Doctored coin - 1959D wheatback - Thoughts?

lincolnSence · February 19, 2003 4:13AM

It is well known that the coin in question has recently been enhanced. It comes up for action next week. Any takers on this coin? Will the coin doctor police be looking into this item? What will it sell for?

braddick · February 19, 2003 4:15AM

Edited because I missed the intent of this thread.

I agree with TRUTH. Too much is wrong with this one.

Having a Government agency give its blessing as to the authenticity also doesn't give me that warm and fuzzy feeling.

truthteller · February 19, 2003 4:17AM

Definitely too much controversy if it were made inside or outside the mint. The a matching die pair must first be brought to the forefront before there can be any conclusive evidence, and that's a lot of work. I've seen several working dies from foreign countries sold on ebay of better date coins, meaning both obverse and reverse dies, which could make coins to this day. Can it be said of this coin?

TRUTH

kranky · February 19, 2003 4:27AM

I remember following the commotion about it being withdrawn from auction until the Secret Service declared it genuine (yet again!). I don't know if it's been "enhanced", but I don't know if it even matters. It's a unique item like the '33 Saint.

Actually, I think the Secret Service didn't actually declare it to be genuine - they said they can't prove it's a fake. Not quite the same thing. Some people will forever feel there's a cloud over this coin, but others won't care.

I'll predict $30,000. It's gotta be worth at least what a 1963 PR67 Lincoln in a PR70 holder goes for!

CThomas · February 19, 2003 4:32AM

Is it gonna be on eBay? If so who is the seller? I'd like to track the auction you are talking about!

Thanks

Chris

nwcs · February 19, 2003 4:34AM

What enhancement are you referring to? I've never read of anything done to it. The Secret Service said it's genuine and that's good enough for me. As for doctoring, I would need to see some evidence of it. Especially if it is recent, as you say, I would like to see before pix and after pix for comparison.

nwcs · February 19, 2003 4:35AM

From CoinWorld

"The 1959-D Lincoln, Wheat Reverse cent - twice declared genuine by the U.S. Secret Service - will be publicly offered sometime in 2003."

"Secret Service Agent Anthony M. Chapa told Coin World on Dec. 9 that agents from the Secret Service office in Salt Lake City conducted the federal investigation and were unable to discover any substantive evidence to refute earlier evidentiary findings that determined the 1959-D Lincoln cent to be genuine."

STEWARTBLAYNUMIS · February 19, 2003 5:19AM

I have seen the coin.I have held the coin.What do people say about things that are too good to be true?

If the coin was red without a doubt I would be a player

BIG TIME

Stewart

Singapore · February 19, 2003 5:26AM

Maybe its just me, but when the lot description of a coin includes the phrase 'sold as is, not returnable, not guaranteed genuine' or words to that effect, I get just a little bit apprehensive.

I personally doubt its a mint product -

I figure the 30K estimate above is a pretty good one.

keithdagen · February 19, 2003 5:27AM

If the coin was red without a doubt I would be a player

Considering the rarity of the piece, why not be a player regardless?

Lakesammman · February 19, 2003 6:18AM

It's just Stewarts way of casting doubt so he can get it on the cheap.....like there are alot of us here going to outbid him

merz2 · February 19, 2003 6:58AM

I too,like most of the Lincoln Men have read all the hype about this coin.I can't tell you why,but I believe it is genuine.It is just a gut feeling.If I had unlimited funds,I'd have to be a bidder(Red or not).

STEWARTBLAYNUMIS · February 19, 2003 7:34AM

It had PVC on the coin as reported in the government report.I believe it was Larry Goldberg who said he soaked the coin in CARE.It presently has a glossy look kind of a greasers hair in 1959.

Why is there only one Specimen ?

Stewart

coppercoins · February 19, 2003 7:53AM

If it's genuine there has to be more of them.

Now, in being "genuine" I mean that it has to be not only struck at the mint, but unintentionally. A crafty mint employee sets up the machine for a special strike, then "slips" it into a marked bag where it was supposed to be located again outside the mint, but doesn't locate the bag later - that's not a "genuine" coin to me. It's still a "manufactured" error which makes it worthless to me. I'm not saying that is the case, but if it was unintentional there HAVE to be more of them. Why they haven't been located is the $64,000 question.

The above scenario is how I hear the 1958 DDO cents made it out of the mint - just a small handful known, all out of the same bag.

Lakesammman · February 19, 2003 7:59AM

It's gotta be worth 30K in publicity just for a dealer to have and advertise or have in the case at major shows. I suspect a dealer will end up with it just for that reason - Legend????

leothelyon · February 19, 2003 9:55AM

Why is it missing the slab? Are these unique coins prefered that way? MS60+ BN? What's that? The pic makes it look better than the grade.

Leo

onlyroosies · February 19, 2003 10:33AM

I say the coin brings in 45K-60K, I would be a player in the 25K area. If the coin is real it will be slabed within a year and
will resale for 6 figures. I use to be a player in the esoteric lincoln market long ago. I once was invited to bid on a private
sealed bid auction for a 1958 DDO cent and was the underbidder at 22.5K, If the mule does get slabed some day I believe
we will see a few more come out of the woodwork. Of course this is just my opinion. See you in Beverly Hills on Monday.

onlyroosies (formerly onlylincolns)

Doctored coin - 1959D wheatback - Thoughts?

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