Please help identifying this coin...

[Ba250]

Hello, we are somewhat new to this forum but can someone help identify this coin. It is a 1861 Seated Liberty Half Dollar, but it is strange and has shield with "Confederate States of America, Half Dol." on the back. It was found while coin roll hunting half dollars. It was found in a very good box of halfs with several 1964 Kennedy halfs, two Franklin halfs & almost a roll of 40% Kennedy's halfs. We have tried to research information on this coin but have not had very much luck. As you can see the coin is very dark and does not appear to be silver though it maybe because of its age. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[vayank54]

I doubt it is real as there are only a few real ones known The last one that sold went for well over $600,000.00
The coins were restruck though I don't know when. I do know the restrikes can go for several thousand dollars and depending on condition a lot more. I'm sure the pare fakes out there but am not familar with them.
The best thing to do would be to take it to at least one honest coin dealer (more if you can find them)and have them look at it.

 

[72cheyenne]

One of the easiest tests is to see if it sticks to a magnet. Some of the "fakes" will, some won't. I highly suspect it is a copy coin.

I hope it's not though!

http://www.rebelstatescurrency.com/half_dollar.html

A Note on the Confederate Half Dollar Restrikes


During 1879, B.F. Taylor, the ex-Chief Coiner of the Confederate Mint, sold the die that was used to make the reverse side of the 4 original Confederate designed and minted half dollars to E. Mason Jr. of Philadelphia, who resold the die J. Walter Scott and Company, a New York coin dealer. In 1882 Scott obtained 500 circulated 1861 dated U.S. Seated Liberty half dollars to be used for his planned restrikes. The first few restrikes were minted by striking the die directly onto the reverse of the U.S. half dollar which resulted with some of the original U.S. design being visible underneath the Confederate reverse. On the remainder of the 500 half dollars, Scott shaved off the U.S. reverse design and restruck the now blank back of the coin with the original Confederate reverse die. The weight of an original Scott Restrike Confederate half dollar should be 12.44 grams on the earliest examples where portions of the U.S. design are visible underneath the restrike and slightly less on the restrikes that had the U.S. reverse shaved off. Also on a Scott Restrike, the denticles on the reverse may be off-center and may appear to not be quite as far to the edge of the coin as they are on its front. In today's market the original Scott Restrike will sell for $4000.00 to $10,000.00, depending on it's condition. Modern copies of the Scott Restrike have been produced since the 1960's and are usually struck in white metal or bronze and have no collector value. Other modern copies have been struck in oxided silver which gives the token a darker, smokey look. These copies generally sell on some of the larger internet auction sites in the $20 to $25 range. Most modern copies appear to be perfect strikes and generally don't weigh the same as the original restrikes.

 

[Ba250]

Thanks vayank. I tried to post the pictures the best I could but as you can see they are very large and blury at that size. We will try to take it to a local coin dealer to get their opinion. Thanks again.

 

[Ba250]

Thanks Cheyenne. We tried the magnet test and it does not stick... Thanks again for the tip.

 

[vayank54]

72cheyenne Thanks for posting more on the restrikes. I just thought I would mention in case Ba250 doesn't know, Silver coins can turn black from age so there is the chance that it is an old restrike

 

[l.cutler]

Even with the poor pictures I am certain that is one of the cheap copies sold at souvenir stands and the like. By all means have someone look at it but don't get your hopes up!

 

[Iron Patch]

Even with the poor pictures I am certain that is one of the cheap copies sold at souvenir stands and the like. By all means have someone look at it but don't get your hopes up!

Absolutely.

 

[DigginThePast]

Can you post better pics? I shrunk your original but it didn't help too much. I'd surely follow up on this coin but as suggested wouldn't get my hopes up.

 

[Iron Patch]

Can you post better pics? I shrunk your original but it didn't help too much. I'd surely follow up on this coin but as suggested wouldn't get my hopes up.

Sure it did, looks even more like it's made of plastic. In other words a very bad reproduction coin.

 

[RPG]

Even with the bad pics that's a no brainer.

Fake all the way.

 

[DigginThePast]

Ba250 – Here are a couple pictures of the 1880's re-strike of the Confederate half (4 of which were originally struck as mentioned above by 72cheyenne). If you could post better pics of your coin it may be of help to other viewers on here. Is yours dated 1861, I can't tell for sure?

 

[zaxfire69]

Man if I ever find one of those detecting i am gonna fall out. Those are beautiful.