Speaking of fingerprints,

lcoopie

Has anyone heard of an coin having a print,
which was then identified by the authorities,
perhaps being from a famous person of the past, etc?

This kind of print I would like,
and perhaps the grading services
could work with the FBI and put it on the slab
for big bucks

garsmith

I think it would be hard to lift a full print off of a coin unless it was a coin with lots of open field like a silver dollar

lcoopie

you are probably right,
but I don't think a full print is needed for an identification
especially not a court worthy identification

Hussulo

As far as I'm aware fingerprints can take years to show up on a coin. If you handle a coin wrongly today it might be years before the print shows up on the coin. This is due to the acids from your finger slowly eating into the coin.

Even if the coin did belong to them (famous person) and the coin showed no fingerprints prior to entering their collection, it would still be hard to prove the print was from them and not from somebody else whom held it previously (as the print can take years to develop), or a friend of theirs that was taking a look at the coin.

dizzyfoxx

I have an old Seated 1871-CC half with Jesse James's fingerprint on it. Not because I've identified it and know it for a fact, but because the fingerprint could be of anybody so why not Jesse James? It makes collecting just that much more interesting when you have a wild imagination.

habaraca

Yeah that famous Bank robbery back in the 30's.

Billy Blackjack and his accomplish, Harold robbed the First Bank and Trust in
Littlerock Ar.

They got bags and bags of Morgans from the vault.

Billy trying to be cute gave one to a waitress in a cafe they stopped at on the way out of town.

Later when the Feds started following the trail they tracked them to the dinner and when asked if
anyone had seen these folks, pictures of known robbers the waitress recognized Billy since she remembered the Silver Dollar,
having never, received one as a tip before.

Well long story short version they matched Billy's prints off the Morgan and prints found at the Bank.

So it was Lady Liberty that eventually took Billy's Liberty away.

JRocco

I wonder if a coin will ever sell for a major premium because someone famous left a print on it.
Imagine a provable original Elvis print, or better yet-a solid full Longacre print !!!!

lcoopie

maybe CSI should take a look at that 1933 Saint