1853 Half (expertly tooled)

rhedden

This coin is an excellent example of how easily (and deceptively) a coin can be altered by tooling. The arrows at the date are missing, and the work was done so well that the seller may not have even noticed it. I can't even tell from the photo.

1853 "No Arrows" (but "with rays") half dollar

Unknown

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BillJones

Despite its age a coin like that is not worth much more than melt IMO.

Walkerguy21D

I'm guessing he didn't notice - he has hundreds of coins running continuously.
On a different note, I was surprised to see most everything he has (avg 'collector' coins) is drawing multiple bids.

BigE

<< <i>I'm guessing he didn't notice - he has hundreds of coins running continuously.
On a different note, I was surprised to see most everything he has (avg 'collector' coins) is drawing multiple bids. >>




Multiple bids because they all started @ .99 cents and no reserve and there is only hours left-----------------------------BigE

scotty1419

Isnt he a board member? Looks like it closed.

rhedden

I wasn't questioning the seller- just saying that if it were a dime or quarter, the tooling would have been just about impossible to detect. It looks like a very old tooling job that toned over.

Twinturbo

Tooling job is pretty good, but whats the point in only tooling the observe and not the reverse?

roadrunner

<< <i>I wasn't questioning the seller- just saying that if it were a dime or quarter, the tooling would have been just about impossible to detect. It looks like a very old tooling job that toned over. >>



On the dime maybe....but the quarter has rays on the reverse as well. Unless one intends on removing all signs of the rays to create a rare 1853 na quarter it's a fruitless exercise
to only do the obverse. The half will at best only sell for what a normal A&R half sells for. Fwiw on one occasion I did buy a somewhat decently done 53 A&R quarter parading around as
an 1853 na. The coin was good enough that I bought it at a show for $20 and figured I'd check it more closely at home...was worth the risk imo. Turned out to be tooled and then
smoked over to hide it. Totally missed it at the show.

roadrunner

Frankcoins

This was done around the time of issue by someone who thought they could pass it off as an earlier, higher
weight coin to get the 7% premium over melt that the older 13.36 gram coins broght.

rec78

That's actually pretty neat-I like it. But it just goes to show how easy it would be to remove a mint-mark from a worn coin.
Bob

rhedden

I tend to agree that it looked like a Civil War era alteration that was put back into circulation.



Edited to add: someone alerted the seller, and he quickly and politely removed the listing. Seems like a stand-up guy.

LindeDad

<< <i>That's actually pretty neat-I like it. But it just goes to show how easy it would be to remove a mint-mark from a worn coin.
Bob >>



I used to have a XF40 1914 Barber half in a ACG slab that came back from PCGS as Altered Mint Mark removed. Well I guess I still do have it in it's BB around here some where.
Still do it's in the junk jar.

johnny9434

looks like the owner pulled it from auction there. just as well