Is this an error coin? 1851-O $2 1/2 Gold Liberty - UPDATE
jwitten
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What are your thoughts on this coin? Very nice doubling of the date, which I will have them notate when/if graded, but is it a planchet flaw? Very unique looking, in my opinion. Calling @FredWeinberg 
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The surface of your coin is split-away. It is called a lamination error.
I've had a few lamination errors... but this is the first I've seen that shows on the other side as well. Is that normal?
There looks to be damage to the rim corresponding to the visible lam.
Could someone have possible drilled into the coin and therefore damaged both sides
post striking ?
Can you detect anything looking at the rim ?
Definitely a lamination error on BOTH sides of the coin. That was some messed up strip.
Neat recutting on the date!
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
Very interesting ... especially on a gold coin. Cheers, RickO
It is still on the way to me. I'll take a look when it arrives.
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this type of error goes back to the metal being mixed/poured to make the coin stock, long flat sheets of metal, from which coin blanks are punched out. it is not really average to see this much metal inconsistency in the mixture being visible from the obv/rev both but there are a bunch out there with silver, not as many with gold/copper. especially for the size of the error vs the coin size ratio. if this were a morgan per se, it would be very dramatic.
once the blanks/flans get slammed by the dies, it usually exacerbates the effect since the metal is rather brittle (for lack of a better word) in the area of inconsistency. the effect is visible from rim to rim, i'd say almost certainly only from the poor mixture itself, not pmd.
the tpg as a rule tend to frown on this type of error when it comes to grading and usually causes an item to come back without grading, except with details. error service is an option, perhaps beneficial in certain circumstances like this but it isn't cheap and good advice/research is required.
that is a good educational piece for the date/mm/error/variety/type etc.
that is a rather dramatics rpd you have there as well.
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cool coin. looks like a bad planchet/lamination error to me.
Ngc will holder and label these as errors, pcgs will not, unfortunately. I bought a $2 1/2 Indian that had a peeling lamination error that was labeled as such by pcgs, but not graded or holdered. After doing some research, I found out they do not grade or holder ones they feel may come off during the holdering process. I sent it to NGC, and they graded and holdered it. I wish PCGS would change their policy on this, or at least give us the option to waive them for being responsible if it gets damaged. I would rather have it in a pcgs holder, but if it looks like it will grade to me, it will be headed to ngc. Here is the one I sent to ngc awhile back:
thanks for the reminder and sounds like you know what you're doing.
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Large occluded gas bubble in the alloy causing the surface to delaminate on both sides of the bubble.
Very cool!
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I don't think that is the case; however, I was not there at the time either.
@jwitten
The folks who assemble coins at the major TPGS are very experienced. I know of occasions when one of the long-time persons (since promoted to run the department) assembles a difficult piece. Even an experienced grader
has done it at two of the TPGS's. If you think about it, anyone can figure out which side to insert the coin into the holder so the lamination will not rip off. Prong holders have probably eliminated the need for any special treatment.
Only pressure from collectors and dealers will "POSSIBLY" cause any change to a TPGS policy.
I like it,,, earlier gold, New Orleans mint, repunched date, lamination error obverse and reverse,,, lot going on.
Just received it. I think the obverse has been cleaned, darn it. Any way to dull that down before I get her graded?
LOL. Come on to a TPGS forum asking how to "doctor" a coin takes balls.
Give it a couple years on a sunny windowsill near pet birds or gas stoves that get a lot of activity.
If there is a natural way to take the shine off, I don't really consider that doctoring, haha. If it is handled a bit like it would in circulation, it might lower the grade a bit, but would it take the unnatural shine off? It's borderline right now I think. The seller pictures did not look cleaned to me, but it has just a bit of shine to the obverse in hand. I've seen some straight graded like this, so there's always a chance they let it pass since it's so unique of a piece.
NGC grades these and PCGS doesn’t ?
Ive met guys who crack-out , yet it is interesting seeing someone wanting a “crack-in” .
I am hoping to get it sent to NGC tomorrow. I will also be sending a 1927 $2 1/2 with a cud error, and a New Zealand gold medal. Any guesses on grades? I think the 1851 will probably come back cleaned, and I think the 1927 is 70/30, 70% chance
of a straight grade, 30% cleaned. I wouldn't be surprised if either go either way, honestly though.
It's an error AND a variety.
Yup, which I think is very cool! I just really wish it would straight grade, but I doubt it does. Still a great looking coin even if it comes back cleaned.
Grades for both coins just posted today. Anyone want to take a shot at how they did?
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indian ms63
lib head xf45
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Indian AU53
Liberty XF45
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Hard to tell from the pics.; JWitten did you hit it big?
Well, they both straight graded, which I was not expecting, so I am pleased!
It was a coin I could see going either way. I have seen some (by both companies) with this look graded both cleaned and straight.
Results, I've been on the edge of my seat expecting your results, JWitten....On the unnatural "shine" you mentioned, I remember what Bill of Westwood once said, take a little nose grease and apply it and it should grade fine, lol.
The Indian graded MS61, and the Liberty graded AU53!