Diggin-N-Dumps
Gold Member
- Sep 9, 2009
- 6,054
- 3,796
- Detector(s) used
- CTX 3030 / AT PRO / Etrac w/ NEL
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
- Thread starter
- #41
Altering an inexpensive coin into a more expensive coin is the entire reason why the counterfeiters use inexpensive coins: a larger profit margin. With your coin, a 1944s in that condition is worth about $0.50, but a 1911s is worth about $60.00. An easy profit of $59.50 is attractive to many dishonest people, and they will alter the coin to get this dishonest profit.
There is no chance that this could be a misstrike. The error would have to have been in the die, thus meaning that there would be far more of them in existence. If yours is the only one like that, it was not mint-caused. A grease-filled die is possible, but the vertical lines of the numbers would be more faded and less pronounced as ones.
The even patina could have been caused be being underground. It doesn't take that long for all the minerals and chemicals in the ground to create/thicken an even patina. But since there seems to be no environmental damage, I would say that the coin was dropped/buried relatively recently, or that your soil does not corrode copper that easily. The person who potentially altered this coin could have used some kind of chemical to even out the patina/toning. My dad has this chemical and has used it to make cleaned cents look more attractive, like on my 1922 d. The smoothness I really have no good answer to. There is probably some tool that could be used to smoothen metal surfaces, but I wouldn't have any idea what that would be.
Thanks TypeCoin....Im glad I got this up on the Forum, because i was about to sell it. I think before I competly give up on it, I will take it to my LCS.
It just sucks, it was such a nice coin, But if i hear the Coin shop guy tell me the same thing...I guess I can toss it
What would you do if you KNOWINGLY had a counterfiet coin? Should I just put a huge "X" on the front?