Gilt Liberty Half Cent, Feedback

[artyfacts]

My friend asked me to post this one for him. Not sure why this one is gilt. Novelty, token? Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

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[DCMatt]

I'm guessing someone was trying to get away with something.


Coin on the left is a $5 gold piece. Coin on the right is a half-cent.







All you have to do is hope the clerk doesn't look at the back...

 

[jewelerguy]

I agree with Matt. Probably someone plated it to either try to pass it off as gold, or to practice for the same reason. But, only the person who did it knows for sure, and dead men tell no tales.

 

[DCMatt]

The coin below isn't a half-cent, but you can see this sort of thing actually happened...

In 1883 the Mint issued a new 5c coin with the head of Liberty and a Roman “V” meaning “5” on the reverse. Many people thought that the coin was an error since in didn’t have “cents” anywhere on the coin.
The lack of the word cents created an opportunity for the unscrupulous. The coins were gold plated and reeds were cut into the edge by hand (nickels have a plain edge) and they were passed off as $5 gold coins.

The most famous criminal case about altered 5 cent coins involved a deaf mute named Josh Tatum. He would go to cigar stands and purchase a 5c cigar and pay with a gold plated, hand reeded nickel. The attendant would assume that it was a $5 gold piece and give Josh $4.95 change. He was acquitted since he never said that the coin was $5, he couldn’t. The Mint learned its lesson and later that year put the word “cents” at the bottom of the reverse.

 

[tomsneck]

Awesome story.

 

[jewelerguy]

]

In 1883 the Mint issued a new 5c coin with the head of Liberty and a Roman “V” meaning “5” on the reverse. Many people thought that the coin was an error since in didn’t have “cents” anywhere on the coin.[/COLOR]
The lack of the word cents created an opportunity for the unscrupulous. The coins were gold plated and reeds were cut into the edge by hand (nickels have a plain edge) and they were passed off as $5 gold coins. The most famous criminal case about altered 5 cent coins involved a deaf mute named Josh Tatum. He would go to cigar stands and purchase a 5c cigar and pay with a gold plated, hand reeded nickel. The attendant would assume that it was a $5 gold piece and give Josh $4.95 change. He was acquitted since he never said that the coin was $5, he couldn’t. The Mint learned its lesson and later that year put the word “cents” at the bottom of the reverse.

I've heard that is where the term "I was just Joshing you" came from

 

[DCMatt]

And there is even a T-net thread about it!


Really! I'm not Joshing you!


http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/everything-else/107471-i-just-joshing.html