Half Cent over Cent reverse?

Can anyone tell me how this can happen? I have seen a half cent reverse over a cent, but not centered. One edge is even with the edge of the cent. It is a 1794 so the presses were different, but I can't visualize a strike ONLY on the reverse.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Got a photo?

The Chinese have been making some spectacular (but fake) errors the last few years.

 

I will if I decide to purchase it. This one is Fr2 to AG3 on the reverse, G4-G6 on the obverse. Definitely Obverse 32, but it will have to be better than pictured to get an ID on the reverses. But there IS something there.

 

Are you sure it's not a 1794 Talbot Allum & Lee cent underneath a cent? Philadelphia bought tons of them to use as planchets during the copper shortage.

 

The size is right for a half cent reverse and appears to be the second strike. It also appears to be raised rather than sunk which would eliminate placing two coins between leather and striking for a homemade error. I'll have to see if I get it if I can get good photos to post.

 

Post some photos! If it's at auction I'm not gonna bid against ya!

 

You might not, but somebody is. I really prefer it when nobody else recognizes a coin's significance and I can get it at bargain rates. Like my $35 1796 Liberty Cap I picked up last week that was 'unattributable' to those not familiar with the variety.

Now the coin is being bid up beyond a typical strong obverse with very weak reverse examples.

Here is the listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230545961811&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

Certainly is interesting. I wish I had that one error catalog with me.

 

Wow 2 hours left - plenty of time for me to bid!





Just kidding, I wouldn't do that. If you win it, please post better pictures in here when you get it!

 

I did win it over three other snipers. OK. I sniped my own high bid. And I will post better pictures as long as I can take them.

 

I think when you get it you will find that it had something stuck on it for awhile.

 

That is certainly a possibility. I would expect the image to be primarily from toning differences and corrosion if that is the case. I will begin to hone my photography as I await the coin.

 

Here are 4 photos of the coin I received today. The edge is VERY sharp and I had expected it to be dinged where the CUD above LIB is. I know of no CUDs for this Obverse and that generally means a damaged rim simulating a CUD. I may try to do some edge photography tomorrow afternoon.

By the way, it weighs 192 Grains in case anybody was wondering.

 

First thing I noticed with the new pictures is that the Obverse has been struck at least twice and it rotated about 10 degrees right on the second and dominant strike. It couold be a clue on how the reverse appears to have been struck at least twice, once with a half cent die or with a half cent in the press. I still can't tell if it is a positive or negative image.

 

This is the Talbot Allum and Lee Cent used as planchets and usually cut down for Half Cents. I think this obverse is the design under the Half Cent. Note the line above the date at the bottom and the leg at 90 degrees. then look at the bottom of the Reverse OUTSIDE of the half cent area.

 

It could be. It is hard to tell. I do know that there are two instances where the TAL Cent were used in making 1795 cents.

That said, I don't know whether 1794 Large Cents were continued to be struck in CY-1795, as it is reported that the sale of the 1/2 ton of TAL tokens to Philadelphia didn't happen until April 1795, or if TAL cents were used in the manufacture of 1794 Large Cents prior to January 1795. The shortage didn't happen overnight, though.

By the way, that that particular Talbot Allum & Lee cent looks very familiar! Oh wait, it belongs to me!

 

Yes! And I'm grateful for your image on CoinTalk to use for reference even if I failed (hangs head in shame) to document it's source.

It is interesting that my search engine brought me right back to CoinTalk and your post.

ps Do you have the diameter and weight characteristics? Sometimes what seems obvious, isn't after
measurement.

 

One interesting observation is the strong line near the bottom of the second strike moves up and right like the bottom of the portrait of the left facing Liberty of 1793 Half Cents if the image is a positive.

 

No worries Marshall about the photo.

I don't have this token's specs handy, as I don't have access to my CoinManage software here. But specs I'm reading for genuine examples of the token list them at 29mm ±.3mm, and 8.13-9.73 grams (a wide disparity)

 

12.4 grams is too heavy for the token as a source for the planchet then.