Kinda looks like they removed a mint mark, and took a lot of the coin with it. But the feature that looks like an "O" above the "LF" seems to be the wrong size and position...
One more category: "Doesn't matter" That coin would go into my junk silver box. I guess it's good practice for when it does matter.
IF you can scan the other side of the coin and upload it here or send to me, Do not use emails, they cause spam problems. Use PM ( conversations) from your profile page) i might be able to do some worthwhile "research" for you. As for your observation about the Left Feather - a half moon has apparently been 'shaved off' or 'age has taken its toll'. IF it is what i think it is... you might be able to throw a couple of thousand dollars to me as a 'thank you' gift. Maybe you already know that there is a "design selection" for any coin proposed to be issued ? And, in 1796-97, when they were just starting out... need i say more ? Sanjeev Suri from INDIA ^^ GOOGLE me !
There were about 12 designs "under consideration" in that period and even the one eventually selected does not have more that 4000* survivors. If this coin is one of the several SPECIMEN forged for approval, it is a "great find". HOWEVER ( a word of caution ), in mid-19th century, a strikingly similar coin was minted [ 1854 ? 1852 ? ]. From the scraping on the Left wing, one might infer "an attempt to convert" some ordinary [ ...again, comparatively ] coin to a RARE one. Look for "U.S. Coins Red Book" in your local library
This is nonsense. And as far as a "local library," mine is 2 feet from the computer and contains 37 different catalogs. My coin "bookmarks" now number over 400...
Not on that dog. Nothing personal, but...the...coin...is...bullion. No one's going to buy that coin as a guilty pleasure, and everyone's wasting their time obsessing about it. Let's obsess about nice coins.
Looks like someone's Dremel was broken and after a couple gulps of Jack they used the belt sander to polish it....
RE: doug5353's comment : This is nonsense. . . . & Both gentlemen have misinterpreted my comment(#suggest - read it again ): "even the one eventually selected does not have more that 4000* survivors." ^^^ THIS refers to "one of the" 1796-1797 half-dollars. Though it was laborious, i am reproducing VERBATIM here THE report that was THE SOURCE for my statement: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The reverse has in the center a right-facing eagle, slightly smaller than on the Flowing Hair type, perched on what appear to be clouds. Around the eagle is a circle formed by two branches, laurel on the left and palm on the right, tied at the bottom with a bow. Below the bow is the denomination, represented as the fraction 1/2 (with a horizontal separator), the only time the denomination is so displayed on any lettered-edge half dollar. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA forms nearly a complete circle just inside the dentilled rim. All coins were produced at Philadelphia and have no mintmark. The most common half dollar of this type is the 1797 issue, but “common” in this case is relative term. All examples of the type are rare, very expensive at the lower grades and extremely expensive as very fine or finer. The 1796 16-star examples are more expensive than the other issues at all grades. No proofs are known, but a 1796 15-star coin has been certified as a Premium Gem specimen example. Specifications: Designer: Robert Scot and John Eckstein Circulation Mintage: 3,918 (both years combined) Proof Mintage:none known, but prooflike specimens exist Denomintion: $0.50 Fifty cents (50/100) Diameter: ±32.5 mm. Lettered edge, FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR, the words separated by circle, rectangle, or star ornamentation Metal content: 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper Weight: ±13.48 grams Varieties:Two major varieties of the 1796 issue are known, one with 15 obverse stars (likely produced first) and the other with 16 obverse stars. A couple of other varieties with minor differences in device placement or size are also known. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So, maybe 3918 / 2 IS worth obsessing about... AND, then, there are " couple of other varieties " within that 4000* survivors. Enough to make any sane collector drool || Do YOU* or don't you agree ? ;-) Nothing personal... me too L-0-L
OK ! A confession : ============ Last week, I had totally missed reading the TOPIC which is clearly stating " 1850 Seated Half - removed "O"? " Most likely, would not have wasted any { my }time "obsessing about it".
"Honesty is still the Best Policy"... as we were taught in 3rd grade at school. 50 years on, ^^ holds as true as ever ;-) Yet, i found a couple of friends [ ? can i include you among them ? ] for my efforts... not a bad bargain ! What do you say ?
Talking about RARE & "common" coins, the 5 paise Indian coin for 1969 is already quoting an astonishing { at least, it appears so to me } Rs.100+ AND, though it IS a fact that 50 paise coins WERE minted in 2012, i have not been able to see even one - let alone lay my hands on a specimen. Even sporadic trips to Reserve Bank of India repeatedly draw a blank on this.
