Got an 1885 Seated Dime today... but is it counterfeit?

testing123

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Mar 29, 2009
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Got this today at a "pre Civil War" house. It rang up just about as a zincoln would (on the eTrac it bounces between 11-38 and 12-40 here at the house). When I pulled it out I thought it was lead but it wiped clean too easily, almost like silver would. Got it home and inspected it... first side... entirely blank. Turn it over... it has a design!! what is it? Wait a second... it's a seated dime?? I can read 1885. The question is... is it real? Something traumatic has obviously happened to it. It sort of looks like there are tiny holes in it in places, like it's hollow. Weight is 2.0 grams even. Any chance this thing's real?

I put a drop of silver testing solution and it turned a darker reddish/brownish color, which generally indicates it is silver. If it was lead or tin, it would have turned yellow...

Thanks for looking guys! Happy hunting!
 

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Upvote 0

jeffmrgan

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Apr 24, 2007
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that might just be the ugliest coin i've ever seen, i think i would cry :'(
 

JerV3

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Looks real,

Sometimes silver can get really white or gray looking. That stuff is really hard to get off from a coin. I'd have to say it is real but destroyed.

HH Jer
 

OldNorthwest

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Sep 2, 2008
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Hmmm....I have my Red Book here and it says the dime should weigh 2.50 grams. I guess some of it could have melted off if it was in a fire. Real or counterfeit, it's still a great find! Congratulations!
 

renogeoff

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Looks like someone put a flame to it. Must have changed the composition somewhat, thus the bouncing signal.
 

Breezie

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It looks like the real deal to me, but bless her heart, she's had a hard life. Neat find, Breezie.
 

mainer

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Yeah looks like its been in a fire. Too bad to. If only that coin could talk.
 

Tuberale

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May 12, 2010
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Damon64 said:
Looks like it might have been in a fire.
Looks like a heck of a hot fire. Might have been part of a so-called love token, when one side was flattened and inscribed. Even melted, a nice find, and certainly a one of a kind.
 

BuckleBoy

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You most certainly have a lead or pewter counterfeit there. No way that is silver. And I think that's a great find. You'll dig lots of seateds over the years, but very few of these!

Congratulations,



Buckles
 

MUD(S.W.A.T)

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Apr 15, 2005
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BuckleBoy said:
You most certainly have a lead or pewter counterfeit there. No way that is silver. And I think that's a great find. You'll dig lots of seateds over the years, but very few of these!

Congratulations,



Buckles

I'd have to say pewter, lead would be much heavier than a seated not lighter, like he said it was 2.0g they should be 2.5g. Sure looks pewter... :icon_scratch:

Keep @ it and HH !! ;D :D
 

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