A really bad way to deter theft - Collector stamped their coins with COPY?

WinLoseWin

This coin was stamped by the old owner from home with COPY on the reverse field. This coin came from an estate find and was taken to a shop and has been verified as a genuine peace dollar original owner stamped it to deter theft at one point in time

From ebay of course and someone left positive feedback for it too:



http://www.ebay.com/itm/1921-P...ig_cvip=true&rt=nc









Could it possibly be real? Finding this story hard to believe. Though it is from an "estate find", so you know its gotta be true.



It may be an idea that works. Keeps me from wanting it. Better get stamping.

Dentuck

Haaaaaaa!

AUandAG

I have seen a collector do that before and thought it was just nuts. He had passed and his wife said their sons friends were stealing Dads coins so he stamped them on the reverse. They were in blue whitmans and unless you pulled one out you did not see the COPY just like the one you posted. Maybe from the same collector? Or at least his coins. I bought the collection and sold the COPY's off as silver years ago.



bob

Dentuck

1. No collector savvy enough to be acquiring key dates would be foolish enough to mutilate his investments this way.

2. How exactly does the word COPY deter theft? It would definitely deter resale . . . but would it really deter a thief from stealing the coin?

WinLoseWin

Originally posted by: AUandAG



I have seen a collector do that before and thought it was just nuts. He had passed and his wife said their sons friends were stealing Dads coins so he stamped them on the reverse. They were in blue whitmans and unless you pulled one out you did not see the COPY just like the one you posted. Maybe from the same collector? Or at least his coins. I bought the collection and sold the COPY's off as silver years ago.



bob

Interesting. Never heard of anyone doing that before. While reading your comment was just thinking that, if the 1921 is real, it might have originated from your source.

Dentuck

Originally posted by: AUandAG
I have seen a collector do that before and thought it was just nuts. He had passed and his wife said their sons friends were stealing Dads coins so he stamped them on the reverse. They were in blue whitmans and unless you pulled one out you did not see the COPY just like the one you posted. Maybe from the same collector? Or at least his coins. I bought the collection and sold the COPY's off as silver years ago.

bob

Why would he stamp them COPY? Why not stamp them with his name, or his initials?!

291fifth

Keep in mind that an 1804 dollar has a "d" stamped into it.

TommyType

"I know how to prevent people from stealing my Porsche! I'll dent all of the quarter panels, and put a big crack in the windshield. I'm a freakin' GENIUS!!"

rhedden

I could only see such a practice being viable with junk silver and gold bullion that has near-zero numismatic value. Even then, who would want to buy a bunch of gold bullion coins that are stamped "COPY"? The other ridiculous thing is that no thief or burglar is going to stop and inspect your coins to see if they are authentic! Burglar mindset: smash the window, chuck all the bright shiny things in a burlap sack, and run!!!!

toyz4geo

Originally posted by: TommyType
"I know how to prevent people from stealing my Porsche! I'll dent all of the quarter panels, and put a big crack in the windshield. I'm a freakin' GENIUS!!"

LOL

CCDollar

It's just like people who "etched" their drivers license number on their guns in the '60's (thought to be a good idea at the time). A lot of nice colts and winchesters are worth nothing today.
CC

AUandAG

I never met the guy's son only his wife. She told me the story. I had no option but to believe her. The Husband was in another world and could not be asked. I scratched my head for a better part of ten minutes just looking at the dollars all marked copy. What to do with them?? What to pay??? They were still worth the silver and I offered and bought based on that.

Sold them off in rolls on ebay for scrap/silver value....



bob

topstuf

I bet not many people will COPY this practice.

jmski52

"I know how to prevent people from stealing my Porsche! I'll dent all of the quarter panels, and put a big crack in the windshield. I'm a freakin' GENIUS!!"

If you're interested, I have just the car for you!

garrynot

It's nuts because the least knowledgeable thief would steal the coins for just being silver.

Bob1951

I am sure that a thief is not going to examine the coin before he steals it. Could be true, just makes no sense to me.

thebeav

That's nothing new.....I stamped all my coins years ago. You should see the 'micro' stamp I had made for my Cal golds.....lol

291fifth

Originally posted by: CCDollar
It's just like people who "etched" their drivers license number on their guns in the '60's (thought to be a good idea at the time). A lot of nice colts and winchesters are worth nothing today.
CC

Even worse, many police departments were promoting the engraving of your social security number onto items of value in the 1970s.

topstuf

I never steal anything that doesn't have an acceptable return policy!

Unknown

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ricko

This is the most ridiculous - and illogical - thing I have heard in many years. Cheers, RickO

CaptHenway

No sane person would do this, but there are lots of crazy people out there. I remember reading some dealer's story back in the 70's about a time he was at a show when a man came up to his table with a $50 California slug, octagonal, who said he wanted to sell it. The dealer looked it up and said he would pay "$xxxx" as soon as he was sure it was genuine. The man picked up the coin and slammed one of the corners onto the concrete floor and said "See that dent? That proves it's good gold!" (or something like that). Don't know why he didn't just bite it like in the old movies.



Anyways, the dealer immediately lowered his offer and the man accused him of being a crook and stormed off.

CommemKing

That's just dumb.

CaptHenway

Originally posted by: rhedden

I could only see such a practice being viable with junk silver and gold bullion that has near-zero numismatic value. Even then, who would want to buy a bunch of gold bullion coins that are stamped "COPY"? The other ridiculous thing is that no thief or burglar is going to stop and inspect your coins to see if they are authentic! Burglar mindset: smash the window, chuck all the bright shiny things in a burlap sack, and run!!!!

This

topstuf

IIRC, smoe ancients and foreigns I had early on had painted numbers and I was told that was Farouk's practice.

asheland

Crazy stuff! That peace dollar actually looks legit.

WinLoseWin

Originally posted by: topstuf



I bet not many people will COPY this practice.

asheland

lol