any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

[PEles]

any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

Found this in a civil war camp where I dug both union & confederate buttons in South Carolina.It's a fat indian cent but the date and united states is not there, so I'm not sure what it could be. Do you think it was made like this or that the United States of America was deliberately carved off? If it was whoever did it sure did a nice job. Any opinions from coin experts would be appreciated. I'd love to think it was made like this as it looks so good but I'm just not sure. I can see remnants of the lettering but you have to look real close to see it. any ideas?

LP

 

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[Brian C.]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

It looks like some one might have been bored, I can see where the lettering was, they had to have had a very sharp knife or they used a strait razor. I am not sure if this correct but it is my best guess, nice find alround. HH

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

I think it was done intentionally by a confederate soldier not out of boredom either.unique find in nice shape too!

 

[Goes4ever]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

sweet find for sure, never saw anything like it before

 

[creskol]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

That is a really neat find! I have never seen on like it before either.

 

[Nate in Ohio]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

If someone did that, would there be some scratches or some type of evidence visible? I do notice something around 10 o clock. Beats me but it's pretty cool!

 

[Metal Magnet]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

wonder if they were going to do a love token but were interrupted.

 

[PEles]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

If someone did that, would there be some scratches or some type of evidence visible? I do notice something around 10 o clock. Beats me but it's pretty cool!

that's the same thing I thought. If someone did it with a knife sure looks like there would be more eveidence of scratch marks or scrapes on it. Looks like no evidence of someone digging or picking at it since it's so smooth which is strange to me.

LP

 

[creskol]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

If someone did that, would there be some scratches or some type of evidence visible? I do notice something around 10 o clock. Beats me but it's pretty cool!

that's the same thing I thought. If someone did it with a knife sure looks like there would be more eveidence of scratch marks or scrapes on it. Looks like no evidence of someone digging or picking at it since it's so smooth which is strange to me.

LP

I showed it to a friend who suggested that what you see on the coin could be achieved by repetitive light tapping, perhaps with a brass rod. He said on the back of the coin, the wreath shows some "slickness" around the outside edges that would be consistent with this theory.

 

[steelheadwill]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

As said, a really interesting piece. mystery abounds

 

[jewelerguy]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

I think someone did it on purpose to leave only the head showing. it was probably an 1877

 

[ynpto804]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

That is a super cool coin. I have personally seen a couple coppers that have been altered by soldiers, though I have not seen one exactly like yours. I'm sure this was done on purpose but what the purpose we might never know. One of the example I have seen dug was a large cent that on the back the word cent was altered. The E was replaced with a U. Just to thinking about it, most of the war was fought by boys, who didn't have a awful lot to do in their down time. Except for drink, gamble, play "board" games(chess or checkers) and carve things. I'm not that old but I liked to do all that stuff when I was young. You have a super cool piece of history.

 

[hikeinmts]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

That is an interesting altered coin.....wonder how they did it.....
In Korea, I find one of their first older solid (no center hole) coins that has been altered.
On the reverse is the Chinese character for one half: 1/2. It is a straight vertical line, with 3 straight lines horizontal,
smaller line at the top, second line about midway, a little longer, and 3rd longer line under the other two.
For the Chinese number, ONE, they used one horizontal line.
SOOOOOO
the some Koreans took the 1/2 Chon, and did something similar (that has been done to the U.S. Indian coin), and took
out the long vertical line, and the top and bottom horizontal lines......leaving one line....like the 1 Chon coins had.
That is only done in the 1906 1/2 Chon coin, as it was almost the same size as the 1 Chon coin. In 1907, the 1/2 Chons
were made considerably smaller.....so there was no reason to alter them.
Seems like some industrious Americans and Koreans might have been related.

 

[Tuberale]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

Coin has been intentionally altered. Scratches on Indian's neck look to have been carved with a razor. I too can see 187-something where the date should be, plus the bottoms of many of the letter which should be present.

 

[PEles]

Re: any opinions on this dug indian head cent?

Coin has been intentionally altered. Scratches on Indian's neck look to have been carved with a razor. I too can see 187-something where the date should be, plus the bottoms of many of the letter which should be present.

Hi,

if it was an 1870's coin wouldn't it be much thinnner. I though the early indians were of the fat variety and this one is a fatty.

Pete