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What would you tell the guy who found this ?

TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,651 ✭✭✭✭✭

He found it along a body of water in the sand.

I told him I would ASK the experts

Any help is appreciated. I tried to get him to calm down, at least until he finds out the coinfacts.

Comments

  • FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 5,932 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Brass replica

    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors for PCGS. A 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.
  • JBKJBK Posts: 16,531 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Fake. Seems to be plated.

  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,651 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks Fred. I tried to tell him the initials (at least the E) was missing the serif, for one thing. Then I mentioned other "pick up" points to look for , like the design of the wreath and how the leaves were flowing opposite the original. I don't blame anyone for the excitement and exuberance, in a find along the dusty trails, or river's edges.

    I'm glad we still have treasure seekers.

  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,651 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 10, 2018 10:11AM

    He said he knows brass and "this isn't brass". Though, am not going to dissuade his excitement. I want to encourage study. I steered him here. ( PCGS Coin Facts, actually ) My bad.

  • oih82w8oih82w8 Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sunny side is "heads"...the other side with the "bird" is tails.

    oih82w8 = Oh I Hate To Wait _defectus patientia_aka...Dr. Defecto - Curator of RMO's

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  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 29,441 ✭✭✭✭✭

    looks bogus to me just saying

  • BlindedByEgoBlindedByEgo Posts: 10,754 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'd tell him "Cool! Thanks for sharing" :)

  • JBKJBK Posts: 16,531 ✭✭✭✭✭

    At least you are running interference and posting this for him. That way we are spared the direct defiance to answers he does not want to hear. ;)

    I am not even sure what that thing is supposed to be - a Brasher Doubloon maybe? It looks two toned to me - a gold colored plating over a silvery base metal. The EB which should be a stamped into a genuine coin is just part of the design on this cast replica.

    I am all for treasure hunting, but unless someone knows what treasure actually looks like they are going to waste a lot of time and energy.

    A lot of new collectors (especially ones who think they have found an error) insist on believing the coin is genuine unless proven to them otherwise, which is an impossible task since they refuse to listen to experienced people. It should be the other way around - approach the potentially valuable finds with extreme skepticism until it can be proven that they are real.

  • hookooekoohookooekoo Posts: 381 ✭✭✭
    edited May 10, 2018 10:37AM

    While I don't know anything about this particular item, that fact that color has been worn off the high points makes me want to agree with the conclusion of replica.

    First of all, the design simply looks like something that is old enough that it should pre-date any type of electro-plating or cladding of coinage that could get worn off to see a different metal under the plating/cladding.

    Second of all, even if the coin were young enough that it could be a multi-layer/multi-metal coin, seems like usually these layers are resilient enough that you seldom ever see a coin worn thru to the point that the under layer becomes exposed.

    (But then, I also don't know much about dark-side coins).

  • Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It is a white metal or lead imitation with a "gold colored" plating. Hie is the most circulated one of these I've seen. probably due to the action of the sand and water.

  • Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TwoSides2aCoin said:
    He said he knows brass and "this isn't brass". Though, am not going to dissuade his excitement. I want to encourage study. I steered him here. ( PCGS Coin Facts, actually ) My bad.

    Forgot to add the "brass" part of my reply. He is correct about the metal.

  • TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Tell him:
    Fun find, but don't retire yet

    Frank

    BHNC #203

  • REALGATORREALGATOR Posts: 2,667 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Would have been nice if it was this:

  • carabonnaircarabonnair Posts: 1,451 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think I have one of these. Maybe later I can post a pic.

  • AMRCAMRC Posts: 4,280 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Anyone who "finds" anything like this experiences a feeling of faith that every major religion in the world would like the recipe too. He will be the last one to accept it is a fake, do not try so hard to convince him, just tell him what you think and l let him "go through the steps"

    MLAeBayNumismatics: "The greatest hobby in the world!"
  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,959 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Don't dissuade him, tell him to send to PCGS for grading if he won't listed to reason. Many of us call that tuition.

    bob :)

    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • divecchiadivecchia Posts: 6,692 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 10, 2018 10:54AM

    I would say fun find, but keep looking.

    @REALGATOR Thanks for showing a real one.

    I guess, there is a slight bit of difference between the real coin and the one found.

    Donato

    Hobbyist & Collector (not an investor).
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  • LindeDadLindeDad Posts: 18,766 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Tell good luck on future hunts.

  • JBKJBK Posts: 16,531 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Besides, the "real treasure" is the quantity of more mundane finds that can add up to a nest egg large enough to buy something that is really made of gold. Assuming he is metal detecting, he should try to find satisfaction with a pile of more common stuff (coins, lost jewelry, etc.) and if the occasional huge find comes along, then fantastic.

    Everyone wants the big score, but a whole lot of smaller finds can also add up.

  • ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 6,799 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That one was just the decoy, the real one is probably buried another foot down.

    Collector, occasional seller

  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,844 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 10, 2018 12:11PM

    Looks pretty old. Counterfeiting is an old profession. Sitting in sand will age it quickly though.

  • 3keepSECRETif2rDEAD3keepSECRETif2rDEAD Posts: 4,285 ✭✭✭✭✭

    ...tell him to keep on digging till he gets to the real Chinese coins ;)

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Inexperienced individuals that find coins and other 'treasures' are most reluctant to accept the bad news. When I lived out west I was constantly brought 'gold nuggets'...that were fools gold. So easy to detect once understood... coins can be a tad more difficult sometimes....not in this case though. Cheers, RickO

  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 9,234 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TwoSides2aCoin said:
    He said he knows brass and "this isn't brass". Though, am not going to dissuade his excitement. I want to encourage study. I steered him here. ( PCGS Coin Facts, actually ) My bad.

    Not brass.
    But it is a gold-plated base-metal replica.

  • topstuftopstuf Posts: 14,803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I found these next to a body of water. I am positive they are not brass.
    Sorta.

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