Hey guys, I got this half from one of my tellers taday and it looks weird to me. It looks like it was cut down or something. I was hoping some of you more experienced collectors could help me out. The first picture is of the the coin by itself. It is a 1974 half dollar. If you look close at the picture, the coin has almost no rim to it at all. The next picture is of another 1974 half that looks normal beside the weird one. The weird one will be on the right in all the pictures. There is a big differance in the size of these two coins. The next pic is of them laying flat. the one on the right or the coin in question looks thicker as the regular one as well and the clad center looks differant. Can some of yall give me some insite on this coin. Maybe what happened and if it is worth any more than face. Thanks for the help.
This was my first thought until I looked at the edge-view image. Now I'm more inclined to think it was struck with less than full pressure, but not by much. See if you can get it weighed. Need the weight to be to the hundredth of a gram. A dealer or a jeweler might do it for you.
The last picture is the one coin sitting on the normail one so you can see how much bigger the weird one is.
Slot machine coin...as it dropped from the counter into the tray, it "spooned" the edges making it slightly smaller in diameter and slightly raising the rims.
If that were the case, wouldnt all the ridges around the coin be gone? They are still there like it came from the mint
My first thought was slot machine coin too. Don't think the ridges would be so well-preserved, not to mention that the coin looks to be in pretty good shape from a details perspective. Do you have the resources to weigh it to the nearest hundredth of a gram?
It doesn't look to me like the reeding all that well preserved. And the very fact that it IS reeded tells us that at one time it must have dad the full diameter. If it was struck on a smaller planchet and reached this size there would not be reeding. I predict that the weight will be within the normal range and the reeding, although present is somewhat flattened.
That's a full gram or more light - indicates a wrong planchet error to me. You need to get that coin authenticated.
I thought it was supposed to be at least a gram heavier as well but I am not a half collector. Who do you think I should send it in to?
Doug Unless I musunderstood the posting, the questionable coin is to the right in the picture of the rims. And that one looks thicker (not by much). plus the reeding looks pretty strong, therefore it underweight when struck the reeding should be nearly all missing. ???? __________________ Read more: http://www.cointalk.com/t115318-2/#ixzz0s32DzyI1
Not even gonna try to explain it Frank. But when it's a smaller diameter, and less weight than it should be - that suggest a wrong planchet to me. Doesn't it you ?
sure, but if a smaller dia planchet how could the reeding be filled in so nicely, and full? Otherwise, sure, I fully agree, just be the weight. Strange coin.
So the big question is.... Should I send it in the TPG or not? I would more than happy to send it either of you Doug or Frank and let yall get a closer look at it to give me your expert opinion after you can see it up close.
Won't matter what we say. Only thing that will matter is what the TPG says. And yes, you should send it in.