Silver three cent dating question 0

[MrWhiskers]

Hey guys, think this kinda fits in here because I'm new at this. Would you say this is a 1859 or an 1869 coin? its pretty badly beat up...

[Just Bob]

That is an 1859. Compare the top of the "5" on yours with the top of the "6" on this coin: (picture compliments of our host)

 

Edited September 21, 2018 by Just Bob
added source

[JKK]

Bob's right. 1859. A key tell is the way the hat curves up, concave rather than convex as a 6 would be. It's worn, but any readable 3c silver has some numismatic value just for showing up.

[Conder101]

Another way to tell is that the date on the 1869 is noticeable larger, and the digits are tall and thin compared to the  1859 on which the are shorter and wide.

[JKK]

I kind of wonder if the pictured piece might be a contemporary counterfeit. Obviously it has very heavy wear, which inflicts upon it a great deal of crudity, but some of that crudity looks like it might have been there to begin with.