Certainly plated, and after considerable circulation. But why? It's hard to believe it could be passed as a Quarter Eagle...except for its size, perhaps. Thanks for lookin'!
I too would lean towards a jewelry bangle of some sort, though I would expect to see the telltale markings of a bezel somewhere. Looks as though it was a contemporary plating for whatever reason. I too would have a hard time justifying trying to pass it off as a quarter eagle or something. That would be a stretch….. One of those cases of “if it could only talk”….
A pre-1930 gold Quarter Eagle is 18mm; a Barber Dime is 24.3mm. That's quite a difference, but not in the direction you suggest.
According to my Red Book a Barber a Dime is 17.9 mm, a Barber Quarter is 24.3 mm and a Indian Head Quarter Eagle is 18 mm. My meds are working overtime.
Someone goofing around with turning silver into gold. As a jeweler, I had the equipment to place a piece of silver into a beaker of solution, with a wire of gold and it would coat the item. Wore off fairly quickly, which is why I think your coin might have had that treatment
I've got at least two Walkers that were gold-plated, presumably for use in jewelry. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if some junk companies have sold gold-plated "coins of yesteryear" collections without even trying to pretend they're "jewelry", but the jewelry trade is still busy, even through retailers you thought were extinct: https://www.kmart.com/upm-global-15325-7-in-24kt-gold-plated/p-A031632571
