✅ SOLVED Extreamly worn Merc?

[Beshires1]

Walking a high potential detecting site I found this laying on the surface exposed and shinny. Its very thin but I think that it used to be a Mercury dime. There was a old College for Girls built here in 1887. I think this item still contains the front profile of the face. It is Silver almost entirely smooth and very thin. If laid on top of the pictured dime it fits perfectly inside the rim. The back side has something left on it but its very vague as to what it is. A Magnet will not stick at all.

 

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[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

What does the back side look like?

 

[Beshires1]

The back. I think it might contain part of the axe.

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

I think you might have found a very worn half dime. Half dime should be 15.5 mm and a Merc is 17.9 mm. What you found is definitely smaller than a Merc. Do some Googling of half dime, there are a number of them (all super old and would be a great find). Or it could be simply a button, but definitely looks silver and no shank mark, good luck!

 

[Beshires1]

I think you might have found a very worn half dime. Half dime should be 15.5 mm and a Merc is 17.9 mm. What you found is definitely smaller than a Merc. Do some Googling of half dime, there are a number of them (all super old and would be a great find). Or it could be simply a button, but definitely looks silver and no shank mark, good luck!

Thanks for the heads-up! Great call on the half-dime. I have no clue of the actual date, but, I have a time frame date as I identified this to be a Capped Bust 1829–1837 silver half-dime. What the heck this thing is 180 - 188 years old, and my first silver find! So what if its been abused, This will always be a memorable find. Thank you sir!

 

[Itsmine]

If its super thin, it's probably a half dime. Looks like it got plow whacked too. I though it could be possibly a 1/2 reale too, but I think the portrait on the front side looks like the Capped bust profile.

 

[sprailroad]

I'm with you Beshires1, "So what if it's been abused", I'd be happy finding that, at least with knowing now what is was. A 1/2 dime, never found one in ANY condition.

 

[Fourman110]

Looks half dime sized. If it's truly worn and slick I've used an acid to reveal the date and coin type. When the coin is struck the low spots are hardened just a bit more than the high spots. The acid affects the less hardened metal a little faster than the hardened metal, revealing detail. YouTube can show you how.

 

[history preserved]

I think it is a capped bust half dime, I did a snapshot on the bust of your coin and a capped bust, and the faces look really similar. If not, it's a foreign coin, but I'm pretty sure it's a capped bust.

 

[coinsareawesome]

I'm not toooo sure, but the crown doesn't look right. Could it be Queen Victoria, from possibly Hong Kong?

 

[Spats]

Possible railroad track victim.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I think it is a capped bust half dime, I did a snapshot on the bust of your coin and a capped bust, and the faces look really similar. If not, it's a foreign coin, but I'm pretty sure it's a capped bust.View attachment 1472267

I aggree...The spacing from the bust to the chin are almost identical and not even close with a Merc. Awesome Find!

 

[Beshires1]

Ok guys, I thought of a way to impose my picture to the coin I'm comparing it with. My program of choice is Google Earth! Just open google earth, in the top left click add, image overlay. I used the picture of the coin I think I might have. Name it something and click OK. Then click Add, image overlay,add picture of your coin. Now drag and position your picture over the comparison photo. The transparency slider is your best friend. Use the center X when positioning your picture over the other. By playing with it you will get the hang of it, use the rotate handle on the left side of your photo to rotate your picture for adjustment over the comparison photo. When your happy with your comparison you can take a screen-shot. I used winsnap to take these photos. And Its amazing what details were on my slick coin that you will notice when I add a slight ammount of detail from the comparison photo. I think its' safe to say that my coin is a capped bust half dime.

 

[Beshires1]

Just wanted to be sure no one misses this

Ok guys, I thought of a way to impose my picture to the coin I'm comparing it with. My program of choice is Google Earth! Just open google earth, in the top left click add, image overlay. I used the picture of the coin I think I might have. Name it something and click OK. Then click Add, image overlay,add picture of your coin. Now drag and position your picture over the comparison photo. The transparency slider is your best friend. Use the center X when positioning your picture over the other. By playing with it you will get the hang of it, use the rotate handle on the left side of your photo to rotate your picture for adjustment over the comparison photo. When your happy with your comparison you can take a screen-shot. I used winsnap to take these photos. And Its amazing what details were on my slick coin that you will notice when I add a slight ammount of detail from the comparison photo. I think its' safe to say that my coin is a capped bust half dime.
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