“All pit no fruit” failed cherry picks and variety imposters!
Aspie_Rocco
Posts: 3,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
I love the phrase “all pit and no fruit” regarding failed cherry picks, so I thought I would make a thread for people to share pics of failed cherry picks.
There are many coins that have similar diagnostics or appearance compared to die varieties.
Care to share some of your failed attempts?
I know I have picked a few pits over the years.
My most recent was what I thought to be a new re-engraved proof variety but turned out to be a struck through fiber. 
I have also come across coins with similar die cracks to those found on doubled dies/rpm/vam.
What do you have that was a mistake?
4
Comments
All of it, there it's out 🤮
Next time it happens to me I will post it! It's just part of a pickers gambling addiction.
WS
With help from members here, I thought for sure I cherrypicked this 72-D DDO. This pit cost me money as well!
You also commented on this thread @Aspie_Rocco
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1087250/1972-d-kennedy-half-ddo-the-negative-results-are-in#latest
The ANACS explanation why it wasn't:
Master Die Doubling. Affects too many dies to list. The Wexler page referenced in your submission also illustrates series doubling for most of 1971 and all of 1972. That is what is present on your coin. It is not WDDO-001 or CONECA DDO-001. The die markers for this variety are not present on your coin. Every 1972-D displays similar doubling to what is present on this coin.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
In the VAM corner of hobby, we call these Evil Mimics. One example is the 1878 VAM 14.1, which is an Evil Mimic of the VAM 9. The VAM 14.1A is very common (unclashed 14.1 is very scarce, but that's a different story), while VAM 9 is scarce and highly sought after as the first Morgan die pair. Buying a VAM 14.1 thinking it's a VAM 9 is almost a rite of passage for a new VAM collector.
One of the key diagnostics of VAM 9 is the group of hand-engraved feathers under the eagle's wings. In the picture below, the arrow points to the feather under the eagle's left wing that is the easiest to see.
Unfortunately, VAM 14.1 is almost the same. It has other differences, but it's tempting to pounce on this feather.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
@messydesk - Man John, I give you VAM guys credit. My head explodes 🤯 🧨 💣 💥 🌋 just thinking about VAM's.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
Sold my 1878 VAM 9 a couple years ago. I miss it.
Successful BST with ad4400, Kccoin, lablover, pointfivezero, koynekwest, jwitten, coin22lover, HalfDimeDude, erwindoc, jyzskowsi, COINS MAKE CENTS, AlanSki, BryceM
I don’t have a picture, but not long after I first joined this forum back in 2004 (I was MrSpud back then instead of Mr_Spud) I posted a picture of a coin I found in change that had strong machine doubling that I thought was a real doubled die.
Mr_Spud
I think many of us started that way. I still remember that feeling when I learned it wasn't! 😭 😢
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
This is the coin that inspired this thread. I saw less than great pics and noticed the die scratch from the C to the base of the tail and thought it might be the FS803. The scratch is similar but starts on the lower part of the TOP of the C (America) on the 803.
This “pit” has the scratch on the top of the upper part of the C
And here is one more buffalo that was all Pit.
I thought this might be a 3-1/2 leg
https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/