1785 Bar Copper Token?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by fretboard, Mar 18, 2021.

  1. fretboard

    fretboard Defender of Old Coinage!

    There's a 1785 bar copper on the bay right now! There's been a couple different articles on counterfeit bar coppers over the years. I don't know much about them but this one doesn't look genuine to me, how about you? The die chips on it, look terrible! Lastly, someone on this forum has one but I forget who it is, if it's you please post a pic of a real one! :D

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-Bar-Co...578256?hash=item265c606450:g:MGIAAOSwpOZgTiVU

    barcoppera.jpg barcopperb.jpg
     
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  3. spirityoda

    spirityoda Coin Junky

  4. Chris B

    Chris B Supporter! Supporter

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  5. Magnus87

    Magnus87 Active Member

    Vendor (correctly, I presume) identifies it as an electrotype copy. If I remember correctly, these were produced some time in the mid-nineteenth century and are worth considerably less than the originals, which are hysterically pricey. I bought one of the copies from a coin shop bid board (do any of these still exist?) c. 25-30 yrs. ago and paid only a few bucks for it. Value has surely gone up some in the intervening years but, that said, vendor’s ask seems a LOT more than I would have guessed it worth these days.
     
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  6. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    Copy, yes, electrotype, I don't think so and at least certainly not an old one. I think this is a modern pre 1973 copy.
     
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  7. fretboard

    fretboard Defender of Old Coinage!

    That one in the link sold for $16,200.00! Dang, I had no idea! :D
     
  8. masterswimmer

    masterswimmer A Caretaker, can't take it with me

    IIRC our buddy @Randy Abercrombie has a beautiful Bar Copper.
     
  9. fretboard

    fretboard Defender of Old Coinage!

    Great, maybe he'll post a pic. I knew someone had one just couldn't remember who! :D
     
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  10. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    It seems the bidding war started at 12$. Not sure why it has gone as high as it has. Maybe something nefarious? I am not sure as I only buy in hand.
     
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  11. masterswimmer

    masterswimmer A Caretaker, can't take it with me

    Maybe a post with the direct link to the auction before it ended created a bit of 'interest' in this token? ;)
     
  12. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    O rly? This I would like to see. C'mon, Randy... out with it!

    I have never owned one, of course.
     
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  13. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    Yup... Sorry I am late to the party.

    908B18DF-BA80-4AD9-B767-2E1EBCDA9BAD.jpeg 8AEFB754-D518-44E5-BC84-3E25326C143B.jpeg
     
  14. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    Wow, groovy city, man! I've never even seen one in person. Where's the tooling? I don't see it. Around the letters?
     
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  15. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    No sir. Sometime in years past a pocket knife was used to dig crud out from between the bars and left small scratches so we could forever admire his work.
     
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  16. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    Aargh!

    Still the real deal, though, for a type most of us will only ever see in the pages of the Red Book...
     
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  17. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    It was my bucket list coin from the time I opened my first Redbook as a pimple faced mutt.
     
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  18. fretboard

    fretboard Defender of Old Coinage!

    Now that's a phenomenal Token Randy, good on you for having one, they're quite the rarity! :cigar: I appreciate the pics and I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for one, don't think I'll ever be able to afford one but I'd really like to see one in hand. They're so rare, even to see one personally would be a treat! :D
     
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  19. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    This is a coin that I would only buy if it was graded by a TPG.
     
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  20. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    Well thank you..... And I will tell you this.Yes, they are rare but not as rare as you might think. They are a big ticket coin, but if you are accepting of some minor imperfections, you can find some deals. I don't have near the cost you would expect in mine because it is slabbed as a details coin. And that made it QUITE affordable. I had been looking for years and actually my dealer buddy found this for me.
     
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  21. fretboard

    fretboard Defender of Old Coinage!

    That's great, you did well Randy! :D
     
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