Old large-cent sized coins... colonial USA?

aaron7

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Aug 24, 2005
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Got this lot for about $20. I love low grade coins... lets me get some good old stuff into my collection!

I see a couple say ONE CENT on the back... and one says 1770 on the obverse.

Took the pics with my cell, hope they are good enough. You can't see a lot of the detail but hopefully it's enough.

Any ideas on these?

2011-11-08151500.jpg

2011-11-08151432.jpg
 

S

stefen

Guest
Think you did OK...

Would suspect that these were put up for auction by a Coin Dealer...so there is no monitary value potential other than being used as "Place Holders" or simply for conversation...

I have a suspected 1856 dated Flying Eagle penny that is essentially worthless (maybe $100) as a collectable...but it holds high honors as a conversational place holder...

but hey, you gotta start somewhere...even if its the satisfaction of holding a historic coin in grubby ole hands...
 

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aaron7

aaron7

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Ok so far I think the middle bottom and leftmost middle coins are Draped Bust large cents. Not sure if the rest are really American or not?

1797_s123_rev.JPG
1797_s123_obv.JPG
 

creeper71

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Dec 5, 2007
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aaron7 said:
Got this lot for about $20. I love low grade coins... lets me get some good old stuff into my collection!

I see a couple say ONE CENT on the back... and one says 1770 on the obverse.

Took the pics with my cell, hope they are good enough. You can't see a lot of the detail but hopefully it's enough.

Any ideas on these?

2011-11-08151500.jpg

2011-11-08151432.jpg
I see about 6 british pennys or half pennys. good chance of them being counter feits.. for the dates of them counterfeits are a good thing..depending on the veritiy for the year one coin could be worth 100's of dollars or even 1000's of dollars.. maybe post in what is it forum an ask if someone can give you the proper variations..
 

CoinHELP!

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I agree with some being British coins, but some are so near Basil condition that it's not easy to identify them. I see two US Draped Bust Large Cents. Can you see the date on the bottom one?
 

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aaron7

aaron7

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I do realize they're pretty bad. Was just curious if any were obvious!

I can't see the date with the naked eye but I'll try under the scope on that bottom one.
 

Tuberale

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There is a date on the bottom, middle coin. It is for sure a Draped Bust Large Cent (1796-1807). I'd like to see a close-up of just that coin if possible.
 

oxbowbarefoot

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The draped bust appears to be 18-- I can't really make out much more. Great score!
 

Tuberale

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Top 3 coins appear to be George III cents. Possibly the second coin in the middle row as well. But they could also be George IV, so need to look closely at possible dates. George III was removed as King in 1811, and George IV made king. George III died 1820.

Most of the other coins look like early British cents. One may be Edwardian?
 

Generic_Lad

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Like other posters have mentioned, the top 3 are George III half-pennies, and may or may not be "evasion" half pennies (doesn't look like it to me, but I don't have them in hand so I can't make a real judgement). Evasion coins are coins that are counterfeit but usually changed legends to appeal to the illiterate population and prevent a counterfeiting charge. They were popular in the colonies because of a shortage of regal coins from England. The one directly under the 1779 coin is also a George III half penny by the looks of it.

The bottom left one appears to be a George II half-penny. It can't be a George III because it is facing the wrong way, and isn't going to be a George IV because Britannia is a different type, plus she faces in the opposite direction on a George IV coin.

As for value... There really isn't any unless you can spot that it is an evasion half penny or a rare die variety, at least for the British coins. Really only worth copper scrap aside from the one with the readable date. At least to a British coin collector. You might be able to sell them on eBay as colonial coins.

Also, the far right one in the middle /might/ be a 1799 British half penny, but its honestly too worn down for me to say so in 100% certainty.
 

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