Ziemba727 Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 (edited) I'm curious how much variance can be expected in the weight of a coin. I recently purchased a 1900 $5 gold Liberty which should have a weight of 8.36 grams. I just weighed it and it has a weight of 8.03. Can that kind of variation in weight be expected. It isn't graded and doesn't have much wear. I also checked the weight of a couple $1 Liberties on the same scale and they were spot on. I appreciate your thoughts. Steve Edited April 27 by Ziemba727 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Bob Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 (edited) A half eagle minted between 1873 & 1929 has a tolerance of plus or minus .016, so acceptable weight would be 8.343 to 8.375, assuming an average weight of 8.359. Figures from the Coinworld Almanac. Your coin appears to be a good bit underweight. Edited April 27 by Just Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziemba727 Posted April 27 Author Share Posted April 27 (edited) Hi Bob, Thanks for the reply. In your opinion do you think a misaligned die and not being centered when struck (I believe you can see in the photo) be enough to cause that kind of discrepancy? Edited April 27 by Ziemba727 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Bob Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 I don’t see how that would have an effect on the weight. The planchet would still weigh the same as it did before the coin was struck. Assuming an accurate scale, I see the three most likely reasons for the low weight as: underweight planchet, counterfeit, or some gold having been removed. If it is one of these, I hope it is the underweight planchet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziemba727 Posted April 27 Author Share Posted April 27 Oh ok, As I’ve never seen one struck, I was assuming if it was off-center, part of the planchet would be lopped off. Yes my concern was the authenticity and if it’s slightly less in weight because of a thin planchet, that would be fine. The coins edge seems reeded consistently around the edge but I reckon it’s possible to have been altered and sone metal removed and then re-reeded somehow. …although that seems like a lot of work. Thanks again, Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandon Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 Although I would prefer better photos (both sides, better lit, focused and cropped, and from directly overhead), I think that it is likely that this 1900 half eagle is counterfeit. I see raised lumps of metal on Liberty's face and in the fields, and the details seem somewhat soft. The mint was careful about keeping gold coins within legal tolerance when the country was on the gold standard, and I doubt that a gold coin with as little wear as this would be a third of a gram underweight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziemba727 Posted April 28 Author Share Posted April 28 (edited) Sandon, Thanks for the comment. Makes perfect sense to me. I can't imagine that amount of weight difference either on a gold coin from that period, especially one with such little wear. Edited April 28 by Ziemba727 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
