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Seated Half-Dime. . your thoughts

Greetings to all,

I have been lurking around here for quite some time and I have finally gotten around to registering. I'd like to thank all of you for the great information I've gotten from thie forum.

Now for the question: I recently picked up this half-dime off ebay and it came with a supprise problem as you can see from the picture. Have any of you seen this type of scratch before or have any idea what may have caused it? I find it hard to believe that someone purposely shoved something abrasive on the center of the coin and somehow forgot to do the rest of it. I can't think of anything else that could cause this kind of damage. As you can see from the pics, the ebay photo doesn't show such damage. It should also be noted that the reverse of the coin shows the same patter as the obverse, but without the scratches with toning only present on the outside of the coin. On another board, someone suggested that it may be machine damage. I had wanted to send this to PCGS until I scanned it. Now I fear it will be body bagged if I do.

Ebay pic
scanner picnullnull

Comments

  • DracoDraco Posts: 512
    errr, click on the first null for the scanner image and the second null for the ebay pic. I have not idea why that happened. . .
  • littlewicherlittlewicher Posts: 1,822 ✭✭
    It looks like it has been cleaned possibly.


    For some life lasts a short while, but the memories it holds last forever.
    -Laura Swenson

    In memory of BL, SM, and KG. 16 and forever young, rest in peace.
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,530 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Definitely a bodybag candidate- don't waste money submitting it. Too bad. It looks like the coin was held in something and then rotated, causing the circular scratches. image Looks like it wouldn't have been a bad-lookin' coin, otherwise.

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  • sinin1sinin1 Posts: 7,500
    That seller photo looks touched up - I actually have a hard time convincing myself that they are the same coin.

    Does the seller have a return option and did they mention the circular scratches?

    I agree that PCGS will bodybag.
  • JamericonJamericon Posts: 438 ✭✭✭
    Circular patterns could looks like some type of rub- possibly made with rag or some other type of soft material. Anyhow coin appears cleaned.
    Jamie Yakes - U.S. paper money collector, researcher, and author. | Join the SPMCUS Small-Size Notes, National Bank Notes, and NJ Depression Scrip
  • Actually, the seller is Steve Frost (frosty444) he's a really great guy and he did offer to take the coin back. I paid $95 for it and after some thought, I decided to just keep it. It's still not a bad looking coin and even with a loupe, the scratches are very had to see for whatever reason. I'm not sure why my scanner makes them stand out.
  • darktonedarktone Posts: 8,437 ✭✭✭
    Draco, the main thing is that you are happy with it. Maybe it was used in jewelery? Mike
    image
  • goose3goose3 Posts: 11,471 ✭✭✭
    I've noticed a FE cent that Frosty keeps relisting with a clashed die. It looks like someone scrubbed the thing with a grinder and yet no mention of cleaning in the description. It's Blazingly obvious.

    He does have something listed now that I'm interested in but am leary of sellers that don't note problems, even obvious ones, because they might not be so obvious to others.
  • Dog97Dog97 Posts: 7,874 ✭✭✭
    What it is is marks from an old timey change holder or coin bank. They were metal cylinders similiar to what gas station guys kept on their belts to give you change.
    Change that we can believe in is that change which is 90% silver.
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,530 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'll go with the Dog97 theory. I knew I'd seen patterns like that before.

    I had an Indian cent like that, once.

    It was an 1877. image

    Got it super cheap, though. image

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.

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