Are ealy half disme coins often counterfeit?
superpsychmd
Posts: 1,300 ✭✭✭
Are many floating around? Curious...
0
Comments
<< <i>Are many floating around? Curious... >>
I have seen virtually no early half dimes or dismes that were counterfeit. There are some early copies, like the obverse only piece of an 1800 that was listed for years in the Judd pattern coin book.
Most of the time the problems with these coins are that they have been severly beat up, cleaned or given a layer of artificial toning.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
<< <i>Half Dimes or Half Dismes? >>
I was about to ask the same question. If, by the term "half disme" you mean only the 1792 half disme, then counterfeits, either contemporary or modern, are very few and extremely far between. Generally the term "half disme" is reserved for only the 1792 issue, but it has been used by some to include other early date half dimes, as well, particularly the Flowing Hair issues of 1794 - 1795.
On the other hand, if you mean to include other early date half dimes in your description, then counterfeits can be found, but still remain very elusive. A dozen or more years ago, numismatist and numismatic author Russell Logan had accumulated what many considered to be the largest known collection of counterfeit Bust half dimes, consisting of but a handful of examples - perhaps just one each - of a Flowing Hair and Draped Bust, and perhaps two of the Capped Bust design, but no 1792 half dismes. I now have eight examples of contemporary counterfeit half dimes, but only after a concerted effort of thirty years, all except the 1795 being cast counterfeits, as follows:
2 1795 LM-10/V4 Very deceptive die struck examples
1 1830 LM-7/V7 Cast counterfeit
1 1832 LM-5/V8 Cast counterfeit
1 1834 LM-2/V1 Cast counterfeit
1 1841-O Cast counterfeit
1 1871 Cast counterfeit
1 1874-O Cast counterfeit
The 1795 die struck counterfeits are extremely difficult to detect using conventional, observational methods, or even by weighing, as they were die struck using dies made using the spark erosion process, and lack the porous surfaces typically seen on cast counterfeits. They must be detected using specific gravity measurements. The other cast counterfeits are, for the most part, easy to detect, mostly from the porous surfaces resulting from being cast in sand molds.
The 1874-O half dime I am still undecided about - maybe counterfeit, maybe not.
<< <i>
<< <i>Half Dimes or Half Dismes? >>
The title of the thread clearly says "half disme". >>
I know that. But did he spell his question correctly?
<< <i>
<< <i>Half Dimes or Half Dismes? >>
The title of the thread clearly says "half disme". >>
To be fair I've read that the word "disme" appeared in Treasury reports until the 1830s. In other words it applied to all half dimes from the 1792 to 1805 era.
<< <i>Guys, sorry I dropped the r in early but I did mean disme, as in a very early half dime. >>
No need for any apology, but have we, between us, adequately answered your question?
<< <i>Pretty much, but do you think that counterfeits are of monetary value? Are they worth anything? >>
Depends when they were approximately made.
Recent versions = no value other than their novelty
~50-year old examples = could have some decent value
19th century versions would definitely have a decent value depending on how it looks
2. The Gallery Mint produced copies in 2003. Some were marked COPY on the obverse and others marked COPY on the reverse.
3. Copies were produced by an unknown source with proof surfaces and frosted devices, marked COPY on the reverse.
4. Recent copies are coming out of China with no COPY marking and matt surfaces.
5. There may be 250 surviving original pieces and thousands of the various copies.
6. An 1863 electrotype copy would probably have some value.
7. Modern copies can be bought for less than $2 each. They are sold for whatever the seller and buyer can agree is fair.