Neat little chopmarked newp (not a trade dollar!)

MilkmanDan

Picked this one up recently, you don't see too many chopmarked half dollars from New Orleans. I figure it either took a boat trip or traveled by wagon to S.F., then a longer trip by sea to China. Given the date, it's quite possible this coin was carried west as a part of the California gold rush.

To ratchet up the neat-o-meter on this one, the coin was purchased by the Russian ambassador to China back in the 1960's. I really love to add chopmarked coins to my collection which can be traced directly back to China.

Feel free to post your own chopmarked half dollars below.

kaz

Great example, Dan, love that "wagonwheel" chop. neat history .

Smudge

Neat-o-meter maxed out on that one. Very nice and great history.

ShadyDave

Wow that's an awesome coin. I've also never seen that cartwheel chop before, is that a rare one?

Crypto

What I love about chops is how often they have honest surfaces. That coin is all there and an amazing addition to your set. Great date and clearly the limited about of lost detail shows that it left American commercial channels fairly quickly or sat around before leaving. Gold rush connection makes a lot of sense

divecchia

That is one nice looking chop mark. Most look hastily done but this one looks like it was placed and nicely struck.

Congrats on a cool pickup.

Donato

MilkmanDan

I see three chopmarks on the reverse. The first two, one on top of the other are some of the most common chopmarks you'll see. At this point I'm looking at dozens of chopped coins a day, and I've maybe seen the "wagon wheel" chop just a couple of times. So I guess you could say that one is pretty scarce.

TLeverage

Neat pickup.

MilkmanDan

I have a longer term goal to find one half dollar with Chinese chopmark(s) from each mint.

Here's the S mint to go along with the O above. This is one of my favorite coins period.

Still need a CC and P. Both are out there, but much less common than S mint coins by probably 30 or 40 to 1.

Crypto

@OriginalDan said:
I have a longer term goal to find one half dollar with Chinese chopmark(s) from each mint.

Here's the S mint to go along with the O above. This is one of my favorite coins period.

Still need a CC and P. Both are out there, but much less common than S mint coins by probably 30 or 40 to 1.

I do truly love that 55s half. I personally would have held out for one in higher condition, but it works in your set.

DDR

That is so cool, Dan! Where do you find these?

I have an 1853-O chopmarked half and two P-mint ones: 1836 (Bust) and 1854. All three are worn and pretty beat up, not nearly as nice as your 1849-O.

Congratulations on a great pick-up.

ricko

Nice coin ... and I have never seen that 'wagon wheel' chop before... I do not recall it being in Rose's book...will have to check later. Would love to get a CC Trade Dollar with the wagon wheel chop on it... Cheers, RickO

CaptHenway

Couple of neat ones there!