First, sorry if I put this in the wrong place, wasn't sure where to put it, but since the questions sprung from me going through rolls, I figured this is where I'd ask. (Very new here, very new to coin hunting.) Looking through rolls of half dollars and am wondering this: 1. I assume circulated coins lose weight over time and that's why I see so much variation on the underweight-side? If that's true, Does this mean the ones that weigh more than 11.330 could be silver? 2. I have a couple of error books, and I am a little confused about DD. (Ok. I am a LOT confused, but for now...) Just how obvious should this be to a very new beginner? Because after I stare for a while through the loupe, I can talk myself in and out of seeing doubling. Then I look up and realize I spent like 3-7 minutes looking at a singular coin. Should it look just as it does in the photos in the book? Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.
1. Looking at the side of the coin is the #1 easiest way to know if it is made of silver or not. Clad looks very much different than 40% or 90% silver. Also, 1965-1970 were 40% silver and 1964 were 90% silver. 2. I'll post a photo below, but really you just get used to seeing Machine Doubling and Die Deterioration Doubling and you will be able to differentiate between those and Doubled Dies. When in doubt, post photos and we will happily help. 3. You need to pay particular attention to any 1964 Kennedy Halves you find for the Accented Hair Ask more questions if anything I said triggered anything; I'm happy to help. Different types of doubling: 1964 Kennedy accented hair, note the serif: A 1995 DDO for example: A 1980 Machine Doubling coin for example, notice how it is flat and shelf like compared to the previous one:
Wow. Thank you so much. That was extremely helpful, particularly the drawing. Pretty sure I've been seeing hub doubling, and I can now return a pile of half dollars without triple guessing and regret. The book I have shows photos for the examples, but I think the illustration really did the trick. I think my error book misled me about checking the edges for silver. The author made it seem like it was impossible to check edges on Kennedy half dollars because of the mixed metal? But I just watched a video of a person picking out silver by just an edge check. Do you just look for a wider band of lighter metal?
Maybe he meant it is harder to tell the difference between 40% and 90% by the edge? I think it's pretty easy to tell clad vs non-clad by looking at the sides. I ONLY use the sides to look for silver coins. It's the fastest way.
I don't think I can thank you enough. I'm trying to learn as much as I can by reading, but being able to supplement that by asking questions here might be the difference between confusion and understanding. You rock!
Most of what I've learned has been from asking questions like yours and lurking on posts. Keep reading, asking, and sharing!
If you have a decent scale, weight can also be used as a 40%-er will be around 11.50 grams, a clad coin around 11.20 grams (even new). I've found that a half dollar roll usually weighs around 223-224 grams no matter how old or new the clad coins are... I put a roll of BU 1971-1974 dated coins on my scale and got 224 grams. A roll of BU 2009-P NIFCs also weighed 224 grams. This tells me the mint is using slightly underweighted planchets and has been for 45 years! In contrast, a roll of quarters almost always weighs 226-227 grams no matter what the clad coin dates are.
I hate to admit this, but I never even considered weighing the whole roll at once. lol Tunnel vision... It's a good thing I enjoy being a learner because I have a long way to go. Thanks for helping me out.
Yeah, I like to do it especially with pennies... and then arrange them for heaviest to lightest... that way, there's a better chance to find copper (and of course wheat cents) when you first open some rolls...
I took my silver Morgan dollar to a coin shop to have it looked at. The guy said it looked genuine; then he weighed it and it weighed 19.9 or something of the sort but he told me I might have a rare were Morgan dollar because he had never seen a weight reading like that. I know it is the rarest Morgan dollar with S mint etc... Can you tell me if there has been weight error Morgan dollars as so?
First, welcome to the neighborhood! Like Mr. P. suggested, it is best that you start a new thread with good, clear photos of both sides of the coin. FYI, the 1893-S Morgan has the lowest mintage (100,000) of all Morgan dollars. ~ Chris
On the weight, not normal weight with that much difference. I am sorry to say it is most likely a counterfeit ( false metal). Did he use a magnet to see if it was attracted? Should not be. Aliexpress still offers these ( says it their best seller ) https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesal...110555&SearchText=morgan+silver+dollar+1893+S and the non-silver metal ( although some use silver to weigh and sound correct). In the last couple of years China has put the word "copy" on the coin , but for many years before that , they 'forgot' to do so. BOL, Jim
