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Fake Half Eagle 1898 maybe not . and 1887 S DIALUP WARNING

I have several 1880ish half eagles. They all look pretty much the same. I purchased the 1898 a couple weeks ago on ebay. At first it looked fine. Then i turned it on it's side and noticed the reeding. It looked much more spaced out than my others so I compared. It does appear that the 1898 has few reeds per inch than any of my 3 1880 ish ones. It also seems slightly thicker. I took it to a coin shop and she agreed it did look funny. She tested and it is indeed gold. He opinion was it could go either way and that i should send it in for grading. I really don't want to spend another 30$ on a coin that I paid 180$ for that might be fake.

Does anyone know if the "reeding" changed post 1887?

Comments

  • DorkGirlDorkGirl Posts: 9,994 ✭✭✭
    I don't know about the reeding , but I would love to see a picture of it.

    BTW, image
    Becky
  • fcfc Posts: 12,793 ✭✭✭
    i collect half eagles. here is my webpage.
    http://boston.g4.net/coins/

    i did not know of any reeding change during those two years.
    but i am far from being an expert. lets see who else chimes in.

    7. CORONET TYPE, No Motto Above Eagle 1839-1866

    Designer: Christian Gobrecht
    Weight: 8.359 grams
    Composition: .900 gold, .100 copper
    Diameter: (1839-1840) 22.5mm. (1840-1929) 21.6mm
    Reeded edge
    Net weight: .24187 oz. pure gold

    8. Variety 2 - Motto Above Eagle 1866-1908

    Designer: Christian Gobrecht
    Weight: 8.359 grams
    Composition: .900 gold, .100 copper
    Diameter: 21.6mm
    Reeded edge
    Mints: Philadelphia, Carson City, Denver, New Orleans, San Francisco
    Net weight: .24187 oz. pure gold

    one would think i could quickly google and find about any reeding
    change... which i am not finding...

    not a good sign.

    oooh, what if someone shaved off some gold and then cut their own
    reeding back into the coin???
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,705 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>ooh, what if someone shaved off some gold and then cut their own
    reeding back into the coin??? >>



    Would be really easy to check. Compare the weight and diameter of the suspect coin with the mint specs.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 8,968 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The late 1800s gold half eagles from the San Francisco Mint generally have much finer reeding than those from the Philadelphia Mint.
    What mint are your coins from ?


  • << <i>The late 1800s gold half eagles from the San Francisco Mint generally have much finer reeding than those from the Philadelphia Mint.
    What mint are your coins from ? >>



    Hmm... All of my 1880ish coind are marked S. The 1898 has no mint mark.
  • Sorry my first attempt at pics. Changed lighting half way through. the coins are the same color but the lighting change makes one look cleaner than the other.


    The 1898 is on the left, 1887 S on right. Reeding example


    image


    1898 Front



    image


    1898 Back


    image


    1887 S Front
    image

    1887 S Back
    image
  • DaveGDaveG Posts: 3,535
    If you want us to comment on the coins' reeding, you have to show us their edges.


    Edited to add: If your 1898 half eagle doesn't have a mintmark, then it's from the Philadelphia mint.

    Check out the Southern Gold Society



  • << <i>If you want us to comment on the coins' reeding, you have to show us their edges. >>



    Sorry that first link refuses to work...

    image
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,622 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>The late 1800s gold half eagles from the San Francisco Mint generally have much finer reeding than those from the Philadelphia Mint.
    What mint are your coins from ? >>



    What he said........
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 8,968 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>The late 1800s gold half eagles from the San Francisco Mint generally have much finer reeding than those from the Philadelphia Mint.
    What mint are your coins from ? >>



    Hmm... All of my 1880ish coind are marked S. The 1898 has no mint mark. >>



    Well, there you go. (No mint mark means Philadelphia). The coins appear to be genuine.
  • What kind of condition are they in grade wise?
  • BlindedByEgoBlindedByEgo Posts: 10,754 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>What kind of condition are they in grade wise? >>



    Hard to tell from the photos - I'm seeing double image

    1898 appears au/unc details, possibly cleaned (could just be bad reflections in the pics), the 1887 not quite as good.

    Impossible to give more than an impression - can't grade from even good photos with any degree of certainty...

    You may want to review some of the photo threads here, and get a copy stand or tripod to reduce shake.

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