Thoughts on this 1823 Bust Quarter

All of the 1820's quarters had a curl top 2. This coin has a club top. The 1830's had club tops to their 3's, but they did not have the scroll above the eagle. So it can't be altered from any 1830's coin.

The reverses of the with scroll quarters come with two different styles of 2 in the denomination a curl base 2 and a flat based 2 with a strong ending serif. This coin has a curl base 2. The curl base 2 only comes on 1815, 1818, 1819 B-3, B-4, 1822 B-2, 1827 B-1, and 1828 B-4. I have been able to eliminate all of these reverses except rev H used on 1818 B-10.

The obv of 1818 B-10 has an engravers scratch from the inner point of star 2 toward the bust. This coin has that engravers scratch, and all of the star points point to the same locations on the denticals. This is an altered date 1818 B-10. It also appears to altered the very rare early die state. (overall the variety is only an R-3)

 

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Wow. I learned a lot. Thanks for the response.

 

Thanks, great deduction. I can see how to alter the 8 to look like a 3, but 1 to 2, that must be difficult...

 

It is also possible that this could be a counterfeit made from a mold/die created from an 1818 B-10. I see that as being distinctly possible because neither the 1 or 8 match the 1 or 8 on the 1818 either (On the 1818 the 1 is missing the left serif and the right serif is long. The 8 is much wider than what is seen on the OP coin.) If you were just altering the date on a coin you would alter the second 18, why bother with the first two?

But if they made a die/mold why remove the entire date and then redo the 18?