1856 Half Dime - lamination???

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Max20Characters
Max20Characters Posts: 3 ✭
in U.S. Coin Forum

I've had this coin for a while and always wondered about the "tear" on the obverse. At a quick glance it looks like a gouge, but under magnification you can clearly see Liberty's shoulders, neck, chin and flag remain visible under the missing material. Could that mean it was stamped with the material on the coin already missing? The crack and appearance of layers on the rim is also interesting. Just wondered what the community might think - do I have something special here? Or just worse than cull condition as it was sold to me? Thanks much!


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  • ms70
    ms70 Posts: 13,958 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I'd love to see that in hand. At least to my non-expert eye it appears to be a lamination with part of it missing.

  • 291fifth
    291fifth Posts: 25,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    It is a lamination. I would regard the coin as a cull with minimal value.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • Insider2
    Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Agree, a Detached Lamination.

  • Max20Characters
    Max20Characters Posts: 3 ✭
    edited December 29, 2019 11:20AM
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    I'm newly understanding laminations - why would it increase the value of some coins and not impact others?

    In this case would it mean the missing material came off before the coin was struck? Or would the impression of Lady Liberty's shoulders, neck and chin have gone through that layer? Fascinating to me.

    Thanks for your help!

    @291fifth said:
    It is a lamination. I would regard the coin as a cull with minimal value.

  • 291fifth
    291fifth Posts: 25,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    There is currently a craze in coin collecting for "errors". This craze is apparently being promoted online. Before putting any money into such "errors" you need to find out if there is a real two way market. Find out what the sellers are willing to pay for such material. Then, if you have such material, sell it to them and see if they actually honor their buy prices.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • Insider2
    Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Neat coin. The metal peeled away after the coin was struck. These errors increase the value of a coin for some folks and destroy it for others. Note how the basic design is still visible under the original surface layer.

  • Insider2
    Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @291fifth said:
    There is currently a craze in coin collecting for "errors". This craze is apparently being promoted online. Before putting any money into such "errors" you need to find out if there is a real two way market. Find out what the sellers are willing to pay for such material. Then, if you have such material, sell it to them and see if they actually honor their buy prices.

    I collect some things that no sane person on earth would wish to buy. Collecting is not entirely about money or what something is worth. I know you knew this but did not take the time to add it to your post. :)

  • 291fifth
    291fifth Posts: 25,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Insider2 said:

    @291fifth said:
    There is currently a craze in coin collecting for "errors". This craze is apparently being promoted online. Before putting any money into such "errors" you need to find out if there is a real two way market. Find out what the sellers are willing to pay for such material. Then, if you have such material, sell it to them and see if they actually honor their buy prices.

    I collect some things that no sane person on earth would wish to buy. Collecting is not entirely about money or what something is worth. I know you knew this but did not take the time to add it to your post. :)

    My assumptions is that the great majority of new posters and "error" seekers are looking to make money from such finds. They are going to be very disappointed if that is the case.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • Insider2
    Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    You know what they say about assumptions. I'd buy the coin in a heartbeat for a class. Probably for more than the OP paid = PROFIT for the OP.

  • Max20Characters
    Max20Characters Posts: 3 ✭
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    Thanks for the conversation. I bought the coin as part of a worse than cull junk silver purchase - probably paid about .90¢ for it. I think it's a really neat coin and have no plans to sell. Just wondered if it was in fact a lamination and what that might do to the value. I'm that dork that is fascinated by any old coin and holding something older than the Civil War in my hands. Thanks much for your help!

  • sellitstore
    sellitstore Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    It IS a neat coin, even in low grade. I would not sell it as junk. Besides you are in it right, at 90 cents.

    Collector and dealer in obsolete currency. Always buying all obsolete bank notes and scrip.
  • ricko
    ricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Max20Characters .... Welcome aboard....Interesting find, and I also would keep it ....as an 'educational' example.... Keeping specimens of various conditions has always interested me...as a teaching tool and a 'library' of sorts. Cheers, RickO

  • Treashunt
    Treashunt Posts: 6,748 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    yup, nice find

    Frank

    BHNC #203

  • TurtleCat
    TurtleCat Posts: 4,692 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Welcome to the board and congrats on a neat coin. I’ve only found one lamination myself on a war nickel. Not worth a great deal from an investment point of view but worth a great deal to me for discovering it. :)

  • fc
    fc Posts: 12,805 ✭✭✭
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    If you can collect example of errors at a buck a piece you are doing just fine. Probably a more pure way to go about it. Ricko has the same way of thinking. When more advanced perhaps start paying up for more interesting or harder to find examples.

  • BillDugan1959
    BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @291fifth said:

    @Insider2 said:

    @291fifth said:
    There is currently a craze in coin collecting for "errors". This craze is apparently being promoted online. Before putting any money into such "errors" you need to find out if there is a real two way market. Find out what the sellers are willing to pay for such material. Then, if you have such material, sell it to them and see if they actually honor their buy prices.

    I collect some things that no sane person on earth would wish to buy. Collecting is not entirely about money or what something is worth. I know you knew this but did not take the time to add it to your post. :)

    My assumptions is that the great majority of new posters and "error" seekers are looking to make money from such finds. They are going to be very disappointed if that is the case.

    @291fifth +1,000 on the agree button. People are being fed a lot of misinformation.

  • Insider2
    Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 30, 2019 11:36AM
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    JUST NOT ON CU!! :)

    @BillDugan1959 said:

    @291fifth said:

    @Insider2 said:

    @291fifth said:
    There is currently a craze in coin collecting for "errors". This craze is apparently being promoted online. Before putting any money into such "errors" you need to find out if there is a real two way market. Find out what the sellers are willing to pay for such material. Then, if you have such material, sell it to them and see if they actually honor their buy prices.

    I collect some things that no sane person on earth would wish to buy. Collecting is not entirely about money or what something is worth. I know you knew this but did not take the time to add it to your post. :)

    My assumptions is that the great majority of new posters and "error" seekers are looking to make money from such finds. They are going to be very disappointed if that is the case.

    @291fifth +1,000 on the agree button. People are being fed a lot of misinformation.

    BUT not on Collectors Universe.

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