1862 S Half Dollar Sitting Liberty - Odd Date? Error? Over strike?

On this 1862 Sitting Liberty Half I have to ask you about the date and have included a detail photo of it. As I'm sure you can see something is off- I'm not sure what it is about- do you know? the "8" seems to have been stamped or tooled somehow- and the 1 seems to have been a weak strike or some how damaged- Don't know what this is or why- mint error, over strike or what?

What do the learned ones say? Thanks

1862 S Half Dollar Sitting Liberty

1862 S Half Dollar Sitting Liberty

1862 Detail

 

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On the reverse, look at the "F" and "D" of "HALF DOL" and the "E" and "S" of "STATES". I believe this coin was holed in two places and repaired.

 

I played with the color a little, the three areas in red have really bad consistency issues. It looks like its clipped, or holed IMHO. In the second and third picture you can clearly see circles where the other poster has said that it was holed. In addiction to what he said there looks like there is one to the right of liberty.

 

The larger spot you circled is where there was "green" spot which was cleaned with acetone- I don't think that's the same issue. Don't know how you analyze the color but that's pretty neat.

 

Thank you all for the responses. I have looked at it carefully and I agree with you all that it was holed. I hadn't even looked at the reverse much but I see it now- the holes show up more pronounced in the photo.

It must have been done sometime ago and there is a definate aged feel to the patina- there are even old scratches over the plugs. I guess what I don't understand is why someone would go to that trouble since it's not all that valuable. It must have been done I would have to guess way more than fifty years ago because of circumstances. Don't worry I didn't just buy it. Why would someone go to all that work? Looks like the punch or however it was holed caused more damage on the reverse. The letters "HALF DOL." also seemed to have been worked. It would be a hard way to earn a buck.

Also I had this on another board and all had same belief. Thanks.

 

Also, please note:

It is s Seated $1/2.

Not Sitting

 

Oh yes- thank you-

When she sat down she was seated. Now she's been there for a while she is Sitting.