Early copper question?

[DonHeath]

On the Nova Constelatio reverse below, is it possible for the lettering to be roman rather than -script for a 1785?

 

[TomB]

I have to admit that I have never seen a 1785 without a cursive US. Is this a real token, or a contemporary or modern counterfeit?

[DonHeath]

Tom,

 

It is being sold as authentic. It is listed as an 83, but obviously it's dated 85. I was wondering if there was a known transitional coin or if this was a bad counterfeit.

 

Don

[TomB]

I took the image and inverted it and I think it might be a 1783. The 3 for many of these had a flat top and this looks like that style. Still, I wonder if it really is authentic as I don't see the prominent center dot between the U and S of US. That bothers me.

[truthteller]

It's a 1783 for sure. Somewhat corroded planchet and questionable.

 

 

TRUTH

[DonHeath]

Tom and Truth,

 

I realize after looking again that perhaps it is a 3. For what it's worth, the dot opposite the star on the obverse is also missing. Thanks for your effort.

[michael]

i do not know if this coin is a counterfeit or not as this is not my speciality but i can tell you this

 

i visited the us mint in philly when i was a kid in the late 1960's early 1970's or thereabouts saw the complete eliasberg collection at the philly mint also!!

 

and at mostly every store they sold reproductions of early colonial american coins

none where marked as copy and they were in my opinion extremely deceptive and struck in the same metals as originally issued

 

i do not know what happened to the set i bought but if i still had them it would be possible to wear them age them to fool many except specialists in the field

i do not remember if the coins had a seam on the edge though

 

michael

[Hoot]

i do not know if this coin is a counterfeit or not as this is not my speciality but i can tell you this

 

i visited the us mint in philly when i was a kid in the late 1960's early 1970's or thereabouts saw the complete eliasberg collection at the philly mint also!!

 

and at mostly every store they sold reproductions of early colonial american coins

none where marked as copy and they were in my opinion extremely deceptive and struck in the same metals as originally issued

 

i do not know what happened to the set i bought but if i still had them it would be possible to wear them age them to fool many except specialists in the field

i do not remember if the coins had a seam on the edge though

 

michael

 

That's damn scary.

 

BTW, I have to agree that the coin Don posted is definitely 1783. Who authenticated it?

 

Hoot

[michael]

hoot also

 

the coins where priced strongly too

 

they were not inexpensive!

 

and looked great!! the copper especially moreso then all the others

 

michael

[DonHeath]

Who authenticated it?

 

Hoot, the seller represents it as authentic. It is not graded.

 

Michael, wow. I knew there were some reproductions floating around, but I had no idea they were sold openly at coin prices. Your thought about how easy it would be to sell one with wear is scary.

[michael]

hi there don

 

well this was over 30/35 years ago that i saw these when i went to philly as a kid

 

times sure have changed

 

seems like another era back then too

 

michael