are you talking about a coin like this? http://images.heritagecoin.com/images/HNAI/75/376/376006001b.jpg
It may be a pattern. My local coin dealer has an 1857 Indian Head Cent in his "It's not for sale" bin. It's also a pattern. That's the only explanation I can think of... Googling has yielded nothing.
Is there more information about it than just the picture? The image is only a reverse and no date. I initially thought you were showing a picture of a '38 to confirm the reverse design... as '37 had 50 Cents on the reverse. I don't have one, but I'm now curious about it.
http://www.rodinsquarters.com/hist_half.htm In 1838 the "50 Cents" was changed to "half dol." 1837 It was still 50 Cents. Post a picture so we can make sure its a real coin. -Rob
you can take 2 pictures, 1 of the front and 1 of the back. I dont dout that your telling the truth, I just want to see if its a real coin or not. -Rob
Photos of Front/Back http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/1222989/Reverse.JPG http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/1222989/Obverse.JPG
I suspect that may be a magicians coin. Notice that the denticles on the obverse, differ drastically from the reverse, not to mention that there is no mention of this coin being minted as far as I know, including literature on patterns.
can you look at the rim, and tell us if there is any sort of seam, where possibly someone glued two halfs of a coin together?
I'm stumped. I wonder if perhaps you have a fantasy piece struck outside the mint. When I say fantasy piece, I simply mean someone obtained original dies, and paired them to strike the coin.
It could be a transitional piece. If anyone has the Breen encyclopedia handy, they might check it for any reference to varities from 1837 with "Reverse of 1838" or the like. I'd look it up, but my copy's upstairs and I'm not. Fish
We are stumped too... The coin looks, feels, weighs, is materially, and every other aspect authentic. There is nothing about this coin that is not real. Is it possible that some of these were struck with the old reverse, perhaps when the transition took place?