So just now I bought a batch of 25 world coins for $.20 each, and this one made me do a double take. The 1/2 has been scratched out and replaced with a 20, from the looks of it. From what I’ve read, this was a contemporary alteration (like the 1883 US racketeer nickels) where someone would make 19 1/2 cents by scratching out the 1/2 and replacing it with a 20, as the two coins looked similar. Is this piece worth anything as a historical novelty, or is it just a ruined coin?
It’s going to be 50/50 on who likes it and who doesn’t. I think it’s very cool and a great bargain for 20 cents.