Recently, to help pay back taxes and prevent foreclosure on our family farm we were forced to make the tough call of choosing to sell my grandfather's coin collection. Walking Liberty Half Dollars comprise the vast majority of the collection and over the past few weeks, with my limited knowledge, I've been attempting to catalogue them for sale. With no previous knowledge in this realm, it's been, as you can likely imagine, more than a bit of a challenge to attempt to get myself up to speed so that I can get even a ballpark figure of what their value might be. Early on in this process I ran across what I originally dismissed as a coin likely only worth its silver content and placed it with the other coins that held little value...as I learned more and more about the grading of coins eventually that 'damaged' coin popped back into mind and I retrieved it assuming then it was some sort of mint error (since the luster exists over the 'damaged' areas) and that it might have some significant value as an oddity. So, I got online and attempted to find another similar coin. After searching for a very long time I was just about ready to call it a day when I stumbled upon this webpage... http://www.usrarecoininvestments.co...-half-dollar--error-ngc-ms63-36001_1344_d.htm (more info contained within this short article) http://minterrornews.com/discoveries-7-20-04-walker_off-metal.html I have yet to locate anything that resembles our coin as much, also, if you will note, this coin was minted during one of the years mentioned in the second link/article, 1943. I'm attempting to not get my hopes too high because, well, good things tend to not to happen to this family and because I clearly am out of my depth in the numismatic world...but I'll admit to having my fingers crossed just a little. What do you all think? Any, and all, comments and opinions are welcome. P.S...please forgive that the photo quality isn't all it could likely be but taking these pics wasn't easy, especially with nothing but a cell phone camera!
Looks like divorce coin! Sometimes your coin is abused in a break-up! Looks damaged! Melt value to me!! Sry
Thanks for the comments Greg & Collector... I agree that, at first glance, one might assume something of that nature based purely upon the appearance of the reverse but that doesn't account for the obverse -- these areas are quite smooth and, though it is a bit difficult to tell from the pics, retain full luster in the affected areas, so it couldn't be PMD. Any other ideas?
I suspect the obverse was filed or sanded. It certainly looks like post-mint damage, especially from the side. You might try weighing the coin to see whether it still has its entire 12.5 grams.
Thank you for responding, swhuck... Unfortunately I don't have that sort of scale, or the means to buy one right now. Maybe my understanding is flawed. I could have sworn I read somewhere that it was impossible for it to be PMD if the luster extends over the deficit. Is that true?
It may be a defective planchette, Luster is created by flow lines (which is the movement of metal during striking). I would suggest posting this link over in the error section, where you may get better answers.
The flat spots at the edges of the coin are the giveaway. There is edge reeding and flat spots intermingled. This coin was damaged post-mint. Unfortunately not an error coin and you were correct with your initial assessment. Basically worth it's value in melt silver.
Hi Mike... I don't understand how this proves PMD? Isn't the edge assigned to the planchet during the earliest part of the minting process? Btw, if you are interested, there are more photos uploaded to this thread continued in the Errors section.
No the edge is the LAST thing formed and it is created during the striking of the coin. What you may be thinking is "luster" extending into the damaged area is probably just the shine of abraded silver.
I think the "edge" comment was referring to the upsetting process whereby blanks are turned into planchets and Conder101 is correct, the reeding is imparted by the collar during the striking process and is therefore the last surface to be formed on a coin
