Seated Quarter - Fake or Real?

[Prober]

Hey Gang of Experts:

I was going through my old coin collection looking up current prices and found this 1857 Seated Quarter. On the Obverse (front) it appears quite legitimate:



The reverse, however, does not contain the eagle like it should. Instead, it contains curved lines and what appears to be the letters USA in fancy script.



The suspect coin reads from 81-83 on my White's M6 whereas the 1950 quarter reads 85-86. If you have any ideas about this coin I would love to hear them. Thanking you ahead of time!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Bigcypresshunter]

Its called a love token. Its made from a real coin. http://www.kenbarr.com/lovetokens.html

Love tokens are generally defined as coins on which one side (or sometimes both sides) has been smoothed down and engraved with initials, names, phrases and/or scenes. These were often given to young ladies as "tokens of love" by suitors, seems to have originated as a practice in Great Britain in the early 1800's, and migrated to the United States in the mid- to late-1800's. The Seated Liberty dime of the 1850's - 1880's is by far the most popular "host coin", but tokens are known on all denominations of U. S. coins from half cents through twenty-dollar gold pieces as well as numerous world coin denominations

 

[BuckleBoy]

Yes. BigCy is correct.


I would say it is more rare than your average love token because it is a patriotic one. I've certainly never seen one posted on this forum before.


Great Find~!


-Buckleboy

 

[Prober]

Thanks guys. I checked that site and found another USA one on there. Seems like a waste of an otherwise nice coin though.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Thanks guys.  I checked that site and found another USA one on there.  Seems like a waste of an otherwise nice coin though.  

I'd love to see a photo of the other one, if possible. 

You know, these could have good monetary value (although I have no idea how much), because the date of the coin is consistent with its being turned into a patriotic token during the CW years.  I think these are actually Fantastic finds--and perhaps even better than just a common-date Seated Quarter would have been.

The Seated Dime I found in a CW picket post last fall was dated 1857 as well.

Regards,


Buckleboy

 

[ghost_rider]

Many times these were associated with a soldier enlisting and going off to war. The love tokens were given to his lady, this seems to be more personal to the soldier being engrave USA.

JMO

 

[BuckleBoy]

Many times these were associated with a soldier enlisting and going off to war. The love tokens were given to his lady, this seems to be more personal to the soldier being engrave USA.

JMO

And also, patriotism was quite high in those years--as seen in all the patriotic store cards, etc. "Preserve the Union!"

 

[Prober]

Thanks guys. I checked that site and found another USA one on there. Seems like a waste of an otherwise nice coin though.

I'd love to see a photo of the other one, if possible.

You know, these could have good monetary value (although I have no idea how much), because the date of the coin is consistent with its being turned into a patriotic token during the CW years. I think these are actually Fantastic finds--and perhaps even better than just a common-date Seated Quarter would have been.

The Seated Dime I found in a CW picket post last fall was dated 1857 as well.

Regards,


Buckleboy

Check out that web site listed above. They have a bunch of coins posted by their members. I was just looking through them & saw the other USA one.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Check out that web site listed above.  They have a bunch of coins posted by their members.  I was just looking through them & saw the other USA one.

I see that one now--it's actually on the lovetokensociety home page...on a link there.

That USA piece was probably made around the 100th anniversary of our nation, the site says...

I would say that a patriotic piece made around the CW would be even More desirable.  You should attach a photo to an email and send it to them--tell them what denomination the coin is, as well as the year, and voice the fact that it may be a CW patriotic piece--and ask them if they have any ideas about value...

You might be pleasantly surprised.

Regards,


Buckleboy

 

[jeff of pa]

Being this coin was Probably in circulation yet when it was done.

It probably has more Value now then it would
if Not Altered.

 

[Montana Jim]

I see J S K not U S A.

 

[jeff of pa]

I see J S K not U S A.

I never looked that Close But I believe your right.
Plus it makes more sense for a Love Token.

good Catch.

 

[trikikiwi]

I see J S K not U S A.

I never looked that Close But I believe your right.
Plus it makes more sense for a Love Token.

good Catch.

JSK vs USA
What the eyes want to see, they will see

Nice find and catch MJ

 

[Prober]

OK gang, I submit that it may be JSK. As I've never heard of a Love Token I had no idea what they were or why someone would deface a US coin. As a novice looking at the coin's peculiar writing, the only thing I could think the letters were was USA as it is a USA coin.

I sent pictures to the Love Token Society asking them to look at it. I will post their reply if and when I receive it.

Thanks for all your interest.

 

[alpha105]

Its a fact....JSK.....i wish i had found that....those are my initials =)

 

[Prober]

I got an email from the guy from the Love Token Society tonight. He says if I put it on ebay I'd probably get about $15.00 for it. Not so great when the value of the 1857 quarter is listed in the red book starting at $20 and going up by condition. At this point I would rather they hadn't ruined the coin by putting whatever those initials are on it.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Myself, I feel that love tokens are much more interesting.

 

[BuckleBoy]

I got an email from the guy from the Love Token Society tonight. He says if I put it on ebay I'd probably get about $15.00 for it. Not so great when the value of the 1857 quarter is listed in the red book starting at $20 and going up by condition. At this point I would rather they hadn't ruined the coin by putting whatever those initials are on it.

You could sell it to alpha105 for $20.

 

[romeo-1]

Myself, I feel that love tokens are much more interesting.

Bigtime!

 

[julesjunk]

Just to dig a seated quarter is a wonderful feeling, but finding one that's had so much extra time and care put into it is far more exciting in my opinion. I dug this one while visiting Maine last november, in a small orchard, just behind a 1790's home. It was the highlight of my trip. If it could only talk........
My wife loves it, as her name starts with "S".
After digging this, my interest in Love tokens has risen, and now I've started collecting them.
Regards,
Jules