What the heck!?!?!?!

[Silver Surfer]

I was going thru my silver coins today, cataloging them for possible sale, and the ONLY Seated liberty I have at first nearly made me fall out of my chair, then I got pretty miffed, then I had to laugh...
I have had this coin since I was 13 and had bought it from a kid that got it from his grandma... I had not looked at it closely for years, and at 13 (and even older), had no idea it shouldnt look like this...

What the heck were they doing to this old coin? It appears as if someone tried their hand at engraving, but why a coffee cup?
The funny part is that they put a navel and nipples on Miss Liberty... This had to have been done long ago, as this kid couldnt have done it, and I cannot imagine his grandma doing it either... Wish I knew who/when this was done.. Back looks normal..

Here are a couple pics... Maybe you all will get as much a kick out of it as my wife and I did...

 

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[dfx willy]

You guys sure that is a cup of coffee.. and not a chamber pot My wife said that it looked like a "toilet" heheh.

i agree the guy who did it had some kind of fetish. willy

 

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[fmrUSMC_0844]

I like it!! That would be my new avatar!

 

[lairmo]

That is cool as heck. I've seen several coins altered by soldiers and well done. One was a flying eagle penny and the eagle was carved into a winged man part that we won't mention and back in the 70's a guy I know dug several large cents with the e in cent changed into another letter and I'll leave that at that except to say his wife made him get rid of them. But in his words " I did keep one though" ha ha

After reading this I went through my large cents, (all 2 of them), and looked at the back. Am I just trying to see this or is it real? Not really sure if i should post this or not, but here goes...
side by side
left
right

 

[Mike Moutray]

That's a cool coin there! I've collected coins all my life and I've seen other half dollars and even a couple of quarters altered into potty coins. I remember the quarters selling for about $50.00 a piece and the halves being around $100.00 each. These prices were for better quality, "original" period pieces - which yours certainly appears to be. There are collectors out there for these coins, I would try consigning it in a national coin auction - it would have great exposure to those specialized collectors and bring the best price.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I like it, I think its banner and a great ID BTW. I am just guessing here but I would imagine these were altered at about the same time period that love tokens were being made from silver coins. Its an original authentic.

 

[Scott (Mich)]

Cool Find Silver Surfer,

You have an added bit of history with the carving which makes it all the more special.

In the first year of detecting I and my dad had dug an 1861-O half from our cornfield. I had always wondered if it was one of the Confederate coins too.

This is mine which I use as my avatar.

Yep I had used silver polish on it too, well against numismatic rules but hey I like it being shiny and do not plan on parting with it.

 

[ivan salis]

well using known data on mintage -- the us govt ran mint in new orleans had made 330,000 1861"o"halves when it was taken over on jan 31st m 1861 - the state of louisana and the confederate govt (both confederate ) made 2,202,633 halves with the silver stock that was on hand using the us dies --roughly a 7 to 1 ratio of confederate made vs union (us govt) made --so odds are yours is a confederate made coin --most folks think of 1861 "o" halves as "confederate money" even thought they are marked by the us dies.

 

[traderoftreasures]

i say banner

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Thinking about, it cant be in the banner because its an old find.