Liberty Dollar 1873 Indian Head

Yesterday my wife greeted me but telling me she found a US dollar coin in the garden, considering we live in the UK I was somewhat surprised. When she showed it to me I thought it was a toy coin as it was in such good condition but subsiquent searching on the internet identified it as a Liberty Dollar Type 3 with the Indian head. As mentioned its in good condition but the stampings on each side of the coin are 180 deg out of phase, what I mean by that is if you have the head the right way up and turn the coin over the other side is upside down.

So, is this coin worth anything?

Thanks

Peter

 

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You don't mention the date on the coin, and although I don't collect U.S. coins, I have checked the Red Book and found no dollar coins with indian heads except for the current Sacagawea dollars, of which there is only one type.

I assume you are not using "good" in the technical grading sense, as a "good" coin is heavily worn with flat details on a barely visible design. A non-collector's description "good" would usually grade in the Very Fine to Mint State range. On older silver U.S. dollars the value can vary quite widely, depending on the grade. If you can, please post a picture of your coin.

Coins are generally minted in either "coin orientation" or "medal orientation". What you are describing is coin orientation, the standard for U.S. coinage. If you turn the coin over top to bottom instead of right to left, the design will be right side up. Medal orientation has the designs with their tops behind each other.

 

Sorry, the date is in the title of the post - 1873.

I've attached some pictures, unfortunately the marks look like solder, so this must have been used in jewelery.

Peter

 

Looks like it was once a "pinback". These were coins that had a pin and hook on the back like the badges we have all seen.

It's very heavily damaged, and unless a jeweler would have a way to make it into jewelry, it probably isn't worth much over it's bullion value.

Very nice find, though, and a good job of identifing it.

 

If that's a "closed 3" it's worth as much as $1,800 in MS-60.Check it out.

-Ilya

 

Great idea. Let's all "Check it out".

Here is a "Closed 3" variety". Notice how the serifs (the ends or corners on a coin's numbers or letters) on the number "3" in the date are virtually touching each other.

CLOSED 3 (link)

Now, compare that with the OP's coin.

 

Ah, well as said its a nice find. What I would like to know is how it got from USA to my back garden in the UK, now that would be some story!

Peter

 

Yeah, Peter, I've often wondered what tales my coins could tell me, if only they could talk.

One possibility on how your coin got from here to there, is that it was used to pay a debt. In those days, actual money, that had an actual value, was used in transactions.

Of course there are many other scenarios that would work just as well.

One thing that I do think is likely, is that the pinback was perhaps pined on someone's clothing (as a broach would be), and became detatched at some point while the wearer was working in the yard. Being so small, it was never found, and while it lay in the earth, the iron stick-pin and clasp rusted away.

 

I never knew there were gold $1 coins.

I won't make that mistake again.

 

hmm where ya be finding these good coins at..if there is any coin i would want it would be the 1997 platinum coin...