1893 Isabella Quarter copper electrotype???

coinsarefun

My copper Isabella arrived today. I still don't know if it is cast, electrotype or something else.
The original thread is here

Take a look and tell me what you think.



Stefanie














Head on colors turned to neutral and light straight down on it.









the colors are of on my dinolite but you should get the idea.

the reverse does have a die break.























close up of face and cheek

savoyspecial

have you weighed it yet?

greg

PerryHall

What does it weigh?

…

very cool

coinsarefun

I knew I forgot to include something
It weighs 3.7 grams.



Stefanie

STONE

Great picks Steph

I would just consult some experts in Commems, Patterns, or Authentication in order to get the best answer on this piece.

I still think it's very cool and could be a mystery for a while.

PerryHall

<< <i>I knew I forgot to include something
It weighs 3.7 grams. >>



Are you sure? Should weigh 6.25 g.

coinsarefun

<< <i>

<< <i>I knew I forgot to include something
It weighs 3.7 grams. >>



Are you sure? Should weigh 6.25 g. >>










double checked its 3.7 g




Stefanie

Broadstruck

All the details on this Isa are soft and rounded... it looks cast to me.

Broadstruck

Broadstruck

Look how sharp the letters are on a silver Isa.

The 1893 on the obverse of your looks like wax B-Day cake candle numbers.

commoncents05

Details are even softer than I thought after seeing the original thread. I think it is counterfeit.

-Paul

richardshipp

I still don't know what it is either... but it is way up there on the cool meter.

drwstr123

Judging by the voids, it's a cast copy.

coinsarefun

OK, tried 2 new images. Aimed camera straight on it with light from top down, color dialed to neutral.




Stefanie

Broadstruck

Was there a money back return option on this Isa

tmot99

Stefanie:

I still don't like it. I don't know what it is, but still doesn't look like anything original. But that's just my opinion and I am not an expert.

CoinRaritiesOnline

Almost certainly an electrotype. Very cool, very collectable, and very much worth what you paid.

Congrats on having something almost no one else has, for less than the price of what a damaged VF Isabella would bring!

SomeGuyFromMichigan

Cool piece!
Lucky find...
Dave at CoinRaritiesOnline, how many have you seen?

Broadstruck

It's still just a counterfeit copy, as when you state "Cast" people shrug... but add "Electro" to anything and there's instant Ooh's!

If it is a electrotype, and you decide to keep it your going to have to send it out for lab testing as it may just have a skim leaf coating of copper, as the core could be lead, zinc, pewter, etc.

BECOKA

So why does being electrotype make this valuable?

Oh and what the heck is electrotype?

Broadstruck

<< <i>So why does being electrotype make this valuable?

Oh and what the heck is electrotype? >>





Here's 2 definitions of a Electrotype


A copy or reproduction of a coin or medal made by the chemical process of electro-deposition (electroplating). These pieces, made in two halves and then glued or soldered together, can be very deceptive. The best method of detection is a light tap on the rim which will not yield the charastic ringing sound of a genuine coin.

A duplicate coin created by the electrolytic method, where metal is deposited into a mold made from the original. The obverse and reverse metal shells are then filled with metal and fused together. The edges are then sometimes filed smooth to obscure the seam.

CaptHenway

Not a Mint product, but I would like to see it before speculating as to how it was made.
A counterfeit, perhaps an old one. Have never seen one like it.
TD

intocoins

Look at the rim pictures and notice how all the lines are going the same way as if someone sanded it on a grinding wheel. I don't know errors that well, but I would say it's an electro-type bonded together on some kind of a copper alloy. Well @ 3.7 grams it's probably to light to be a copper alloy, perhaps copper plated. Did you ever put a caliber on it?

CoinRaritiesOnline

<< <i>Cool piece!
Lucky find...
Dave at CoinRaritiesOnline, how many have you seen? >>



I have never seen an electro of an Isabella quarter.

Someone who knows how to do it (I don't) and has access to an Isabella 25c (not too hard) can make another one, of course, but it is still pretty neat. I suspect it was made some time ago.

PerryHall

Based on the weight being way off, it's got to be a counterfeit. I'm surprised that whoever made this "coin" didn't finish it by adding a reeded edge and silver plating the finished product.

DaveG

A year or so ago, I was a bystander as Dave Hayes (one of the authors of the updated SCD book) showed one of these to njcoincrank - they weren't sure what it was either, but thought it might be an electrotype.

As for me, I wasn't going to express an ignorant opinion in front of two experts, but I did like this design much better in copper than I do in silver.

coinsarefun

I have decided that this is a keeper
My original impression of this coin was that is or may be an electrotype.
IMO I think that it is one rather than cast.....but I am far from an expert.

I think it will go great with my token collection!

I also bought this because I love the look of a copper Isabella.
How often do you see these? I also think that this was made
long time ago and great quality.

Thanks to everyone and their opinions.



Stefanie







my newest image.

Preussen

<< <i> my newest image.

>>

For comparison. -Preussen

notwilight

Based on the weight it is likely zinc with a copper coating--maybe it is a modern mint copy.

Very cool.

--Jerry