Get the lead out!

[midntmn]

Or more correctly... How did it get in! While searching half dollar bank rolls over the past months, I have found several of what look to be lead facsimilies of half dollars. Same size, with the correct impressions on both sides, all have smooth edges. Although they have a shiny, silvery color, they do not feel or sound like a half. They are nothing like the magician coins we find. It is hard to imagine any one making these to pass as a real coin - or why they would even go to the trouble.

Has anyone else been finding these, or have any idea what they are about?

 

[BuffaloBoy]

a picture would be nice

 

[midntmn]

Sorry... camera batteries dead.... They look like 1971 Kennedy 50 cent piece, only made of lead.

 

[BuffaloBoy]

could it be machine rolled and tarnished?

 

[midntmn]

no... metal is heavy & soft, you can scratch the surface with your fingernail. Another one I found has a 1980 D date. Could it have something to do with design/production through the Mint?

 

[BuffaloBoy]

I wouldn't think so, those seem to be bad fakes. I doubt they are lead though, pribrably pewter or tin, or some other soft metal.
It is definately not a mint error, likely a really bad fake, but those are still interesting enough to keep
HH
Buff

 

[midntmn]

Yes... I am holding on to them. I have 2 others I found which are buried somewhere on my desk. When I get them all together I will crank the camera up and take a picture. If I scratch the surface, the under metal is shiny. You may be right about the pewter. They have a slight ring to them when dropped on a hard surface, and the sound is a few tones deeper than the regular halfs. I am sure they are not a mint error. I was wondering if they were something the Mint may have used to design or test the dies. The edge on the 1980 shows remnants of fluting.

Maybe someone else on here can give some insight on these?

 

[cbrtriple8]

Yes... I am holding on to them. I have 2 others I found which are buried somewhere on my desk. When I get them all together I will crank the camera up and take a picture. If I scratch the surface, the under metal is shiny. You may be right about the pewter. They have a slight ring to them when dropped on a hard surface, and the sound is a few tones deeper than the regular halfs. I am sure they are not a mint error. I was wondering if they were something the Mint may have used to design or test the dies. The edge on the 1980 shows remnants of fluting.

Maybe someone else on here can give some insight on these?

They all have smooth edges,hmm...
I'm pretty sure you are talking about them "casino" halves.....

 

[joad]

Found one a month ago. All beat up. Almost sounded like silver. Coin counter rejected it. Ended up spending on lunch.

 

[Generic_Lad]

A modern US counterfeit would be quite rare, especially a post-silver Kennedy Half dollar, why would someone make it? And how would they spend it without someone catching on?

I'd hang on to that if I were you, its an interesting curiosity to say the least.