OUCH!! They Got Me!! Fake Spiked Chin Half Cent

There are areas that may lead to that opinion, and in fact a couple of friends and experienced half cent collectors believe that. The weight and XRF result seem to support that as well, although there are cast copper counterfeits known. In environmentally challenged early copper I have seen "smeared" details, lumps that are more incrustations and porosity as the main features.

The obvious bumps in and around the date and letters and lack of crispness of "strike", especially @Insider 's images suggest a cast, and several I have shown images to including a couple of other long-time half cent collectors believe it is. The edge has been so doctored it is hard to see good evidence; I add a couple of images of the edge with a somewhat linear feature as I turn it but have been told that has been seen on genuine ones as well..

 

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If I were a counterfeit coin crook. And if I were to create a cast early copper. What would I typically use? A base metal and a thin copper coating?

 

Yes; typical cast counterfeits/ electrotypes also normally weigh considerably more as well as the base is typically lead. Many show the base metal through the copper layer and I would expect to see evidence of that on one so apparently heavily worked on, but this one does not.

I reference my post here on a couple of obvious ones: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/these-2-1803-half-cents-should-fool-no-one.412704/#post-25379850