What the heck did I find and what's it worth? 1973 Kennedy Half - Weighed
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What the heck did I just find and what's it worth? It's a 1973 Kennedy Half but it looks like it was struck on an aluminum planchet? The side is white and there's a strange "brushed" look to the obverse and reverse.
I remember reading somewhere that the mint was making coins for Taiwan at that time and a few Kennedy's were struck on them.
Thanks in advance to everyone!
I remember reading somewhere that the mint was making coins for Taiwan at that time and a few Kennedy's were struck on them.
Thanks in advance to everyone!
In the race for quality there is no finish line.
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I bet Russ will chime in with the answers.
The cooking scale I have here isn't very precise... both register 10g. I've got a lab scale at work, I'll check it out tomorrow.
<< <i> Iremember reading somewhere that the mint was making coins for Taiwan at that time and a few Kennedy's were struck on them.
>>
In 1973, the US Mint struck two coins for Taiwan - the planchets of each could have been struck with a Kennedy.
Taiwan $5 - 29mm or 28.9mm - 9.5 grams 75% copper, 25% nickel (Minted in Philly)
Taiwan $1 - 25mm - 6.0 grams 55% copper, 27% nickel, 18% zinc (Minted in Denver)
A normal 73 Kennedy is 30.6mm and 11.34 grams, so if it was on a Taiwan planchet, the $5 would seem the most logical, but there were many other countries minted in 1973 as well, so could be many. Do you have a scale available?
EDIT: Actually, unless it's a planchet from other years, the Taiwan $5/Yuan is the only one from Philly - San Francisco did some Haiti, Nepal, and Panama, and Denver did the other Taiwan coin and some for the Philippines that would mix in with a Kennedy. From worldcoingallery.com, this is a picture of what the 5 Yuan coin looks like.
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Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
<< <i>That looks like the same satin finish that the one I found has. I'll weigh it tomorrow. >>
As for your "What's it worth" part of the question, Heritage has a 1974 Kennedy on a 5 Yuan planchet, PCGS graded AU55 sold in Jan for $431.25. If it turns out that is what you have, and it gets certified, I would think the draw of the coin is the error moreso than the condition, and would still get somewhere around $400???
"You Suck Award" - February, 2015
Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
I have found dozens of these while searching rolls. I have no idea how the fininsh came about. It does appear to me that every crack pot with an idea on how to alter coins seem to do it on a half dollar.
I'm curious also if anyone has any answers.
I'm no expert by any means but in hand the coin seems unadulterated and the edge is totally white with no hint at all of copper. I'm with Tonelover on not getting my hopes up but I can't see how you'd be able to clean away the copper edge...
Ah well, thought it was interesting, maybe I'll try to take some better pictures.
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<< <i>Rampage, what did that coin weigh?
I'm no expert by any means but in hand the coin seems unadulterated and the edge is totally white with no hint at all of copper. I'm with Tonelover on not getting my hopes up but I can't see how you'd be able to clean away the copper edge...
Ah well, thought it was interesting, maybe I'll try to take some better pictures. >>
My coin weighs 9.5 grams. I think your coin was layered with silver (or something similar). I had one that looked just like yours and that is all it was, plus it was harshly brushed, like yours.
The missing clad layer is what has me thrown too. Especially since the scale told me that it was exactly the same weight to 0.01g. I'd imagine if it was plated it would weigh differently. It also has a really pleasing luster unlike many of the brutally cleaned or "whizzed" coins I've seen.
What's the weight of a Philippine 50 centavo planchet?
<< <i>Russ Review??
The missing clad layer is what has me thrown too. Especially since the scale told me that it was exactly the same weight to 0.01g. I'd imagine if it was plated it would weigh differently. It also has a really pleasing luster unlike many of the brutally cleaned or "whizzed" coins I've seen.
What's the weight of a Philippine 50 centavo planchet? >>
In 1973, the Denver mint did mint some Philippines 50 Sentimos, but that planchet weighs 8 grams and was 27.5mm. Philadelphia didn't see any of these though, making it more unlikely, but not impossible.
With the weight matching, it's possible it was a polished jewelry piece or a science project.
"You Suck Award" - February, 2015
Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
<< <i>Russ Review??
The missing clad layer is what has me thrown too. Especially since the scale told me that it was exactly the same weight to 0.01g. I'd imagine if it was plated it would weigh differently. It also has a really pleasing luster unlike many of the brutally cleaned or "whizzed" coins I've seen.
What's the weight of a Philippine 50 centavo planchet? >>
Your coin is not missing a clad layer. It is "missing" the copper core, correct? Even the most thin layer of plating could possibly weigh 0.005 grams. That being the case, it would be within the realm of error on a scale.
Of course, you do not have to take our word for it. Send the coin to ANACS for certification. But, by the looks of the pictures, your coin would not holder in a problem-free slab due to the harsh brushing, plus IF IN FACT it is plated, your coins would get dinged for that.
I'm telling you, I had one just like what you are picturing and describing. The coin was plated and heavily brushed. It was spending money. It, too, weighed the same as a normal Kennedy.
Not every clad shows the copper layer on the edge.
Just to make sure I took a file and chipped off a little material from the edge (since I was 99.95% convinced at this point) and sure enough, there was the "missing" copper core.
Just goes to show you that you can't always believe your lying eyes, especially when you don't really know what you're looking at.
Thanks to everyone, especially Rampage, for saving me from a BB on my first submission.
W.C. Fields