Large iron piece

[johnash15]

Found this along with late 1800s early 1900s relics. Any ideas? Coolest find though was the melted half dollar.

 

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[AU Seeker]

I don't know what the mystery item is, but it's a shame that the half is melted it's a semi-key date, now only worth it's melt value, but still a nice find.

 

[johnash15]

I don't really follow coin values. What do you mean about key date and what would that coin be worth mint?

 

[AU Seeker]

Key date coins are rarer than others dates due to how many were minted.

If your coin was in mint state or mint state +, meaning looking like it just came from the mint, or uncirculated, MS+ is the highest rated mint state, it would be worth from $100 to ten of thousands of $ depending on it's grade, starting with a MS-4 ($100) and the highest grade of MS-70, I don't think there are any known 1915 halfs that grade above MS-66 or MS-67, the highest value I've seen is a MS+ 66 valued at $41,500, whereas a MS 66 would be valued at $19,500.

 

[johnash15]

So this one would probably grade negative infinity lol. Thanks for the info.

 

[AU Seeker]

So this one would probably grade negative infinity lol. Thanks for the info.

It wouldn't grade unfortunately, hence my stating it was worth melt value, but it's history it worth much more, IMHO, if you could find a connection/the story/ A.K.A. "provenance" to how it got melted would increase it value to well above melt value to some possible collectors.

I would keep it if I found it as a rare melted coin, the provenance if discovered would make it an even nicer item in my collection!!

Check the local libraries for old newspapers to see if you can find any reports of the fire that melted the coin and who own the building that burned down.

 

[johnash15]

You hit the nail on the head there. I've been mding for 20 years and have never sold a single thing. I've found things from the 1700s on up. If I find a simple flat button on a site that I researched then it means something, it's got provenance. If you sell it, it just becomes a button. Thanks for saying that because you don't hear it often.