ITS REAL!!! ITS REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!! *NEW PICTURES*

vthepresident

Full Member
Dec 30, 2007
213
7
Charlottesville, Virginia
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IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!! *NEW PICTURES*

You guys are probably all going to make fun of me. How many times does some clown post a picture of a coin he or she bought at a yard sale or a pawn shop that turns out to be a replica or a car wash token? At least fifty times a day.
goldcoinreverse.jpg

goldcoinfront.jpg


Well, I am hoping that I am not that clown. However, I am fully prepared to don my polka dotted suit and put on my makeup. I can promise you I will be the sad kind of clown. Definitely not the happy kind. Here is my story,

After enjoying a most excellent day off from work with the first lady, we had one more stop to look at quilting supplies for her before we went home to eat some of her delicious spaghetti casserole. Keep in mind, she was so kind as to let me purchase a coin earlier in the day to add to my "19th Century Coins" type set (1877 seated half dollar). So, I was definitely not going to be in the coin market again for a while. Anyway, I said, "Can we swing by the pawn shop?" There is a nice pawn shop right down the road from our place, and the guy doesn't pay much attention to the dates on the coins he gets. He normally buys and sells based on silver and gold weight alone. She most graciously said "yes" and in we went. The place was crawling with pawners, so we had to wait for a while to get to the counter that has coins in it. I noticed two things...

#1. There were a lot of coins there that weren't there about a week ago. Normally the guys has a little display with 10 or 15 coins in it. Today there were 4 double eagles, a large stack of silver dollars, and many various older silver coins. It looked like a good portion of a collection had been turned in.

#2. There was another coin person there ahead of me shopping the case. The guy was discussing one coin in particular that I gathered might be a gold one. The shopper was struggling with the same decision I would soon be struggling with. At last, I heard him say, " I will go home and research this, and then I'll probably come back for it."
My interest was now perked.

After a thug bought a gun and a Mexican guy hocked a guitar, it was our turn. I know the owner pretty well, and he greeted me as he got the coin display out for me. The first lady and I perused the contents and I immediately found the gold coin. At first I thought it was a foreign coin, but when I flipped it, I saw "Carolina Gold" on the back. I thought right away it was probably a replica. However, not to be daunted, I asked the owner if he had tested the gold content and what the price was. He said he had not tested it but we could right there on the spot. He wanted $55, which was the price of the weight in gold. I didn't want him to scratch it to test it, so I trusted his eye for real gold and moved on. I wasn't about to ask for $55 more dollars from the first lady for more coins, so I paid the guy $1.60 for a busted up holed capped bust dime and a busted up holed seated dime and we left.

But it nagged at me. In fact, it chewed at me and pictures in my head appeared of redbook pages chronicling territorial issue gold coins and some other dude purchasing it before me. In the end, the First Lady convinced ME that we should go get it just in case it was real. So we did. I now own it. It looks just like the pictures in the Red Book. It is a Rutherford Bechtler gold dollar. Or a replica. Please, Treasurenet experts! Please tell me it's real!

If it's not, so be it, but I'm hoping the gold content will make it worth something even if it is more modern.

Any input will be appreciated,
V
 

Upvote 0

ivan salis

Gold Member
Feb 5, 2007
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callahan,fl
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

uh my golden rule of thumb is never wize up a dummy * - hes happy with the price he sold it to you for (and he is or he would not sell it )-- then so be it -- if I make a good deal off him its to my own benefit to keep my mouth shut -- go bragging about it to him and he might just bone up on the coin info and there goes your future "deals" down the drain --- if a pawn shop dealer is dumb leave them that way -- trust me whatever they sold it to you for was more than they paid for it cuz thats their bussiness. :wink: Ivan
 

cammobunker

Jr. Member
May 27, 2008
81
72
NW Ar-kan-saw
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Tesoro Compadre, Mojave, Cibola. Deteknix Pinpointer. Mark I Mod 0 eyeball, too.
Primary Interest:
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

Mr President, please allow me to be the first to congratulate you on the authentication of this rare and valuable coin. I am so very pleased for you!
And as far as it not being a metal detector find, well, "Treasure is where you find it!"
 

creeper71

Silver Member
Dec 5, 2007
2,936
61
South Central PA
Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

AWESOME!! I was hoping it would be realo!! Glad someone found something worth your time...btw did you thank your wife for talking you into going back to get it??
 

West Jersey Detecting

Gold Member
Oct 23, 2006
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

CONGRATULATIONS!

I know I am not alone when I say...

BANNER

:wav:
 

birdman

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Jan 28, 2005
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Choctaw Beach Florida
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

I would have passed on the coin thinking it was a fake,Your instincts served you well!!! Great job! I am very happy that it turned out so good! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 

Kiros32

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Feb 21, 2006
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441
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

I had a feeling you were going to get a good answer from ANACS. Congrats bro, BANNER BANNER BANNER!!!!
 

Digginman

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Mar 12, 2005
2,567
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Stephens City, Virginia
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

It doesn't matter how you found it, you did!!!

Congrats.

DM
 

Mainedigger

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Sep 15, 2006
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Maine
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

Congrats on it being real....WTG!!! :thumbsup: I wouldn;t worry about the pawnbroker....they put the screws to people all day, every day so it's nice to see someone get the better of them. He sold it for a price he listed thinking he was making a profit, not your fault he didn;t research it more or better.
 

Montauk3

Hero Member
Nov 2, 2006
907
20
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

What do you mean by this? "After a thug bought a gun"?
How do you know he was a thug? Do you assume anyone buying a gun that he or she is a law breaker?
 

AeroMike

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Apr 5, 2007
348
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SE Area of Nevada
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

That's awesome! now get a decent pic of it and make it your avatar! LOL
 

creeper71

Silver Member
Dec 5, 2007
2,936
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South Central PA
Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

Mainedigger said:
Congrats on it being real....WTG!!! :thumbsup: I wouldn;t worry about the pawnbroker....they put the screws to people all day, every day so it's nice to see someone get the better of them. He sold it for a price he listed thinking he was making a profit, not your fault he didn;t research it more or better.


the real question is what did the pawnbroker buy the coin for???
 

OP
OP
vthepresident

vthepresident

Full Member
Dec 30, 2007
213
7
Charlottesville, Virginia
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

Thanks guys,

I won't lose any sleep over making a good deal. Like everyone said, I am sure they didn't lose a red cent on the deal. It takes work, time, and money to get it authenticated and then get it to a market that would actually bring the kind of money it is worth such as a fine auction, coin show, or specialty shop, and I am not sure a pawn broker would take the time for that even if he knew it was a rare coin.

V
 

Captn SE

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Apr 1, 2007
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

How does a pawn broker sell coins if he does not know what he has? Does he just sell the coins for their weight in gold or silver?

I knew it looked authentic when you initially posted your coin. Are you going to sell it? How much did you have to pay for authentication/grading?

Congrats to you for finding a rare gold coin at a pawn shop!

HH,
CAPTN SE
Dan
 

UnEarthed72

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Jun 29, 2007
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

That's a really cool coin

Congrats on finding that



HH
Shawn
 

allen

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Jul 16, 2004
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212
Shelbyville or any yard where the owner will let m
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

We are so glad that it is a genuine golden coin.
Sometimes you take a chance and win and sometimes you lose, but you won and won big..
congratulations !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

ModernMiner

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Jan 9, 2007
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

Congrats "V"!!!! I'm glad the coin turned out to be the real deal for you. :icon_king: :thumbsup:

BANNER!!!

:hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2:
 

OP
OP
vthepresident

vthepresident

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Dec 30, 2007
213
7
Charlottesville, Virginia
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

Captn_SE said:
How does a pawn broker sell coins if he does not know what he has? Does he just sell the coins for their weight in gold or silver?

I knew it looked authentic when you initially posted your coin. Are you going to sell it? How much did you have to pay for authentication/grading?

Congrats to you for finding a rare gold coin at a pawn shop!

HH,
CAPTN SE
Dan

Well, this guy usually only has a few coins, and I think he just kind of bases buying and selling on precious metal weight, plus he thinks that older means more expensive. For example, I have no doubt that he would charge more for a 1880s Morgan dollar (red book $17) than he would for a 1928 Peace dollar (red book $430) just because the morgan is older. A simple purchase of a guide book would solve this problem, but we are talking about a place that makes ALL of their money from dealing in jewelery, tools, electronics, and guns. Coins are just occaisional merchandise, and that is why occaisionally I get a good deal there.

Imagine being in his shoes, not knowing squat about territorial gold, and someone else who knows nothing comes in with a coin that may or may not be real gold to sell. The seller doesn't know what to expect (not much probably because the thing is tiny) and the buyer (the pawn shop) doesn't either. The best either could hope for is the value of the weight of the gold minus a premium. Remember, the coin has no date on it, so the untrained eye might expect it was not even an old coin.

Enter me, a novice coin collector who has a slightly better idea of what the coin "might" be. Like I said in my original post, it very likely could have been a mistake, and I was extremely fortunate to be in the right place at the right time with a wife who was willing to support my hobby and my instincts. Remember, I almost lost this coin to the guy who was looking at it right before me.

It was the pawn shop find of a lifetime for me, and I really don't know if I am going to be able to part with it. My father in law got me into collecting coins in the first place, and it will be later this summer before I see him again, so I definitely won't be unloading it before he gets to see it. ANACS authentication and grading including shipping was about $60 dollars, so my grand total investment is about $115. Not a bad profit from a cash perspective, but the story, the excitement, and the improvement to my coin collection is worth far more.

Thanks again for following this thread to all who have been looking, and I will post pictures when I have it back in my hands.
V
 

Cubfan64

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Feb 13, 2006
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

Excellent job!!! Very happy to hear it turned out to be real! I might have to start frequenting some pawn shops :)
 

Bartman

Sr. Member
Apr 9, 2008
403
25
Baltimore/Cambridge, MD
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

Congrats!, thanks for the update. BTW, don't feel the least bit guilty about the pawn shop. It was a fair and honest transaction. Banner IMO!
 

DebbzInNC

Full Member
Feb 23, 2008
195
1
North Carolina
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Re: IT'S REAL!!! IT'S REAL!!! 170 YEAR OLD North Carolina Gold Coin!!

BRAVO!! That is awesome! CONGRATS in a big way!

Now I know I need to go to Tennessee to find NC gold. :wink:

What a great find, thread and story!

Hope you will get on the BANNER too! :thumbsup:

Again, big congrats!
 

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