Some good ones! Help Identify possible error plz.

[nyiangelo]

Well today picked up a 1866 shield nickel, 1873 shield nickel, and the first ever Indian 1859. Look at the nickel though. I think it is pretty strange. I don't see how someone could just take a hammer to it to put the indentions in. It was the only coin in the hole also. You can see three dates on the front. Along with "America" and part of "States". Look at the 5 on the back also. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[huntinghunter]

One question...Do the Dates have a raised surface? If they do, you could have one heck of a find. You need to get in contact with NGC, ANAC, grading services, they can confirm your coin...I agree with Neil though, the dates don't relate to the coins issue dates, they sort of look like dates on Indian head cents, but then the dates don't coincide either. The only thing that I know of on an 1873 shielded nickle was there was repunched date on the 3, which has a 2 incorporated into the 3.
Something tells me I've seen this type of coin before, I had a book called "The CherryPickers Guide" for die varieties, and I believe there is a coin with the same similarities on it as yours....The reverse is what I believe I'm thinking of when I say this, The "5" is rotated 5 degrees, and looks to be convex, I would definatly have a grading service mentioned take a look at it, a coin dealer is discouraged!

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

I'm thinking along the lines of the previous two writers, not a mint error for many reasons, different amounts of rotation, the side with the "5" looks pretty good, but the date side, the dates that are out of position look larger and too far from the edge, they "appear" incuse, are they ?
You can suit yourself on hefty authentication fees. I would just keep it for what it is, a very interesting find.

 

[texan connection]

Problem is the 5 side coudent have been imprented as its not backwards. ,
These pics look scanned, if you take a pic on micro with a digital camera. use a magnifying glass, outside, pressed right up agienst the lens, you can get a great pic that way.

 

[thrillathahunt]

What I think, and mind you this is pure conjecture on my part, is that the reverse or "5" side is a real rotated die mint error. The obverse side, has been tampered with post mint.

 

[nova]

So after all of the replies what are you thoughts on it?

 

[michigan michael]

Very Cool! Hope it turns out to be an error coin. Congrats!

 

[olepossum]

WTG

 

[Skywola]

I am no expert, but I would say that the chances of it being authentic are very high, simply because if someone were going to try to make a fake coin, they would be unlikely to put different dates on it!
For one thing, it would draw more attention to the coin than you would want if you were trying to scam someone, and more than one date would obviously bring up questions of authenticity . . . which is not what a coin counterfeiter would want. (short of a complete idiot coin counterfeiter).
However, I have no idea how it could end up with several dates on it, that is just simply strange.

 

[jeff of pa]

Normally when they repunched dates
it was only one year difference
so I hesitate to call the dates an error
unless the mint was Practicing.

The 5 does look like an Error

errors were common on early coins
but that one will take an expert opinion.

if the dates were Backwords it could be explained
but they are not.

Question,
If you put the coin in this Exact Position



does one of the Extra Dates
appear at the exact Bottom ?

also check with the 5 in the correct position
for Rotated die.

Definately a cool & Intresting Find