Home U.S. Coin Forum

Can you help me with some image "detective" work??

keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited April 8, 2019 3:41PM in U.S. Coin Forum

Maybe you can help me decide if these two medals are actually the same one. I think they are.

The first picture is from a Stack's auction held March 27th, 2018 in Baltimore. The key diagnostics for me are the obverse field marks and scratches, along with two indentations on the rim to the left. They are located by the second "M" and the "T" in the word Momento.

For the second picture(s) you'll need to follow the link to a current eBay auction. It should be easy enough to match up all the field marks around the Bust of Columbus, but if you look to the rim and the word "Momento" you'll notice that the rim dings aren't present. However, if you look closely at the large pictures of the obverse you can see a slight discoloration in exactly the same places as the Stack's medal. The seller in the eBay auction noted in the description that In quality control they flagged that a repair may have been made to the obverse. The medal was sent back to grading and emerged with a grade of Uncirculated Details - Obverse Repaired.

Taken together I think that the medals are the same, the Stack's medal is the eBay listed medal that has been cleverly and expertly repaired. Tell me what you think.

Al H.

Stack's listing from March 27th, 2018.

The Stack's listing where a larger image is available, click on the picture.
https://sixbid.com/browse.html?auction=4646&category=132301&lot=3824744

Currently listed at eBay.
https://ebay.com/itm/1892-Eglit-105-Gilt-59mm-Columbus-Civilization-NGC-Uncirculated/273785436221?hash=item3fbee2383d:g:dhAAAOSw~Thco0jO

Comments

  • erwindocerwindoc Posts: 5,262 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Look VERY similar!

  • OuthaulOuthaul Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Scratches obverse match. Same medal.

  • abcde12345abcde12345 Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yeah, that copper toning spot on the obverse left field is a wonderful tell for me.

  • kbbpllkbbpll Posts: 542 ✭✭✭✭

    Ding above 1 seems identical.

  • jesbrokenjesbroken Posts: 10,491 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Rim ding at 9 o'clock at M on obverse missing. Die crack or scratch missing on Chris's left shoulder. Not same item in my opinion.
    Jim


    When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln

    Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
  • Some_of_itSome_of_it Posts: 143 ✭✭✭

    Same scratch in front on the chin.

  • Some_of_itSome_of_it Posts: 143 ✭✭✭

    I mean in front of the chin.

  • ms70ms70 Posts: 13,956 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 8, 2019 5:55PM

    I say without a doubt they are the same. Lots of matching diagnostics. The scratches in the field under "COLUMBUS" are undeniably the same but there is more than that.

    Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.

  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭

    what about the rim dings, do you see the discolored areas on the "Obverse repaired" eBay listing??

  • ms70ms70 Posts: 13,956 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 8, 2019 6:13PM

    The rim dings are definitely fewer from what's viewable. There's a lot of interior dings that match perfectly, like the chunk out of the inner ring above the 1 in 1893, another between the I and C in CHIꜜCAGO. I see the discolored areas but I'm not sure if that's a result of the lighting and may have been present at either imaging. I have no doubt it's the same coin.

    Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.

  • logger7logger7 Posts: 8,904 ✭✭✭✭✭

    People can go with firm contracts to sell on major auction sites to ebay; the market decides what full value is. In this economy I believe that the market can expand to express interest in nice material.

  • This content has been removed.
  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,401 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 8, 2019 8:47PM

    Here's the stacksbowers.com listing where it sold raw for $960.00. The SixBid site indicates the pre-auction estimate was just $75.00.

    1893 World's Columbian Exposition Columbus Portrait Medal. Gilt Bronze. 59 mm. Eglit-105, var. Mint State.

    On the bay, it's now offered at $750.00 OBO as 4694575-005 NGCDetails

  • lkeigwinlkeigwin Posts: 16,893 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Looks the same to me.
    Lance.

    Stack's listing from March 27th, 2018.


  • jtlee321jtlee321 Posts: 2,365 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's the same medal, no question... Here's a side by side of the two obverse images with identifying features circled.

  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭

    does anyone have any ideas as to how that rim would be repaired and who might do it?? I know there used to be a guy in Kentucky or Tennessee who did stuff like that, plugged holes, etc., but I can't recall a name. also, that seems to me to be the most obvious "Obverse Repaired" that NGC would notice, does anyone see anything else that seems suspicious??

    interestingly, I was an under-bidder on the medal at Stack's and see that auction link periodically when I do searches for this medal, Eglit-105. in Gilt Copper I believe it was unknown and unlisted by Nathan Eglit when he compiled his listings. hindsight being what it always is I am glad I decided to just post a modest bid and watch, just as I'm glad I remembered the medal when I saw this listing on eBay.

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Definitely the same medal... many pick up points as shown above. I have no answer for the rim ding repairs, that is an area I have never tried....Cheers, RickO

  • jafo50jafo50 Posts: 331 ✭✭✭

    They look identical to me.

    Successful BST transactions with lordmarcovan, Moldnut, erwindoc

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file