I picked this up from an antique shop and the women that owns the shop said shes had them for over 10 years and she knows it is counterfeit and it obviously is but I was wondering if you thought it was cast or struck? I don't see any casting marks myself. I know it probably make a difference a fake is a fake but just to satisfy my curiosity id like to know.
cor·o·ner /ˈkôrənər,ˈkärənər/ Learn to pronounce noun an official who investigates violent, sudden, or suspicious deaths. Coronet Cent: The Coronet large cent was a type of large cent issued by the United States Mint in Philadelphia from 1816 until 1839.
The photos are so small (can you zoom in and not have so much area not covered by the coin), and out of focus that I can't tell.
Sorry. Couldn't help it That being said, the coin in question - I don't see any casting marks either which would lead me to think it was struck. What is the "O" looking thing in the middle of the reverse? I wonder if perhaps it once said "COPY". Just a theory.
A lot of early U.S. coins had a centering point where they put the point of a compass into it to draw a circle showing where to stamp letter and date punches. This looks like what that was initially. I would guess that this is a die made from a cast copy of a large cent, then struck from crude dies.
The lettering looks crude, so I don’t know exactly which it is, but I am pretty sure if something that it’s not... and that is a genuine US large cent
@TheFinn this is one of the coolest coin “factoids” I have heard since being on CT. It all makes perfect sense. The engravers had to have a point of reference to work from..... When you say early are you talking pre-19th century? I want to go out and look at some early stuff on the web and see if I can find an example.
I do not see evidence of casting. The surface isn’t porous like a cast piece. I keep telling myself I see metal flow lines but I suspect that’s my imagination playing tricks on me. But I do believe this could be a struck copy.
I found my loop a minute ago and I don't see any metal flow lines but upon further looking it does seem a little porous. When I get home I'll get a more focused close up and see what you all think.