Hunting Partner Heart Broken Over Fake Seated Half!

[Cool Hand Fluke]

I'm posting these pics of a counterfit seated liberty half found by my hunting partner, Frank. He dug this 1876 counterfit half out of a Sacramento Calif. area park a few weeks ago. On what he thought was a fantastic find turned into a major disappointment when he realized when the coin showed up zinc penny on his detector meter. A real silver half weighs about 12 grams, the fake comes in at about 10 grams. Oh well, Frank will just keep on hunting!

 

[mrwilburino]

Bummer!

 

[aa battery]

 

[bigtim1973]

I see alot of stuff comming out of china in the coin shop near my house that are fakes. I would bet that the one your friend found is a counterfiet from the original time period and not a newer one. Those counterfitters have been at it a very long time.

 

[midnightmoon]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!

 

[jrc79inNC]

I understand the frustration, but as a long time numismatist (to include Ancient Romans) I think it would be fascinating and I would add it to my collection. I would have it annotated as a fake and what proof there is. In an odd way its a variety kind of like your array of errors.

 

[Sandman]

Why hasn't anyone suggested that you take the alleged fake into a coin shop for a appraisal? Maybe it isn't. That would make a better post.

 

[NHBandit]

Why hasn't anyone suggested that you take the alleged fake into a coin shop for a appraisal? Maybe it isn't. That would make a better post.

Looking at it, especially the blobby looking numbers on the date I don't think there's any question that it's a fake. But.. if it's a fake from that period, and it may be judging from the amount of wear, then I think it's pretty cool and would love to have one in my collection. The modern Chinese fakes are getting to be so good it's scary. There is an 1802 bust dollar in great condition at a local auction tonight where I have bought coins fairly cheaply in the past but I don't dare to bid on it in case it's not real. Sad that it's come to that but the coin is "raw", not slabbed and the auction house has a "buyer beware" no return policy. With my luck I'd win it for a couple grand thinking I stole it only to find that it's a $20 Chinese copy.

 

[claymation]

I don't get it. Why would anyone bury a fake coin in the first place. To actually spend time and money to trick a coin detector is the most absurd thing I've heard. What's the point of that kind of effort ?

One time while using a cheap set of tin snips, getting frustrated I threw them as far as I could and went and bought another pair. The very next day, a guy comes up to me and "hey look what I found", he seemed happy so I didn't say anything. Perhaps that is how the coin ended up in that park.