I'd love to get people's thoughts on the two coins pictured. The story below describes my dilemma - Any insight is appreciated.
About a year ago I bought an '1877' IHP at an auction for $1. It's been dug, nicked, bent and corroded to the point that it's very, very questionable as to whether it's actually an 1877 or not. No one else at the auction thought it was, nor did I. But fortunately I just throw that kind of cash at a coin and not worry about it : ). So today I got the micro scope out and pulled the '1877' coin out and once again I have no real idea what it is. Then I get a little smarter and think, why don't I pull out a decent IHP for the 1870's and compare the 7's and see what I think.
About a month ago I paid $87 for a lot of coins off of ebay. It had $5.30 in 90% silver, 15 war nickels, a handful of buffalo's and wheats and 2 IHP's in it. The pictures were crappy and seller was new but I figured I'd pay for the silver and everything else was a bonus. Somehow I won the auction and was pleased with deal but absolutely stunned with the IHP's. One was an 1875 and the other an 1865, both in great shape. So I figure I'll take the 1875 and compare the 7's with the damaged coin from a year ago. So I put the 1875 under the micro-scope and the "UNITED STATES" is very prominently doubled. I'd guess it's machine doubling but I don't know much about it. Either way, as essentially a free coin, I was surprised. Any thoughts on cause / type / value would be appreciated. Again, I don't know much about it. The 1865 is in about the same condition minus the doubling.
So I went back the '1877' in question and it does look like an 1877 to me (you can't see any of the '18' but it looks like you can see the top of the '77'. Any thoughts on the date on this coin are appreciated. It's not going to hurt my feelings if everyone thinks I'm crazy.
Sorry if the pictures aren't great. I'm literally just putting the camera up to one of the microscope eye pieces.
Thanks for looking.
About a year ago I bought an '1877' IHP at an auction for $1. It's been dug, nicked, bent and corroded to the point that it's very, very questionable as to whether it's actually an 1877 or not. No one else at the auction thought it was, nor did I. But fortunately I just throw that kind of cash at a coin and not worry about it : ). So today I got the micro scope out and pulled the '1877' coin out and once again I have no real idea what it is. Then I get a little smarter and think, why don't I pull out a decent IHP for the 1870's and compare the 7's and see what I think.
About a month ago I paid $87 for a lot of coins off of ebay. It had $5.30 in 90% silver, 15 war nickels, a handful of buffalo's and wheats and 2 IHP's in it. The pictures were crappy and seller was new but I figured I'd pay for the silver and everything else was a bonus. Somehow I won the auction and was pleased with deal but absolutely stunned with the IHP's. One was an 1875 and the other an 1865, both in great shape. So I figure I'll take the 1875 and compare the 7's with the damaged coin from a year ago. So I put the 1875 under the micro-scope and the "UNITED STATES" is very prominently doubled. I'd guess it's machine doubling but I don't know much about it. Either way, as essentially a free coin, I was surprised. Any thoughts on cause / type / value would be appreciated. Again, I don't know much about it. The 1865 is in about the same condition minus the doubling.
So I went back the '1877' in question and it does look like an 1877 to me (you can't see any of the '18' but it looks like you can see the top of the '77'. Any thoughts on the date on this coin are appreciated. It's not going to hurt my feelings if everyone thinks I'm crazy.
Sorry if the pictures aren't great. I'm literally just putting the camera up to one of the microscope eye pieces.
Thanks for looking.
