Why would somebody do this to a rare coin

Bustquarterhound

For fun I would like to know your theories on
why someone would do this to an R-5 coin

ProofCollection

When was this done? Was it known to be rare at the time of mutilation?

Bustquarterhound

@ProofCollection said:
When was this done? Was it known to be rare at the time of mutilation?

I have no idea. But it's the rarest 1805 variety

ProofCollection

@Bustquarterhound said:

@ProofCollection said:
When was this done? Was it known to be rare at the time of mutilation?

I have no idea. But it's the rarest 1805 variety

Now it is. But in 1805 it probably wasn't.
Go mutilate a 2023 quarter and 200 years from now someone will question why someone would do such a thing...

Barberian

Why would someone do this to an R6 coin?

1840-O WB6 (R6)

Why would someone buy it? Hmmm.

dhikewhitney

He thought it was counterfeit.

jesbroken

Not a collector, all they needed it for was 25 cents and it was still worth 25 cents. Bored to the bone, I would imagine.
Jim

BillJones

It probably was not known to be a rare coin when it was done. I think the Browning quarter variety book came out in the mid 1920s.

scubafuel

I'm not sure but that's a shame. B5 is very tough to find in higher grade.

PerryHall

I'm guessing that this coin was a pocket piece that was carried with a small pocket knife and used as a cutting board for trimming cigars.

Aotearoa

Another sad example.

Baley

Long before it was a Rare coin, it was a scarce coin that someone carried for a while and used between their knife and the tabletop when cutting a cigar

LoL edited to agree with Perry
(Wrote before reading the replies)

marmac

I've been asking myself the same question on this one-

wozymodo

My guess was Joseph Wright, but he died in 1793.

Bustquarterhound

@marmac said:
I've been asking myself the same question on this one-

Wow what happened to that half cent ?

rec78

Damage on rare coins is usually done before they became rare to collectors. There weren't many coin collectors in the 19th century.

Bustquarterhound

@marmac said:
I've been asking myself the same question on this one-

I had to look up the coin what a shame still a very cool one of a kind piece

Mr_Spud

I thought of the cigar cutting too when I saw the image. I’ve heard that this once was a common thing to do, cut cigars on a coin.

marmac

@Bustquarterhound

Born on a rough day at the mint followed by an encounter with some hooligan is my guess-

Bustquarterhound

@rec78 said:
Damage on rare coins is usually done before they became rare to collectors. There weren't many coin collectors in the 19th century.

@rec78 said:
Damage on rare coins is usually done before they became rare to collectors. There weren't many coin collectors in the 19th century.

@rec78 said:
Damage on rare coins is usually done before they became rare to collectors. There weren't many coin collectors in the 19th century.

I agree however the damage looks more recent. Done maybe from a disgruntled significant other

davewesen

they did not know it was a R-5 coin, or did and it was owned by an ex

braddick

Back then, many silver coins (the 20c was favored) were used as surfaces to cut the tip of a cigar.
You will see blackened stains on these, along with the cuts. It appears on the coin above those black marks/stains were
harshly removed.

Omegaraptor

Yes, it's a Philadelphia issue. Fortin-102. The lowest mintage business strike dime in US history.

Shane6596

I did it. I find old coins and scratch them up just to mess with you guys.

OAKSTAR

@Bustquarterhound said:
Why would somebody do this to a rare coin

We were all kids at one point.

lobo54

@OAKSTAR said:

@Bustquarterhound said:
Why would somebody do this to a rare coin

We were all kids at one point.

Yup. As a kid in the 50's/60's I don't know how may NY Yankee baseball cards I put in the spokes of my bike (RED SOX fan here), but that's why the survivors are so valuable.

ricko

There is a vast population out there that are not coin collectors and have no idea of rarity, collectability, value beyond face. To coin collectors, this is a terrible thing, to non collectors, it is meaningless. Cheers, RickO

dsessom

Erasmus loathed Martha due to her rejection of his proposal of marriage. He also hated her pet parrot because it mocked him. This coin reminded Erasmus of her and her dumb bird, so he took his frustration out on the coin.

(This is my hypothesis)

PerryHall

The thread title has a false premise. The person who did this didn't do it to a "rare coin". When he did it, it was only pocket change which was worth only face value.

BuffaloIronTail

I guess back then without radio, television, telephones and such, people just got bored.

Pete

erscolo

Never underestimate the stupidity of many. Nothing is surpristing.

Joe_360

He lost it in a divorce settlement and didn't want his wife to have it in good condition...

CoinHoarder

The coin also looks like it was scrubbed with a brillo pad or baking soda.

lkeigwin

@Joe_360 said:
He lost it in a divorce settlement and didn't want his wife to have it in good condition...

Or maybe his wife found it before the divorce settlement?
Lance.