Is this 1785 bar cent real?

Hi Guys & Gals,

I recently bought this 1785 from someone who said he took it to a coin shop and 'they said it was real'... i know its an extremely rare coin and if this was real it would be very valuable. Is there any way to tell if this is a replica or real from the photo? Thanks

 

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here are a couple better images

 

I can buy them on aliexpress for $2.00 a piece. I'd be highly suspect that this was "real".

Disclaimer - I know nothing about these coins. This is the first time I've ever even heard of it. Learn something new here every day. Still, with such a rare coin, I am highly suspect.

 

Yea... I am highly suspect considering they are very rare in AG-G condition. an MS state one probably isnt real. but the guy said his dad was a big collector and he found it in a bag, coin shop confirmed 'it was real'

I didnt see them on ali express - you're right they look pretty similar. the one replica i found before didnt look as high quality so I thought I would ask.

 

It also kind of looks a bit like shoe polish rather than original toning... but if the story is true, this replica may have been made some time ago. I wonder if it has any value. Probably 1.50 since you can buy them on ali express as you pointed out!

 

Is this coin already in a slab? If so, who graded it?

 

There's a known irregularity at the left end of the second bar which ought to be visible in these images. It isn't.

 

It wasnt graded, i believe if the person was being honest - the coin shop must have put it in a holder for them.

SuperDave, thank you for your response. I more often focus on middle date large cents, and sometimes it can be really difficult to see the differences from newcomb to newcomb if you dont know what to look for!

I didnt realize how rare this coin was when I first started researching it... there are some posts on here from people hoping to verify highly worn examples as real. I will include this image of a real MS62 so anyone else who has the same question as I can examine the irregularities on the bars of the real 1785 bar cent. Thanks again everyone I appreciate your responses!

 

Yeah, you can see the bar irregularities in the 62, and the fact that the bars aren't really "parallel." The original post coin is honestly too good to be real.

 

Thanks Dave! I learned alot about the bar cent today. That MS62 sold for 26k so it must be a pretty rare coin. Hopefully we will find a real one next time! I will be looking for a nice circulated example with a 2nd bar cud / irregularities

 

2nd bar from the top or from the bottom?

 

from coinfacts (http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/bar_cent/bar_cent.htm)

All genuine examples have a small, thorn-like projection on the far right side of the bottom edge of the second bar from the top...

So...
- right end of 2nd bar from top, or
- left end of 2nd bar from bottom, or
- upper end of 2nd bar from left, or
- lower end of 2nd bar from right

lol

 

Coin Facts is wrong; that feature is not on all of them. P91's MS62 above doesn't have it. The *do* all have the "extra" stuff at the left end of the same bar, though.

Don't believe me. Do your own research.

 

Post #8 - p91's does have it I think...


Left end of 2nd bar from bottom, same as right end of 2nd bar from top as shown on coinfacts. Depends on how you flip/rotate the coin. I think.

Post #2 doesn't have it - therefore not authentic, right?

 

Actually, Coin Facts is CORRECT. All I have ever seen have the "thorn-like" projection. Problem is, depending on the orientation of the photograph the mark may be at the top bars or on the bottom.

 

Sometimes I think everyone has me on ignore. Wouldn't be the first time.

 

Who could ignore you? Not this guy.

 

lol

 

Two things the letters are noticeably "thicker" on the OP coin than on the PCGS coins (Look especially at the A. On the PCGS coin the cross bar is the thinest, then the left leg then the right and the cross bar is noticeably thinner than the left leg. On the OP coin the cross bar and left leg are almost the same thickness and just slightly thinner than the right leg.), and on the PCGS coin the bottom serif of the S come up to and possibly just touches the bottom of the U (I don't think it actually touches it). On the OP coin it overlaps the bottom of the U slightly.

 

..............also, on the MS62 genuine coin, the "S" in USA goes over the "A". In the repro, in goes under.