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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;BR549, post: 1067028, member: 7110&quot;]I was wondering about it being a cast contemporary counterfeit so I looked at some facts.</p><p><br /></p><p>1763 degrees silver melts</p><p><br /></p><p>1984 degrees F copper melts</p><p><br /></p><p>2797 degrees F iron melts</p><p><br /></p><p>Old tyme Blacksmith’s forges can reach temperatures of 2400 degrees F, more than enough to melt a crucible of raw copper or pure silver (even 90% silver 10% copper, coin silver) that could have been poured into a negative impression mold. </p><p><br /></p><p>It would behoove the counterfeiter to melt down large cents, pour and then electroplate the final layer to mimic the half dollar. This could have&nbsp; been done as early as 1857. I just wonder how much bust coinage was still circulating during the Civil War era?</p><p><br /></p><p>Quote: In 1857, the next new wonder in economical jewelry arrived called electroplating - when the process was first applied to costume jewelry.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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