Featured "Guess the coin" challenge!

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by The Meat man, Sep 19, 2026 at 9:56 PM.

  1. The Meat man

    The Meat man Supporter! Supporter

    Guess the coin - #5

    I feel like this one may be a bit harder. But we'll see. ;)

    Feel free to post your informed - or uninformed - guess below! :)

    DSC_0505ds_2.jpg
     
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  3. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Beat me to it this time. 1-lira, I think? Too busy to browse Numista right now. Gotta run, soon, and head to work.

    Edit- aha, I missed the reveal. A 2-lire, then. Cool. Great neoclassical designs.

    Challenge #5 actually has me stumped, at least for the moment.
     
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  4. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    It’s apparent that we’ve got an earlier sailing vessel there; perhaps a 15th-16th century cog, carrack, caravel, etc. So perhaps from one of the nations involved in the Age of Discovery? Spain? Portugal? Obviously I don’t know, and I’ve got to dive into the shower and head off on my commute to work. I’ll think on it some more later.
     
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  5. SensibleSal66

    SensibleSal66 U.S Casual Collector / Error Collector

    Okay then! Drive safely.... :)
     
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  6. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

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  7. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Good job on stumping me with this one, @The Meat man! ;)

    I’m still scratching my head. Let’s see if someone else will beat me to it (assuming I ever make it to the solution at all).
     
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  8. SensibleSal66

    SensibleSal66 U.S Casual Collector / Error Collector

    I wonder if it's a Japanese coin?
     
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  9. The Meat man

    The Meat man Supporter! Supporter

  10. Chris B

    Chris B Supporter! Supporter

    I'm probably going to kick myself later, but I'm stumped.
     
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  11. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    I’ll likely smack my own forehead as well, when the answer is revealed.
     
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  12. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

  13. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    That the reverse of the Columbian Exposition half dollar.
    Looking for a photo of mine.
     
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  14. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    You will be interested to know that it stumped the Google Gemini AI bot as well, which threw out three obviously wrong guesses.

    Yes, I “cheated” by enlisting AI assistance (all for naught), but even if it HAD put me on the right track, I wasn’t gonna take credit. I was just curious to see how it would do. Not so well, as it happens. It thought that was a Roman galley.

    IMG_2999.jpeg
     
  15. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    I have one in my giveaway inventory.

    Holy cow. I am indeed smacking my own forehead right about now! :facepalm::hilarious:

    upload_2026-9-23_16-46-13.png
     
  16. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Obviously I was on the right track there. I just didn’t make it all the way to the finish line! :p

    Which is kinda surprising.
     
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  17. Chris B

    Chris B Supporter! Supporter

    Doh, I knew it was familiar. I don't do much U.S. but I have one of those.
     
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  18. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    I couldn't find mine. It's in an album somewhere.
     
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  19. The Meat man

    The Meat man Supporter! Supporter

    Glad to see this one was a bit harder than the others! :p

    @Pickin and Grinin got it right!

    ANSWER:

    1892 Columbian Half Dollar

    Columbus half dollar 1892.jpg
    UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    AR ½ Dollar (30.5mm, 12.5g, 6h)
    Dated 1892. Philadelphia mint, USA
    Obverse: Bust of Christopher Columbus right; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA above, * COLUMBIAN HALF DOLLAR * below
    Reverse: WORLD’S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION CHICAGO around Santa Maria under full sail left; below, twin hemispheres flanked by 14-92; * 1892 * along bottom
    References: PCGS 9296; Numista 4396
    Mintage: 950,000

    These half dollars, dated 1892 and 1893, were minted for the World’s Columbian Exposition which was held in Chicago from May 1 to October 30, 1893. It was hoped that by selling the coins for a premium at the Exposition as souvenirs, the event organizers could raise additional funds beyond the face-value cost of the coins themselves. However, though many coins were sold at the Exposition, the bulk of the 5,000,000 minted were either melted down or released into circulation. They are regarded as the first commemorative coins issued by the US mint, and were the first US coins to depict a historical person.

    -- I'm on a trip right now and posting from my phone is a huge pain, so it might be a couple days till I can get the next one! --
     
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  20. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    Took some new photos.
    upload_2026-9-23_21-43-47.jpeg
     
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