Attribute this Massachusetts copper
jonathanb
Posts: 3,754 ✭✭✭✭✭
I got this piece as part of a larger group. It took me WAY too long to attribute it correctly, and I even needed some help in the end. I'm confident that I've got the right attribution now. Does anyone else want to give it a shot?
2
Comments
"E"
What you actually have there is an Evans Restrike of the Massachusetts Cent made in the 1940s. There are a few giveaways, the date and the head is wrong, but the really obvious thing is the small letter E above the star on the obverse. These can be found with full blazing mint red, so your piece most likely was an example that was worn and toned down to possibly fool a collector, which is a fairly common occurrence for these. Wish I had better news for you.
Edited to add - While they are called restrikes they really are basically a fantasy coin as these are not made from an original die.
I have to admit that I can’t stand Massachusetts copper because most of them are a pain to attribute.
I hate to say it but your coin looks like a modern fake. Some of the letter punches don’t match up. The A and S stand out to me, and there are other things that don’t add up such as the mound the Indian is standing on as well as the odd looking shield that is on the reverse.
You mention that you got these out of a larger group. Any other colonials?
Exactly! This is an Evans restrike. I knew immediately that something looked wrong, except I managed to overlook the E and I couldn't put the rest together.
(This isn't "bad news" to me. As I said, I had the right attribution, it just took me a while to get there. :-) )
I've never seen one of these that was other than unc. Here's one that I have that's even a bit more 'brown' than they usually come.
Our host will slab these. The CoinFacts page is here. Clearly this one isn't worth slabbing. FWIW, most of the other items in the group seemed to be from the 1970s or so. This may have been a pocket piece or similar. If it was aged to deceive, at least it wasn't done recently.
Great post!
That one in the original post is worn down and really looks cool.
.
I have a halfcent and cent tokens. I’m very happy PCGS is grading these now.
I sent mine in a few years back and they returned it, no charge because they did
grade them back then
.
.
Now in ngc holders. The red/brown higher grade can auction for good money.
.
CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
.
Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
.
More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
My "copy"
Thankfully even circulated the Evans copies still scream not legit.
Out of curiosity, how is it that modern fantasy tokens get certified??