I know it's old and scarce and all. I been looking at these thinking I might buy me one someday. I saw another post about one a while back and it got me interested initially. So, I spot this one for sale and it has what looks like a very large gouge. Like they started to hole it at one time... Again, sight unseen i would hope there was a return policy of I got this thinking I wasgetting a VF35 coin...
I've seen a couple of YouTube videos of well known metal detectorists that have actually found them. Anything can be found in our hobby. Especially on the East coast of the US
I actually did find one! It was found at a very interesting cellar hole as many cool things were found there. It was dug in what I could only call a dirt driveway. I don't want to hijack this thread. So, if you want to see it, let me know and I can post it for you.
I keep coming back to look at this. I bought a Fugio last year when I found out that we determined these were a federal issue. The one I bought doesn’t have near the eye appeal of this one and I gave $250.00 for it…. I am certainly not an expert and I’m sure there are varieties of the Fugio that command premiums just like with any coin….. But isn’t that sticker price a bit strong?
It's a planchet flaw. I'm more worried about what's going on at 7:30 on the reverse. As much as I respect PCGS... their opinions on early copper should generally be taken with a pinch of salt.
Planchet flaw. Not the end of the world. Surface looks like it’s got other problems too . Early copper has a lot of issues often and often damage and repair
You aren’t kidding. Almost looks like it’s plugged. I wonder if it corresponds with the 8 of the date. As the coin looks screwy there too the surface looks altered
As others have said, it’s a planchette defect, and it’s not that bad. The bit of corrosion on the reverse is more significant, but overall the grade is accurate. Many Fugio Cents have mint related manufacturing issues. They were made on the fly as fast as possible. These coins were struck on a drop press, not a screw press which was often used at the time. A drop press has the top die, which would the reverse, hoisted up, with a heavy weight on it, and then dropped on the planchette which is laying on the obverse die below. The top is called the hammer die while bottom is the anvil die. Before Covid, there was a medal maker at the Islands of Adventure, Universal theme park in Orlando, Florida, who used one to make his pieces. He was in the “Atlantis area.”
A repair may have been attempted later since the coin is very old and a future owner thought he would "fix" it.
They give some flexibility on old copper. I assume because those planchets had issues among other reasons. It's true, that all things being equal a newer coin with that same issue would be details, while the Fugio is not. For example, they will grade those early coppers (late 1700's) large cents on a different scale then they do newer coins. You would think that all coins should be graded equally, but they aren't. Many key dates are given the same flexibility. I think due to rarity they are graded against other examples and not flawless examples from other years. (Just a guess.)
That's what I wasalso wondering. If there wasn't forgiveness on that series. It sucks if you were trying to buy sight unseen and didn't want an issue like that.