Anyone know about these copy’s of confederate cents?
Coin Finder
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Like who made them?
Thanks!
1
Coin Finder
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You see lots of these cheap copies in souvenir shops. I'm sure there are many different manufacturers.
These started to be made in the 1950s with the fractional reverses. They are pure fantasy tokens.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Best I have ever come up with on these is that the pieces with the fractional denominations, 1/100, 1/20, 1/10 and 1/4 is that they allegedly were first struck by or for the Dallas Coin Club in 1953 upon the occasion of the club's 25th Anniversary. The 1/100 was probably struck only in copper or bronze, and the silver denominations were probably struck in copper or bronze and silver. It was hinted somewhere that the dies for these four were made somewhere in the 1880's, but I highly doubt that.
A different style half dollar with a star on it was also stuck for the 25th anniversary. Here is a picture.
At lease one set is known with the four fractional pieces, the 1953 anniversary piece, and other Confederate fantasies commonly associated with the 1961-1965 Civil War centennial. I have no idea if the fractional pieces in it were struck circa 1953 or circa 1961-1965 or whenever.
TD
The OP's two pieces are die struck from the time of the original issuance of the fractional denominations, probably circa 1953 but I cannot prove that. Note that the same obverse die with a repunched 6 was used for both the 1/100 piece and the 1/10 piece.
Many cheap cast replicas were made of at least the 1/100 piece, and possibly the other denominations as well.
In my opinion the original struck pieces, such as the OP's two, are collectible. I have no opinion as to their value.
TD
John J. Ford had a set.
TD
Thanks everyone!!
I've never seen a set of all 4, thanks TD for providing this reference! They are as you say, fantasy pieces, but they look cool to me.
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
I've never encountered any but the copper "1/100". I've seen a fair number of those over a long period of years and even owned one at one time.
I have seen these at coin shows around Seattle when I lived there. They were always sold as modern fantasy pieces then.... Cheers, RickO
The Bashlow copies (circa 1961), which were made from transfer dies from the original pieces, used to be worth next to nothing. Now I see them offered for $35 to $50. The original dies were canceled and rusted. These were made from copies of those dies. They were struck in various metals.
I just got a shock! I looked up on the Internet and the Stacks' auction sold a certified example of this piece for $480!
It was not a nice as the one I posted. I think I paid $6 many years ago.
There was a time when the bronze ones brought next to nothing on the market and the other metals brought very little more. Things really have changed! I wish I still had the examples I once owned.
When I lived in New Jersey, I knew a dealer who had big books of coins in 2X2s who must have a couple dozen of these pieces. He wanted $6 each.
Back in the 1990s I recall that sets of the bronze, goldine and silver complete with a Capital Plastics lucite holder brought no more than $20. How things have changed!
Back around 2000 or so I picked up one of the off-metal Bashlow restrikes in its original Capitol holder for around $35. It was the tin version with a mintage of 50, if I recall correctly.