish walking up to the guy holding a PCGS blue box and deliver the bad news that it was fake. The guy was crying after hearing the bad news.

 

That was a sad story. I think that Beth Deisher wrote an editorial on it in the latest Coin World. (If it wasn't Beth, it was somebody!) The news crew that trailed after him reimbursed him for his air fare.

 

Hoot

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Wihlborg

Wihlborg

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Hoot,

 

Yes, it was Beth Deisher who wrote the editorial about it. It was a sad story, and the guy was very lucky that NBC news reimbursed him for his airfare and other expenses, because the story said that he spent his February rent money to make the trip to FUN. tonofbricks.gifforeheadslap.gif

 

John

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braddick

braddick

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gossip.gif ::Let's-Start-A-Rumor:: gossip.gif

 

 

I heard through a reliable source, who heard it from a friend of a well known Dealer that the guy had an authentic 1943 copper cent but PCGS, when they went back to their "grading room" switched it out for an altered and worthless tooled 1945 cent. 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

(Hey, they gotta make up for that "PR70DCAM" 1963 Lincoln debacle somehow...)

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Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

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Did they really? I've heard alot of bad things about PCGS, but I've not heard about this switching. This is really terrible. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I know you were just joshing us grin.gif

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Conder101

Conder101

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The coin that we have does have a seam, which we read is proof of the old style of making coins,

Well in ancient Rome they did sometimes case planchets that coins were later struck upon, and China used casting to creat coins as recently as the 1820's but the only case I know of for casting used for North American coinage was on one variety of Vermont half pence RR-5 which comes struck on both regular and cast planchets. The genuine 1776 Mass pine tree coin was not cast. As was mentioned earlier a major promotion created literally tens of thousands of unmarked cast fakes of this coin.

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