I have a coin that seems to be copper. It's about the size of a modern day nickel. It has the same front and back of an 1846 $5 gold coin. But it's not gold. Anyone know what it is?
I've never seen one like it. I thought maybe it was some kind of test run to make sure the die was right. I hadn't thought about it being counterfeit. Thanks.
Not a pattern likely a counterfeit there's many collectors of the old ones I've owned a few myself especially of bust and seated half dollars they'd make them of a base metal (copper zinc lead etc) and plate them with silver or gold often times they'd make a mold from a real coin as is likely in this case uncommon to see in copper
These are not uncommon. They are gold washed and intended to pass as genuine, but the copper color wears through quickly. Basically, they are meant to trick someone one time. Yours appears to have some gold color left around the peripheral areas.
Check the list of US Patterns first before discounting as a counterfeit. I had a legitimate heavily circulated 1856 (I think) $2.50 gold eagle struck in copper. One of 3-4 known to exist. It was in the Judd catalog.
Definitely looks like a contemporary counterfeit. They do have some value, Probably in the $10 to $15 range. Not for the gold counterfeits, they needed the weight to help them pass. A tin or zinc fake would be noticed as being way too light, Also the color of the copper could help with the thin gold plating. A silver colored base metal would make the gold plating seem to light in color so a thicker plating would be needed. A shiny copper base could pass with a thinner gold plating.
