Stumped! Dug a CT. Copper tonight with double obverses?

[1KBlueTuber]

Posted this also on “what is it”. Out tonight looking for a cellar hole we eventually found but on the way we took a short cut through a wooded area that was a farm field way back and next to another cellar. I dug this coin and looked at it only long enough to identify it as a CT. Copper. Later on I was cleaning it up a little with a toothpick and was amazed to see it had no reverse. Hoping someone might know a little something about this variety etc. Glad to have it, a first for me with two heads and no tails?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[Fossils]

As far as I know, there's no established die variety for connecticut coppers with two obverses. This means that you may have either found a rare error coin, or a contemporary counterfeit, both of which could be worth a literal small fortune. You should definitely consider getting your connecticut copper appraised. It's an incredible find!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[l.cutler]

Those are definitely not Machin's Mills varieties. Really need to know the weight to try and go any further.

 

[Dirt McGirt]

https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1747-1-2-p-machins-mills-bn/445


Found out what it is. Check out link.

Congrats on the rare find

 

[Iron Patch]

As far as I know, there's no established die variety for connecticut coppers with two obverses. This means that you may have either found a rare error coin, or a contemporary counterfeit, both of which could be worth a literal small fortune. You should definitely consider getting your connecticut copper appraised. It's an incredible find!

It's interesting but I question if there would be much value. If genuine it no doubt would be a one of a kind mule but the payday is in being able to say which two dies it is, and it's hard to see how that could happen given the condition. What makes a little more sense to me is it being a cast counterfeit. You at least have to eliminate that as a starting point. It's such a shame about the condition of dug coins when such interesting things turn up.

 

[l.cutler]

https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1747-1-2-p-machins-mills-bn/445


Found out what it is. Check out link.

Congrats on the rare find

No, that is not it. That is a well known Machin's Mills George II counterfeit. The coin in question here has two different Connecticut copper obverses.

 

[l.cutler]

It's interesting but I question if there would be much value. If genuine it no doubt would be a one of a kind mule but the payday is in being able to say which two dies it is, and it's hard to see how that could happen given the condition. What makes a little more sense to me is it being a cast counterfeit. You at least have to eliminate that as a starting point. It's such a shame about the condition of dug coins when such interesting things turn up.

I like the cast counterfeit idea, the mould could have been made using obverses of two different coins.

 

[1KBlueTuber]

Those are definitely not Machin's Mills varieties. Really need to know the weight to try and go any further.

Thanks for the kind words and debates, I’ll be sending it out for further analysis to Stack’s Bowers. They’ve seen the photos and believe it’s legit.

 

[l.cutler]

On the light side for Connecticuts, I would say not made from two coins. Very interesting, definitely let us know what you find out! Hope you don't mind, I posted this to one of the Colonial coin groups I belong to, the top experts in the field hang out there.

 

[1KBlueTuber]

On the light side for Connecticuts, I would say not made from two coins. Very interesting, definitely let us know what you find out! Hope you don't mind, I posted this to one of the Colonial coin groups I belong to, the top experts in the field hang out there.

No problem in sharing. Always nice when the experts chime in. Regards

 

[Fossils]

From what I see your coin doesn't look like a Machin's mills copper. For a coin to be considered to be minted in Machin's mills, it generally needs to have "saw tooth dentials, no berries on the obverse wreath... and the lips [of the bust] must be distinctive" (Q David Bowers). While the coin is heavily worn, there seems to be enough detail remaining to see that there isn't enough prominence of the lips. The bust of a genuine Machin's mills counterfeit might look like this:


My bet right now is that the coin is an genuine error Connecticut copper. Either way, it's an incredibly cool and unique find!

 

[1KBlueTuber]

These are the 2 varieties of dies I believe make up this error coin

The 46-BB, has the large CONNEC script and spacing with similar nose attributes.

 

[l.cutler]

Obverse 46 is a possibility, but the other side is not 31.1. Your coin has a cinquefoil following the colon after CONNEC obverse 31.1 does not. Syd Martin responded that a nice genuine two headed Connecticut turned up at the ANA convention in Chicago a few years ago.

 

[1KBlueTuber]

Obverse 46 is a possibility, but the other side is not 31.1. Your coin has a cinquefoil following the colon after CONNEC obverse 31.1 does not. Syd Martin responded that a nice genuine two headed Connecticut turned up at the ANA convention in Chicago a few years ago.

That’s interesting, I spoke with Vic at Stock’s and he mentioned a double reverse CT they sold at auction a few years back but this is first I’ve heard of another double headed variety. Thanks for the info

 

[Terry Soloman]

It's "Con" coin. Heads I win, Tails you lose.

 

[Iron Patch]

That’s interesting, I spoke with Vic at Stock’s and he mentioned a double reverse CT they sold at auction a few years back but this is first I’ve heard of another double headed variety. Thanks for the info

Funny you should mention the double reverse coin as here's an expert opinion/reply on your find. Doesn't really add much, but here it is anyway.

"Not sure what to make of it! Could be cast, as you said, could be a piece that was joined together and the surface condition is hiding the seam or, more interestingly, could be genuine! There is one absolutely genuine double reverse Connecticut known - so a double obverse could also exist, likely to test the press in terms of alignment and striking pressure...or as a fun oddity purposely made by the coiners. Will need to be examined VERY carefully. If you know the finder, see if they can bring it to the C4 show in Baltimore in a couple weeks - a lot of experts will be there!"

 

[Iron Patch]

Obverse 46 is a possibility, but the other side is not 31.1. Your coin has a cinquefoil following the colon after CONNEC obverse 31.1 does not. Syd Martin responded that a nice genuine two headed Connecticut turned up at the ANA convention in Chicago a few years ago.

...and he likely bought it!

 

[Iron Patch]

Very exciting find if proved genuine and especially if it can be fully ID'd. Looks better in the latest pictures.

 

[l.cutler]

There has been a lot of activity on the Colonial numismatics email group where I posted it. A lot of speculation that there were intentional shenanigans at the Connecticut mint, multiple strikes that couldn't happen accidentally as well as some others.

 

[Iron Patch]

There has been a lot of activity on the Colonial numismatics email group where I posted it. A lot of speculation that there were intentional shenanigans at the Connecticut mint, multiple strikes that couldn't happen accidentally as well as some others.

I think the odds are getting better it will be the real deal. Maybe that's just me as in my mind that result is more favorable now. I don't think it's going to be joined coins and no casting seem and appears to have a higher copper content than what a lot of cast counterfeits have. That's the great thing about detecting -- sometimes we rewrite the rules or create a new one!

 

[l.cutler]

Well one of the Connecticut guys on the Colonial group ID'd the left obverse as 33.37 and the right obverse as 33.7.