http://www.davidkahnrarecoins.com/p-629-1840-electrotype-half-cent-ch-au-55-550.aspx What is Electrotype half cents?
A simple Google search finds this: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/electrotype You can do it, too!
My quick Google says that it is a way of making an exact copy. What's odd here is that this dealer has actually put a grade (AU-55) on a fake coin! By the way, thanks for posting links to the articles on coinweek, coinworld, etc. I don't have a lot of time to scan the web for the latest news sometimes, so the links help me get right to something I might find interesting.
An electrotype is a copy of a coin made by electroplating the obverse and reverse of a genuine coin to create a thin shell of each face and part of the edge. (Usually the coin is coated with a thin layer of graphite powder or some other material so the electroplating does not adhere to the coin.) The two pieces of electroplating are joined together to create a thin shell which is then filled with some metal (e.g., lead). Electotypes were often made for museums so they could 1) display a rare coin or 2) display both sides of a coin. Counterfeiters learned the process and made very convincing counterfeits. (The process works better on coins with a smooth edge, e.g., Half Cents and Large Cents.)
Plus it's not marked "COPY", lol. Just shows you how ridiculous the entire "replica" market is, along with the inefficiency of the HPA. Call it what you want, this coin is no different than the Chinese imports, except the price is $548 more.
You guys are missing some important facts. 1) This electrotype was made well before the Hobby Protection Act of 1973 and therefore does not have to be marked 'COPY'. 2) Electrotypes such as this one are highly collectible and are often worth more than the genuine coin. 3) The seller is not trying to rip anyone off. His description clearly identifies this as an electrotype.
Hobo - I understand the collectiblity of this type of forgery, and I was joking about the HPA (which is a joke anyway); I also collect contemporary forgeries, and have been since I picked up my first Henning nickel from circulation many years ago. Also, I have no problem with the sale of this coin, though I doubt very much if you could sell it on eBay with their new policies in effect.
Thank you, Hobo. David Kahn is one of the best in the business...ethical, reliable, and has a great eye. Anyone who collects bust halves knows and trusts him. He is one of the few dealers I would buy from, sight-unseen. Lance.
Sorry I missed your humor. I like contemporary counterfeits, too. I have a very nice electrotype Half Cent that is one of my favorite fakes.
Electrotypes were also often made back in the 19th century when photography was not as common and much more difficult. The electrotypes would be made of rare varieties and could be provided to other collectors to fill a space in their collection until a real specimen was obtained. The electro could also be used as a comparison piece to help identify/attribute new specimens. Trying to do attributions without picture is very difficult, but if you had a set of electros of the different dies it became a lot easier. So these old electros did have a legitimate purpose, and have as a result become collectible themselves.
