rocket23 Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 (edited) So I picked up a coin, 1900 o. not the rarest in the world, practically common........which is also perplexing......checked it for ''ping,'' weight , size and well see for yourself. previous owners decided to scrape the edge to make sure it's real. 3 TIMES!!!........why would anyone go this far?! Like i said Seems pretty dumb. Edited December 11, 2020 by rocket23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket23 Posted December 11, 2020 Author Share Posted December 11, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket23 Posted December 11, 2020 Author Share Posted December 11, 2020 well there is a 3rd but the forum won't let me post it right now....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket23 Posted December 11, 2020 Author Share Posted December 11, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsshog40 Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 The coin looks like it bows outward at all the pics you're showing which would indicate to me that it's just been dropped a couple times. Of course, I can't tell if it is scraped as the pics are not that clear. JMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket23 Posted December 11, 2020 Author Share Posted December 11, 2020 crappy photos...but no, they are scrapes......all 3 . pretty sad, cuz they weren't in the for sale photos, can't blame the seller . It's been 120 years a lot of handlers since then.oh well more character right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bignubnumismatics Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 They look like drop marks to me as well, but if indeed scrapes, I don't know why. There are plenty of options that don't include ruining part of the coin. I would think just a close look would be able to determine the authenticity of the piece, and holding it by the face of the coin doesn't hurt it much either. rocket23 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3R3NDIPITY Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 (edited) Morgans can be collected either for their numismatic or melt value. The person or persons who scraped the Morgan to test its authenticity probably knew it was a common date and just worth its weight in silver. They were stacking it for its bullion value alone. Collectors who are alarmed at the disfiguring scrapes on this Morgan dollar should check out how this Athenian Owl was chopped almost in half! Testing silver coins to make sure they are not silver-plated base metals has been going on for thousands of years. Edited December 16, 2020 by S3R3NDIPITY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoghead515 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 23 minutes ago, S3R3NDIPITY said: Morgans can be collected either for their numismatic or melt value. The person or persons who scraped the Morgan to test its authenticity probably knew it was a common date and just worth its weight in silver. They were stacking it for its bullion value alone. Collectors who are alarmed at the disfiguring scrapes on this Morgan dollar should check out how this Athenian Owl was chopped almost in half! Testing silver coins to make sure they are not silver-plated base metals has been going on for thousands of years. Thats heart breaking to see. That is one of my most favorite coins ever minted. Just judging by the reverse that would have been a very nice one to. One of these days I'm going to try and get one. Got few others to add to the collection first. Gonna try get a higher grade one if I can afford it down the road. S3R3NDIPITY 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henri Charriere Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 On 12/10/2020 at 9:20 PM, rocket23 said: [Note to any Young Numismatist within the sound of my voice: Welcome to the Forum! And No, this is NOT the proper way to handle a coin. Any coin. Shame on a fellow member for setting a bad example i/f/o impressionable youth.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket23 Posted December 17, 2020 Author Share Posted December 17, 2020 Coins worth collecting get the edge treatment ^^^^^^^....as for a coin already scarred.....gimme a break...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bignubnumismatics Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 The habit though. You start with a melt value morgan, next thing you know you're holding an 1804 dollar by the face/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3R3NDIPITY Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 (edited) On 12/16/2020 at 5:41 PM, Hoghead515 said: Thats heart breaking to see. That is one of my most favorite coins ever minted. Just judging by the reverse that would have been a very nice one to. One of these days I'm going to try and get one. Got few others to add to the collection first. Gonna try get a higher grade one if I can afford it down the road. I loved your comment and felt inspired enough to order a beautiful Athenian Owl silver tetradrachm. I paid £750 British pounds for it which is the equivalent of $1,012.23 US dollars. It’s my very first ancient coin. It is said that President Teddy Roosevelt carried an Athenian Owl as a lucky piece and that it inspired him to redesign US coinage. I’m still waiting for my Athenian Owl to arrive in the mail. However, I can show you the website photos of the Athenian Owl I ordered. The tetradrachm incidentally is 23mm, 17.25g, and not as huge as it looks. Edited December 18, 2020 by S3R3NDIPITY MAULEMALL and Hoghead515 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoghead515 Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 3 hours ago, S3R3NDIPITY said: I loved your comment and felt inspired enough to order a beautiful Athenian Owl silver tetradrachm. I paid £750 British pounds for it which is the equivalent of $1,012.23 US dollars. It’s my very first ancient coin. It is said that President Teddy Roosevelt carried an Athenian Owl as a lucky piece and that it inspired him to redesign US coinage. I’m still waiting for my Athenian Owl to arrive in the mail. However, I can show you the website photos of the Athenian Owl I ordered. The tetradrachm incidentally is 23mm, 17.25g, and not as huge as it looks. That is an absolute beauty. They done a great job on those back in the day. Congratulations on getting it. Thanks for sharing it to. Hopefully one of these days im gonna try to get one. I been wanting one ever since I layed eyes on them. They are truly one of the most amazing coins of all time in my opinion. S3R3NDIPITY 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumu Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 On 12/18/2020 at 4:39 PM, S3R3NDIPITY said: I loved your comment and felt inspired enough to order a beautiful Athenian Owl silver tetradrachm. I paid £750 British pounds for it which is the equivalent of $1,012.23 US dollars. It’s my very first ancient coin. It is said that President Teddy Roosevelt carried an Athenian Owl as a lucky piece and that it inspired him to redesign US coinage. I’m still waiting for my Athenian Owl to arrive in the mail. However, I can show you the website photos of the Athenian Owl I ordered. The tetradrachm incidentally is 23mm, 17.25g, and not as huge as it looks. is that slabbed? S3R3NDIPITY 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3R3NDIPITY Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, mumu said: is that slabbed? No, it’s a raw tetradrachm, but I can straightaway sense you thinking that such a magnificent Athenian Owl should be slabbed! You can see in this fine example what it is about these high-relief silver tetradrachms that inspired President Teddy Roosevelt to redesign US coinage. The Athenian Owl and Saint-Gaudens double eagle are like two sides of the same coin. Edited December 22, 2020 by S3R3NDIPITY Hoghead515 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheus1967 Posted December 23, 2020 Share Posted December 23, 2020 On 12/21/2020 at 9:11 PM, S3R3NDIPITY said: No, it’s a raw tetradrachm, but I can straightaway sense you thinking that such a magnificent Athenian Owl should be slabbed! Probably more concerned with it not being authentic. S3R3NDIPITY and rocket23 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket23 Posted December 24, 2020 Author Share Posted December 24, 2020 Sadly, i must be honest here, it's a fake.....oh it's real silver, and passed the weight and slide test.....but take a closer look at the first pic.....even blurred the us mint doesn't punch stars that look that horrible...I closely inspected this very coin this evening and discovered the minted error by our friends from the far east.....but still there are other ways to check for silver .....Personally I view the scratch test as bad as the counterfeiters themselves.....but it is a fake and it's worth spot if nothing else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoghead515 Posted December 24, 2020 Share Posted December 24, 2020 10 hours ago, rocket23 said: Sadly, i must be honest here, it's a fake.....oh it's real silver, and passed the weight and slide test.....but take a closer look at the first pic.....even blurred the us mint doesn't punch stars that look that horrible...I closely inspected this very coin this evening and discovered the minted error by our friends from the far east.....but still there are other ways to check for silver .....Personally I view the scratch test as bad as the counterfeiters themselves.....but it is a fake and it's worth spot if nothing else. Its a big relief knowing they didn't scratch up a real one. Thats still a bad habit. Be awful if someone scratched up a big CC that was real or any of them far as that goes. Sadly there is people out there who don't have any better sense than that. S3R3NDIPITY and rocket23 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3R3NDIPITY Posted December 27, 2020 Share Posted December 27, 2020 (edited) On 12/23/2020 at 4:52 PM, Morpheus1967 said: Probably more concerned with it not being authentic. That’s a valid question because Athenian Owls were forged even in ancient Greece by silver-plating bronze coins which is why most of them are found with disfiguring chop marks. Surprisingly, the same principles which apply to detecting modern counterfeits by NGC also generally apply to ancient 2,500-year-old coins. First and foremost, it’s very important to always purchase ancient coins from reputable dealers which involves thoroughly researching your dealer. Secondly, it’s also important to research the coin you are buying. These are the invaluable lessons I’ve learned from an Athenian Owl collector: 1. Weight: my tetradrachm weighs specifically 17.25g which is generally consistent with the weight of most ancient Athenian Owls. 2. Edge: genuine Athenian Owls like mine have irregular, not smooth edges. 3. Surface: my tetradrachm doesn’t have a smooth surface. 4. Wear: high spots and low spots don’t have the same wear. 5. Format: the coin is not perfectly round. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=121759.msg734696#msg734696 Edited February 5, 2021 by S3R3NDIPITY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket23 Posted December 27, 2020 Author Share Posted December 27, 2020 In my case my coin would of been a lot easier to just look at the stars and not rub a new ''you know what '' in the sides....THREE times,lol.... I agree, ya need to know what and who we buy from...and sell too, for that matter. S3R3NDIPITY 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
