I also have a coin that appears to be a 43 copper - it does not stick to a magnet. any chance it's real? Pics attached
I thought so, i have 4 or 5 copper plated 43's, but this I think is a 45 altered. You seem very knowledgeable, thanks for your help.
Thats still a great find to show how coins are altered. That with your plated 43's sounds like a start of a great altered set.
I don't think that coin was altered - I think it was made. If I had to guess based on the pics I would say somebody manufactured their own dies ( and a really terrible job of it ). There is not a single portion of the devices on that coin that is as it should be.
Just out of curiosity, do you think they hand cut a die or made a casting like the lost wax castings when making rings and stuff ?
OK - I could understand that if it was just a 5 being changed to a 3 - but if so then why are 9 and the 1 so different from what they should be ? Why are the shape of the letters in the legends so different from what they should be ? Why does the chin jut so far in front of the face ? There's much more wrong with this coin - but I fail to see how being beat up can alter so much in the ways the design elements are altered.
GD: I keep looking at this coin and other than driving me crazy hehheh I was wondering. Could it be that maybe the person altered the date but it left obvious marks and damage. So could it be to cover the obvious marks the person intentionally started punching away/carving other areas of the coin to kind of make the date blend in with the rest of the coin to take focus away from the altered date. Kind of like saying to their selves that whoever finds/buys this coin will think of it as a genuine 43 copper that went through say a lawnmower or something else that damaged the whole coin. Only reason I say this is I like working with metal and sometimes I do things with punches, files or graver chisels to see what the design outcome will be (not on coins though). The other reason I say this is I keep focusing in on the "in god we trust" and it sure looks nice compared to the date. Still wondering LOL!! By the way, I would sure like to see the reverse.
Yes - it's quite possible they did that - anything is. But based on the entire coin - I just don't think so. I could certainly be wrong - it wouldn't be the first time - and won't be the last
Well if you look at the second picture it is obvious that the chin has taken at least three direct hits (The dents are still in it.) which has distorted it and the date area around the 194 is beaten all to heck.
Pic of reverse here is a scan of the reverse, it is beat up pretty badly also. I will try to get some better scans of this coin, 5 min work for a 70,000 dollar coin. of course, in this condition I would consider any bid over 60,000. (that was a joke) BTW, This was in a bag of 5000 wheats I got about 15 years ago. I would be willing to ship it to the best expert in the forum for authentification. Don't want to spend a 12.00 slab fee on a 50million -to-one shot. Also, the "3" looks deeply punched, I don't think any 43s had very deeply punched 3's.
