Why would somebody do this to a rare coin

Bustquarterhound · April 20, 2023 12:58PM

For fun I would like to know your theories on
why someone would do this to an R-5 coin

ProofCollection · April 20, 2023 1:04PM

When was this done? Was it known to be rare at the time of mutilation?

Bustquarterhound · April 20, 2023 1:14PM

@ProofCollection said:
When was this done? Was it known to be rare at the time of mutilation?

I have no idea. But it's the rarest 1805 variety

ProofCollection · April 20, 2023 1:16PM

@Bustquarterhound said:

@ProofCollection said:
When was this done? Was it known to be rare at the time of mutilation?

I have no idea. But it's the rarest 1805 variety

Now it is. But in 1805 it probably wasn't.
Go mutilate a 2023 quarter and 200 years from now someone will question why someone would do such a thing...

Barberian · April 20, 2023 1:21PM

Why would someone do this to an R6 coin?

1840-O WB6 (R6)

Why would someone buy it? Hmmm.

dhikewhitney · April 20, 2023 1:22PM

He thought it was counterfeit.

jesbroken · April 20, 2023 1:31PM

Not a collector, all they needed it for was 25 cents and it was still worth 25 cents. Bored to the bone, I would imagine.
Jim

BillJones · April 20, 2023 1:34PM

It probably was not known to be a rare coin when it was done. I think the Browning quarter variety book came out in the mid 1920s.

scubafuel · April 20, 2023 1:36PM

I'm not sure but that's a shame. B5 is very tough to find in higher grade.

PerryHall · April 20, 2023 1:36PM

I'm guessing that this coin was a pocket piece that was carried with a small pocket knife and used as a cutting board for trimming cigars.

Aotearoa · April 20, 2023 1:44PM

Another sad example.

Baley · April 20, 2023 3:49PM

Long before it was a Rare coin, it was a scarce coin that someone carried for a while and used between their knife and the tabletop when cutting a cigar

LoL edited to agree with Perry
(Wrote before reading the replies)

marmac · April 20, 2023 3:51PM

I've been asking myself the same question on this one-

wozymodo · April 20, 2023 3:58PM

My guess was Joseph Wright, but he died in 1793.

Bustquarterhound · April 20, 2023 4:06PM

@marmac said:
I've been asking myself the same question on this one-

Wow what happened to that half cent ?

rec78 · April 20, 2023 4:13PM

Damage on rare coins is usually done before they became rare to collectors. There weren't many coin collectors in the 19th century.

Bustquarterhound · April 20, 2023 4:19PM

@marmac said:
I've been asking myself the same question on this one-

I had to look up the coin what a shame still a very cool one of a kind piece

Mr_Spud · April 20, 2023 4:19PM

I thought of the cigar cutting too when I saw the image. I’ve heard that this once was a common thing to do, cut cigars on a coin.

marmac · April 20, 2023 4:22PM

@Bustquarterhound

Born on a rough day at the mint followed by an encounter with some hooligan is my guess-

Bustquarterhound · April 20, 2023 4:22PM

@rec78 said:
Damage on rare coins is usually done before they became rare to collectors. There weren't many coin collectors in the 19th century.

@rec78 said:
Damage on rare coins is usually done before they became rare to collectors. There weren't many coin collectors in the 19th century.

@rec78 said:
Damage on rare coins is usually done before they became rare to collectors. There weren't many coin collectors in the 19th century.

I agree however the damage looks more recent. Done maybe from a disgruntled significant other

davewesen · April 20, 2023 4:30PM

they did not know it was a R-5 coin, or did and it was owned by an ex

braddick · April 20, 2023 4:50PM

Back then, many silver coins (the 20c was favored) were used as surfaces to cut the tip of a cigar.
You will see blackened stains on these, along with the cuts. It appears on the coin above those black marks/stains were
harshly removed.

Omegaraptor · April 20, 2023 5:15PM

Yes, it's a Philadelphia issue. Fortin-102. The lowest mintage business strike dime in US history.

Shane6596 · April 20, 2023 5:51PM

I did it. I find old coins and scratch them up just to mess with you guys.

OAKSTAR · April 20, 2023 5:52PM

@Bustquarterhound said:
Why would somebody do this to a rare coin

We were all kids at one point.

lobo54 · April 21, 2023 5:23AM

@OAKSTAR said:

@Bustquarterhound said:
Why would somebody do this to a rare coin

We were all kids at one point.

Yup. As a kid in the 50's/60's I don't know how may NY Yankee baseball cards I put in the spokes of my bike (RED SOX fan here), but that's why the survivors are so valuable.

ricko · April 21, 2023 5:47AM

There is a vast population out there that are not coin collectors and have no idea of rarity, collectability, value beyond face. To coin collectors, this is a terrible thing, to non collectors, it is meaningless. Cheers, RickO

dsessom · April 21, 2023 6:00AM

Erasmus loathed Martha due to her rejection of his proposal of marriage. He also hated her pet parrot because it mocked him. This coin reminded Erasmus of her and her dumb bird, so he took his frustration out on the coin.

(This is my hypothesis)

PerryHall · April 21, 2023 6:15AM

The thread title has a false premise. The person who did this didn't do it to a "rare coin". When he did it, it was only pocket change which was worth only face value.