Seller claims that the hole in the Morgan was caused by a bullet. Truth, or Shenanigans? http://cgi.ebay.com/Morgan-Dollar-w...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
Hmmm. Looks like a VAM38. Don't waste your money on an off center shot morgan. I always look for the center shot.
Based on the looks of several coins that I shot in my youth I would say that the coin in question was indeed shot. Now the question is ...What caliber?
Based on the size of the hole in relation to the size of the coin, 38mm, the bullet would have been about a 9mm. But no 9mm cartidge will penetrate a silver dollar like that so it would have to have been a rifle cartridge, say a .375 But if that dollar had been shot with a .375 or anything close to it, that coin would not look like it does. Thus, no - that is not a bullet hole.
Bullet hole .375 would be a .375 H&H of .375 Weatherby and another one or two that use that bullet. They put out over 4000ftlbs of energy give or take a bit. A 9mm .355 Armour piercing round should do it. If not a .357 or .357 110gr A/P from a revolver or rifle would do it because of the high silver content of the coin. A coin will stretch when struck by a bullet until it penetrates . Thus leaving the raged tear on the reverse.A .22 at point blank range, of new design, will penetrate a near uncirculated buffalo nickel. Usually the stretching of the material leaving a hole much larger then .22. That hole was an angle shot if it is a shot, and smaller diameter projectile from european manufactures would also probably make a hole. You can see stretching at the rim which could have forced the path of the projectile. The 7.62 x25 fired from a CZ52 with an 85 grain FMJ bullet at 1600+ FPS also would be a guess. It looks like a bullet hole 75%, or a die punch, 25%. My opinion only.
I don't believe the bullet hole theory either, BUT it is a creative way to get those problem coins on ebay. I am sure it was in an outlaw's vest when he was shot in the chest, maybe even find a little dried blood on it..... Jim
If an examination of the hold showed traces of lead or copper then in hight be genuine. However, a free-standing (or tossed in the air) coin would most likely only be dented or folded by a bullet's impact. I know this by experience using half dollars and both .45 ACP and .45 Long Colt ammo. Of course these are slow moving bullets with lots of mass. Maybe a lighter and faster bullet such as a FMJ 30-06 or .223 would work its way through a coin. Or a +p load .357 Magnum. Using these types of rounds, I think there is a good chance that the coin would be torn or split instead of holed, unless it was placed against a backdrop and hit point-blank. The myth of Wild West shooters doing this is false. Show people such as Annie Oakley and Wild Bill could, and did, do this but the "coins" they used were either softened copper or cast lead replicas.
