1892-O Barber Half... not for those with weak stomachs.

thecoinlook

Posting it here in the main forum in case you didn't open the barber mega-thread
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Here is quite an interesting piece.

1892-
Major-
Micro-O

The coin was almost certainly new when the pin was put on.

Should this be sent off to the experts to remove the solder and pin and repair the coin?

Swampboy

The horror.

savoyspecial

>>Should this be sent off to the experts to remove the solder and pin and repair the coin?>>


i vote no.....leave it intact as the interesting (and rare) example of exonumia that it is

savoyspecial

besides, there are collectors who collect 'Catastrophic Key Dates' with all varieties of PMD (a member here, HoledAndCreative comes to mind)

coolest

key date coins seem to find their way into jewelery

I dont think that pin had much use.

looks like original skin also

tydye

I say leave it as is. It is cool. If the pin is removed and repaired then it will end up being a problem coin.

crypto79

That should absolutely be sent to a coin repair person and If I recall there is a family that specializes in stuff like that. Bet it still has it's PL flash under the heavy tone. If they can keep the impact low to the skin it is still a 3-4k coin in a GEN holder with the pin removed

savoyspecial

trust me, if you remove the pin-back it will look awful

jesbroken

No brainer, in my opinion, with only less than 100 known and solder melting point so low and silver at 1600F. Let's save a rare coin, if possible, not a piece of jewelry. Even a gennie, in the condition indicated would be an extreme rarity.
Jim

AnkurJ

Not sure how much you can get off, but its worth a shot. Call a good coin doc!

Justlooking

I'd take a shot at saving it. They might have roughed up the surface of the coin to help the solder stick ... but you can always re-solder it if you change your mind.

Unknown

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illini420

Pretty cool coin and neat find, even if someone hurt it a bid 100+ years ago. I'd probably leave it alone. Unless you way overpaid for it, I'd guess you can still make a reasonable profit on that one selling it to a Barber collector as is, w/o the risk of destroying the coin.

shorecoll

You should have done a GTG on the obverse only...and then shown the reverse. You'd have gotten quite a few , I think.

MFH

"thecoinlook" - Thanks for letting me know
your table number - Glenn & I will be stopping by
later this afternoon for set up and we're both eager
to see this coin broach.

My stomach turned when I first looked at it.

Meltdown

Wow. What a shame, still it has been very well preserved considering. I like the surface appearance and would love to see it in person.
Keep us all posted with whatever you decide to do with it.

rhedden

Yes, repair it! Make sure your "expert" is really an expert. I have seen so many similar problem coins ruined by idiots with Dremel tools who wanted to be paid for their "expertise." Check out my 1871-CC quarter below, for example. It may actually be possible for a knowledgeable person to dissolve the solder using a chemical or electrochemical process, rather than melting or tooling it off. While this method would strip the patina off the coin for certain, I'd rather have a bright white coin without any mechanical damage from removing the pin.

messydesk

Oh, the humanity!

Count me in with the group that wants it repaired by someone who is highly qualified to do so.

ziggy29

jessecarlk

i say wear it as often as you can.

HoledandCreative

Keep intact. Especially, if I have a shot at buying it.

There are a lot of ruined ex-jewelry coins on the market.

I am sure your market would be a lot broader if the coin were ex-jewelry, even if it didn't turn out so nice. I don't know what mainline collectors would value it at. I don't know what the "doctors" charge.

Twinturbo

Have the pin removed plus soder.
If you find someone good let me know I have a bunch of key date exunomia/jewelry seated halves that I'm looking to properly repair or make market acceptable.
Thanks

magikbilly

I would leave this as is. It can only get less "original" and "worse" - if not, we are talking moving metal and "restoring" this to what appearance? Will we etch full disclosure between the reeds? Good restoration is always slightly visible and always reversible, in painting anyway. I am not meaning to imply anyone had anything in mind, but if this were really well done...... . . . .

Eric

clackamas

Could you use a lead electroplating solution, and remove the lead, then try tin, that should do it without heat.

thecoinlook

Just an update. This coin has found a new home thanks to MFH!!
It was nice meeting you in Pittsburgh!

keyman64

Ouch!

MFH

<< <i>Just an update. This coin has found a new home thanks to MFH!!
It was nice meeting you in Pittsburgh! >>



It was great meeting you and Larry in Pittsburgh.

I had such a hunch that JMW would have liked it too !

robkool

OUCH !!!

johnny9434

omg, those criminals the horror of it

JMW

It did make it to a new home, mine. Thanks Mike for being my shopper/previewer, this would have been a tough deal to get done from so far away. It was also a pleasure doing business with Larry Briggs. I do plan on having the coin restored with the hope of getting it into a Genuine holder. The detail is quite amazing and if the coin wasn't "pinned" it may never have survived as well as it did.

MFH

Thanks for the update, JMW.

Looking forward to your new images being posted here
to compare them with the old ones.

LanLord

<< <i>Posting it here in the main forum in case you didn't open the barber mega-thread
------------------------------------------
Here is quite an interesting piece.

1892-
Major-
Micro-O

The coin was almost certainly new when the pin was put on.

Should this be sent off to the experts to remove the solder and pin and repair the coin?

>>

Pin that on Lord Minivan's vest!

Copperguy

I almost threw up

Copperguy

I bet PCGS body bags it

coinkat

Leave this as it is because if repairs are attempted, it will only go downhill from there. At least in its current state, someone made a decision to do this- perhaps to celebrate the first year this design entered circulation- and at least it remains in a well preserved state for that intended purpose.

Coinosaurus

The half dollar doesn't bother me, but I will have bad dreams about the 71-CC quarter

lkeigwin

Has it been restored yet? Love to see some photos.

I guess I don't get why anyone would want to wear a coin as a broach, particularly one with Lady Liberty looking like that. But then, from the looks of it, no one did.
Lance.

fivecents

I hope the restoration turns out well JMW.

ajaan

I was told the only way to get the solder off was with mercury. Not real nice stuff to work with.

DrPete

I would love to find out what happens with this coin. It would seem that solder itself may not have "harmed" the coin, and the heat for soldering is not hot enough to melt 90%silver/10% copper from what I understand; that doesn't mean it didn't discolor or cause other metal to metal issues. However, whatever method is used to "restore" this, heat or chemical, may leave traces on the coin, or at the very least the color or toning of the reverse may be markedly different in the areas where the solder has been. I wonder if there are people with experience that have done this or one could gain experience practicing on much less valuable coins to figure out the best way to go. I have a brother who is an engineer, and he specializes in metallurgy, and soldering. I may ask him.

I saw this piece and had the opportunity to buy it, but I passed. It still is intriguing to me. Mostly I would hope it could be restored as an intact and high-grade micro O.

lordmarcovan

<< <i>Pin that on Lord Minivan's vest! >>

I'd make an exception to the "holeys only" rule for something like that.

Broadstruck

Doesn't PCGS now have deeper slabs for medals that could accompany this as is in a genuine holder

lordmarcovan

<< <i>besides, there are collectors who collect 'Catastrophic Key Dates' with all varieties of PMD (a member here, HoledAndCreative comes to mind) >>

H&C is the king, but speaking of "catastrophic key dates", here are two of mine:






THAT ain't gonna buff out.

MFH

It's not my place to post the After Pictures, I'll leave that up to JMW .

Have at it Joe, ( once you've stopped shoveling the snow on your driveway),
while I go out to the pool and use the net to get Spanish moss out of pool water.
Darned nuisance.



Edit: Looks like Joe has more snow than I thought humanly possible.
I guess his son's not much help while he's away at college.

savoyspecial

did we ever get to see repaired pics?

coinkat

was it even repaired?

crypto79

<< <i>was it even repaired? >>



yes and I have seen the pictures, let me see if I can find them
the before and after pic

DIMEMAN

Wow that looks great. That looks good enough to straight grade!

MFH

I was waiting for JMW to post the images - and mentioned so above - last February, 2012.

I believe he held off for reasons only known to him.

I've seen the coin - and I defy anyone to see the repair or any
disturbance on the surfaces.

Again, I will wait for JMW to continue this conversation.

lkeigwin

Wow! That work is superb. I'd like to hear about it, if it's not some trade secret.
Lance.

7Jaguars

Is that the coin on our favorite doctor's site? He did almost the exact coin if I am not mistaken...