I received this mint error Silver American Eagle in a batch of 27 I purchased from a private seller. All coins (including this one) checked out with the Fisch device, all are nonmagnetic, and produced a proper neodymium rare earth magnetic effect, so I have no reason to suspect any of these are counterfeit. This coin has a reeded edge and also has proper obverse/reverse orientation. Can anyone please tell me A. what type of error this is, B. if this coin is worthy of grading, and C. what such a coin might fetch for numismatic/collector value? Here is the link to more larger photos. http://s1347.photobucket.com/user/mac_seoin/library/?sort=3&page=1 Thank you. Sorry about the thread formatting.
I've already done every authenticating test there is. The only additional thing I can do is a chemical test, but even that won't prove it's solid so I'm not doing that. The only sure way is to cut it in half with bolt cutters and then chemical test the inside, which I won't do. I could post images of the others from this batch for your review but only a fool would claim to authenticate any coin by an image. I'll snap a few images of the others and upload them anyway.
Have you weighed the coin on a gram scale? It appears to be a planchet error with a strike error. Two errors in one. Two errors that I have never seen on a ASE. This leads me to believe that it is a fake. A poor cast coin. Sorry about that.
I believe it is post mint damage, whether it is a chemical reaction ( most likely) or even someone playing with a high powered industrial laser. Striking would have eliminated any planchet oddity.
For the healthy skeptics. I went ahead and made a video authenticating this coin among others in the batch I purchased. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Dmc70wBlA&feature=youtu.be Please let me know what you think.
Great looking error if the coin is real but I have doubts just like everyone else on here. If it's real it's most likely caused by heat and some type of vice.
I have seen coins with this effect before . It was done with acid, (HCI) I believe. Post mint damaged.
fretboard, did you get a chance to check out the video? I haven't heard any news about any fake coins fooling the fisch device. Do you know of any fakes passing the magnetic test, having correct dimensions, and still weighing exactly 1oz?
If it was torched and is just junk silver I have no problem acid testing it. But this coin is perfectly flat and exhibits no sign of torching or warpedness. Also, how could both sides be torched perfectly down the middle with a straight line?
Bedford, did you get a chance to see all the images on photobucket? How could acid damage it in a perfect straight line down the back side as well? If it was torched, wouldn't there be burnt marks or something other than a perfect line down the middle of the reverse side? To me it looks like it may have been clamped in a vise or something but the coin is perfectly flat as it should be. Not warped or anything if it was torched.
I watched part of the video. Nobody is questioning your other ASE's it's just the one that's been messed with. It's either fake or a real one that's been ruined, it is not an error.
Yes I did see all the pics. It is damaged all over but yes more so to one side . The way this would happen in my mind is by dipping it in a jar of HCI. Just like dipping a cookie in milk, one side will be more damaged & when putting something near any corrosive environment & the nearby areas will be affected as well. This piece could have been held with half of it under the acid for a bit & then the entire piece was put under. Not saying that this the exact scenario that played out with your piece but how I imagine it did & my answer theory to your question.