Help with a date

[Older The Better]

Having trouble reading the date. at first I was almost sure it was 1889 but now I’m thinking 1869… thought I’d ask some used to reading fuzzy dates… I have a site I suspect has civil war aged stuff but I haven’t got a hard date on much, so 1869 would be exciting to confirm that range. 1889 could just mean some farmer around 1900 lost a penny

 

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[terpfan]

Looks like 1869 to these eyes, a nice date. Congrats!

 

[BennyV]

69

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

1869 to me. There isn't an indentation like an 8 would have.

 

[Robot]

Hi
Yes appears to be an 1869 One Cent Piece "Indian Head" value $138.00

1869 Indian Head Penny Coin Value Prices, Photos & Info

www.usacoinbook.com

 

[l.cutler]

Definitely 1869, a new hub was made in mid 1886 which changed the orientation of the lettering. An 1869 would be a type 1 1889 would be type 2. This is definitely a type 1, you can tell by the positioning of the A in relation to the last hair curl.

 

[ARC]

Hi
Yes appears to be an 1869 One Cent Piece "Indian Head" value $138.00

1869 Indian Head Penny Coin Value Prices, Photos & Info

www.usacoinbook.com

View attachment 2129146

If you got $20 you would be doing REAL good.

 

[Older The Better]

Thanks guys it may be an Indian head, but it’s the oldest coin I’ve found with a date on it, and is a great clue about the site, and while it was probably dropped a little later is was minted right around the time this area was opened to settlement so could be talking an original structure. Also could mean the shield nickel from that spot could be around that date. Don’t think I can do anything more to tease that one out, it’s probably gone

 

[sprailroad]

Something called "Nic-A-Date" Date Restorer is made just for that, helps to see a date that may be VERY hard to read. Yours IS pretty toasted, so it may not bring the date out.

 

[galenrog]

Quite a bit of damage to both coins.

I agree with 1869 on the cent. Even with damage, that is the only possible conclusion, based on the visible markers in your images.

The Shield is a different story, but the condition is so poor that nic-a-date may be the only solution. I would still give a day or two in acetone to help lift any debris from the coin prior to any chemical treatment. It has helped me with a few slick Buffaloes.

Time for more coffee.

Edited for spelling.

 

[michael NY]

Kinda looks like 1889 a lot of time what works for me is snsp a picture and zoom in . Good luck

 

[Robot]

If you got $20 you would be doing REAL good.

Hi ARC
I would be willing to purchase 1869 One Cent Indian Head pieces for $20.00 all day long.
Beats my investment in Silver Coins.
PM me!

 

[ARC]

Hi ARC
I would be willing to purchase 1869 One Cent Indian Head pieces for $20.00 all day long.
Beats my investment in Silver Coins.
PM me!

In THAT condition... no problemo... you can find them yourself at most decent coin shops.
Perhaps even by the roll at less than 5$ each.
I passed on an entire roll of them today (various dates i did not even care which) at the flea market .... MY price (which is cheaper beings i am known for this)... was $70 for the whole overfilled tube.

I passed because all were bad browned and corroded.

And obviously so did the others that may have seen them before me... due to the fact i was very late arriving.

 

[ARC]

In THAT condition... no problemo... you can find them yourself at most decent coin shops.
Perhaps even by the roll at less than 5$ each.
I passed on an entire roll of them today (various dates i did not even care which) at the flea market .... MY price (which is cheaper beings i am known for this)... was $70 for the whole overfilled tube.

I passed because all were bad browned and corroded.

And obviously so did the others that may have seen them before me... due to the fact i was very late arriving.

WITH that said....... if you are talking about flying eagle cents.... OR large cents.... they can get a little more pricey in moderately bad condition.
Which..... the OP's coin is... unfortunately.... in very bad condition.
Perhaps a restoration could help it... but personally IMO its too far gone.
In fact...... if i were to grade this coin.... it would ring in at... "below poor". (which is not even a grade heh)... "poor" beings the lowest ranking.
(sorry OP... no offense meant)

 

[ARC]

WITH that said....... if you are talking about flying eagle cents.... OR large cents.... they can get a little more pricey in moderately bad condition.
Which..... the OP's coin is... unfortunately.... in very bad condition.
Perhaps a restoration could help it... but personally IMO its too far gone.
In fact...... if i were to grade this coin.... it would ring in at... "below poor". (which is not even a grade heh)... "poor" beings the lowest ranking.
(sorry OP... no offense meant)

And to just be real and totally honest without fear of insulting the op's coin.

IF you were to sell it for $5... i would think he did well.

FOR.... i would ask about $2. heh (again no offense)

Three things for ANY coin to be "worth" buying... especially for any real money...

Condition condition condition,.

In rare cases it can trump it by being extremely rare.... which this coin is not.

 

[Older The Better]

No offense here I like it for the historical value more than monetary, the features are still fairly sharp but it is pretty well crusted over, the brown is where I stopped working it over with a tooth pick and oil, discuss away all I’m doing is learning, not many old coins dropped around here pre 1900 I’ve probably found 5 in 10 years of detecting on a regular basis

 

[ARC]

No offense here I like it for the historical value more than monetary, the features are still fairly sharp but it is pretty well crusted over, the brown is where I stopped working it over with a tooth pick and oil, discuss away all I’m doing is learning, not many old coins dropped around here pre 1900 I’ve probably found 5 in 10 years of detecting on a regular basis

Cheerio O.... good play.
Its the history of that coin that is the "it" factor.

In other words... "The "it" dont matter... I still like it" factor.

 

[Robot]

Hi ARC
No offense...My offer still stands!

 

[ARC]

Hi ARC
No offense...My offer still stands!

lol.

 

[Older The Better]

I don’t think I actually finished my thought earlier but I have wondered when grading coins, dug coins are kind of different. For example one site says a “good” level coin shows years of circulation and most features are nearly erased. I’d say this penny actually has pretty sharp features but it’s obviously been through other harsh processes and it’s masked under verdigris and a stubborn crusty brown layer… I suspect that most grading sites aren’t accounting for dug coins but I’ve never known for sure how to grade it