1859 Canada Cent - Contemporary counterfeit?

candy2012mustang

I had this one for a while - I'm not sure what exactly it is. Experts?

It is a little underweight at 2.9DWT - when my authentic 1876 is 3.4DWT

Pokermandude

Any chance that the metal is brass rather than copper? Kinda has that color. Brass is about 6% lighter than copper, but the weight difference is about 15% lighter than it should be.

It's a long shot, but the brass type is extremely rare. Much better chance of it being a counterfeit, especially with that grainy look.

candy2012mustang

The surface is grainy, pitted - like corroded. The color is def. lighter than it should be..

Why would anybody counterfeit a 1859 Canada cent....

mrpotatoheadd

<< <i>The surface is grainy, pitted - like corroded. The color is def. lighter than it should be.. >>

Buried, dug up and cleaned?

candy2012mustang

under the scope the pits have green in them - i had thought that they were air bubbles from a cast..

Looks like corrosion to me, and dipped/cleaned.

That still doesnt resolve the fact that it is so underweight...There really is very little pitting on the coin to have that much weight difference, and the "ring" of the coin doesnt sound the same as a normal canadian 1C.

I also see die cracks, and other die markers under the scope that further make me think that it is a real coin.

1960NYGiants

The 1859 cent was lighter than the 1876H to start with: 4.54 vs. 5.67 grams. So no surprise there.

Your example has enviromental damage and been harshly cleaned.

YQQ

here are the coins side by side each side..
you be the juge. I will email MM to see what he thinks.

forgot: the 1859 coins should weigh in at 4.54 grams compared to 5.67 grams.

olmanjon

The vines are almost complete on your example. That alone makes it more valuable. Even though pitted still a nice coin.
Olmanjon

ormandh

It appears to have been dug and cleaned.

How do you decide if it is a brass piece though? Color, weight, or die strike? -Dan