My First Barber.....Counterfeit or Just a Freak????

civilman1 · Oct 26, 2009

My 6yr. old son and myself spent the weekend at my brother's for his cousin's B-day party.He just moved into a new house but was still moving from the old one still.There is a field behind his house that I've hunted before and have pulled colonial button's and some pistol ball's out of.I only hunted for a 1/2 hr. until I got a good signal on the MXT........out pop's my first Barber.After cleaning it there was something that just didn't seem right.......for one it was very light and when dropped it didn't have that "silver sound",a normal sized Barber is 17.9mm,this one read's 18.6mm.,all in all it doesn't even look right.Any info on this coin would be well appreciated as I'm not much of a coin guy.Thank's and HH!!

Nate in Ohio · Oct 26, 2009

Interesting situation. But....who would counterfeit a barber dime

Not that it couldn't have happened, but I still say it's real. Some wacky stuff happens to some coins. I've found pennies that were so thin you could snap them easily and some dimes that are just roached and thin. But who knows. Anyway, I hope you confirm a case, and cool coin either way.

rjw4law · Oct 26, 2009

I say its real....just too many chemicals in the ground.

Kiros32 · Oct 27, 2009

A conversation piece if anything... nice find Joe! I snagged my first barber down in Surry...you should make the trip down!

Woodland Detectors · Oct 27, 2009

It's a nice first dug Charles Barber "dime" 10 cents :thumbsup:

Sniffy · Oct 27, 2009

I'd seriously be happier with a counterfeit. Thats just me. BUt regardless, good find.

TejasDigger · Oct 27, 2009

The Barber on the right has a bigger head. Don't laugh, but I'm at work and put some calipers to the coins and in metric from nose to back of head the one on the left is 63.98mm and the other 67.06. Well, with the large photo anyway.

civilman1 · Oct 27, 2009

TejasDigger said:
The Barber on the right has a bigger head. Don't laugh, but I'm at work and put some calipers to the coins and in metric from nose to back of head the one on the left is 63.98mm and the other 67.06. Well, with the large photo anyway.

I know.....There's nothing right on this coin,and if it was heated why would the head "grow" and the 'ONE DIME" on the back "shrink".Doesn't make any sense :icon_scratch:

johnnyi · Oct 27, 2009

You're right, when you measure the head from tip of neck to back of head, tip of noise to back point of head, etc., this coin's head appears larger.
Gerry Fortin writes in his article about seated counterfeits, that one of the hardest elements to reproduce are the denticals. Maybe a better shadowed shot of those would help? Here are two sites that deals with counterfeits. Although it is the seated ones which are their specialty, they may be able to help on this barber also. info@www.seateddimevarieties.com or wuximems@hotmail.com

creeper71 · Oct 27, 2009

johnnyi said:
You're right, when you measure the head from tip of neck to back of head, tip of noise to back point of head, etc., this coin's head appears larger.
Gerry Fortin writes in his article about seated counterfeits, that one of the hardest elements to reproduce are the denticals. Maybe a better shadowed shot of those would help? Here are two sites that deals with counterfeits. Although it is the seated ones which are their specialty, they may be able to help on this barber also. info@www.seateddimevarieties.com or wuximems@hotmail.com

You beat me to it...lol I was going to Pm you to ask if you could post those links for Civil...

Don in SJ · Oct 27, 2009

Weight, what is the weight of the coin, coin diameter can be stretched by various things happening to it, but what is the weight of the coin and if you have a scale that weighs in grams or grains, than perhaps look up how to do a specific gravity test. Also, any evidence of reeding on the edge side?
I have seen silver in many different color schemes. Assuming it is silver that is. If silver it is legit, regardless of what streched the coin.........

dfx willy · Oct 28, 2009

first things first. is it silver

?? test it to see if its silver. that would give the answer real quick. willy

jer4004 · Oct 28, 2009

Any one talented enough to get a barber dime that close to real and spend that much time on it would of also of got the diameter right. I would guess its real and has either been through a fire or chemicals.

civilman1 · Oct 28, 2009

Don in SJ said:
Weight, what is the weight of the coin, coin diameter can be stretched by various things happening to it, but what is the weight of the coin and if you have a scale that weighs in grams or grains, than perhaps look up how to do a specific gravity test. Also, any evidence of reeding on the edge side?
I have seen silver in many different color schemes. Assuming it is silver that is. If silver it is legit, regardless of what streched the coin.........

I got it weighed today Don.....The 1912 in the pic weigh's 2.228 gram's,the 1902 I found weighed in at a whopping 2.331.So I guess this might be solved unless I get it tested to see if it's even really silver.Might be a Part II

desecrator · Oct 29, 2009

civilman1 said:
Don in SJ said:

Weight, what is the weight of the coin, coin diameter can be stretched by various things happening to it, but what is the weight of the coin and if you have a scale that weighs in grams or grains, than perhaps look up how to do a specific gravity test. Also, any evidence of reeding on the edge side?
I have seen silver in many different color schemes. Assuming it is silver that is. If silver it is legit, regardless of what streched the coin.........

Click to expand...

I got it weighed today Don.....The 1912 in the pic weigh's 2.228 gram's,the 1902 I found weighed in at a whopping 2.331.So I guess this might be solved unless I get it tested to see if it's even really silver.Might be a Part II

Well, the minted weight was 2.5 grams, so there's nothing weird there. The 1902 was kind of worn, while the 1912 was heavily worn... All of the differences between the coins (the bust, the "one dime", etc.) are typical of two Barbers with different amounts of wear. The ONLY weird thing is the diameter. Is the '02 bent at all? The pic of it right after it came out of the ground makes it look slightly bent... that would make the diameter at the bend line slightly greater.

MiniMe · Oct 29, 2009

Looked this post up after you told me about it on the phone last night.

You're always finding something that throws you for a loop. I'll wait for Part II.... :dontknow:

After talking to you tonight from the DIV - I'm sure Part II will come much later...lol. Hope you kick A$$ at the DIV - no doubt you'll come out of there with some great finds too. Lil man and I are rooting for you! :icon_thumleft: