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Name:        Kathy Koklas
Email Address:   KathyKoklas@webtv.net
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Question:        Dear sir,
I have recently came across a old coin that appears to be a 1787 brasher. It is definately not a reproduction, but could possibly be a 200 hundred year old counterfeit, although it is stamped brasher. I was wondering for further comparison to the one found on the web held by the smithsonian institute. If you could answer the following question, was coin stamped or ingraved. Because by comparison the script shows slight descrepancies when compared letter by letter to the coin held by the smithsonian. Thank you for your help.      Sincerely,
Kathy Koklas

The first Ephraim Brasher Doubloons were struck in 1786. They were a proposed pattern for a United States coin and never circulated as money. His first design imitated the Spanish Colonial "Lima 8 Escudos". The coins were the equivalent to $15 in New York Currency. They were minted on gold flans and weigh about 408 grains or about 3/4 troy ounce of gold (a troy ounce is 480 grains). In 1787 Brasher struck gold doubloon patterns with an eagle on the reverse and the motto of New York on the obverse.

Counterfeits are imitative and therefore would have been struck on a gold flan. If not, it is a brass copy. There are no known contemporary counterfeits. There would not have been any gain from such an activity. At the time, the coin was not a circulating media and its only value was its gold content.

Brass museum copies abound and are not intended to fool anyone as they are the wrong metal and weight and the die work is different that that of the originals.  All the original New York Doubloons are punched with "EB" on the eagle's wing.  One unique piece has the punch on the eagle's breast. If you believe you have a genuine Brasher Doubloon, you can have it authenticated at the American Numismatic Association.  See their link on the CoinSite's link page for more information.

Brasher Doubloons are very rare but didn't receive the attention they deserve until the 20th century. Recent sales(1979-81) at auction brought between $430,000 and $725,000.

Light cleaning or wiping uncirculated coins will downgraded them to AU or lower. That translates,depending on the coin, to 25% to 50% of its "pre-cleaned" value.

When a coin blank is struck by the dies, the metal becomes molten and flows into the recesses of the die and outward from the center to the rim. The metal flow lines are responsible for what we call luster. These lines sit directly on the surface of the coin and are easily removed. Any disturbance of the flow lines by cleaning is immediately detectable by an expert.

Graders look for flow lines first when evaluating an uncirculated coin.  Dipping a coin in silver cleaner reduces the height of flow lines because it removes the surface layer of the coin. The first time one does this the coin appears as if it has been improved but along with the toning you've also removed the protective oxide layer that develops on all coins. In a short time the coin "needs" to be dipped again.  As little as three dippings can be enough to reduce the grade of a coin from uncirculated to AU.  Excessive dipping eventually causes a coin to look flat and lifeless since it no longer has any luster.

Even coins with obvious wear normally have luster. Even EF-45 coins will have luster in the protected areas of the coin.

Once the luster is gone from cleaning, the uninitiated usually take to polishing the coin in desperate attempt to restore the coin to uncirculated condition (polishing is the process of moving metal).  Polished coins are obvious to anyone accustomed to buying and selling coins. At that point the coin usually has been reduced to its metal value.

Public awards for Life Saving from the perils of the sea didn't begin in the United States until 1850.  Two classes of awards were established: First for saving an American life on the high seas or in a foreign port and Second for the saving of an American sailor along the coast of the United States.  The actual medal awarded was usually in gold and often the second class medal was struck in silver.

There were standard Live Saving medals minted with a scroll where the recipients name was latter engraved. Some medals were actually created for a specific Life Saving event by Congressional decree. Note that the Metis Shipwreck which occurred on August 31, 1872 uses the motif of a man being pulled in into a rowboat. The original awarded medals were struck in gold or silver. Later on smaller versions of the medals were struck in bronze and sold to the public.  The designs of this particular period are quite beautiful and no doubt because they were designed by the famous William and Charles Barber.

I don't have historical records for the Priscilla but as an example the Metis Shipwreck medals would have been struck for the public around 1875 -1876. The mint records show 5,323 bronze medals struck in 1874 and 7,852 for 1875 and 14,348 for 1876.

These beautiful bronze medals often appear in exonumia sales.  Value Range:$80 - $150. Of course, if you manage to find an original it would be worth far more. (For example, the Metis Shipwreck gold medal contains 6.5 troy ounces of pure gold.)

Name:        lee bennett
Email Address:   soldierwif@aol.com
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Question:        Sir, You recently provided my friend Ray Watson with information about "The Life Saving Medal". He was gathering information for me. After reading your response I would like to be more specific about the coin. The coin has The Metis shipwreck design in the front with the words struck that read: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. across the top and ACT OF CONGRESS JUNE 20, 1874. across the bottom. On the back of the coin there is a figure of a person in a robe holding what appears to be a wreath. There is a testomonial in the center. On the right there is an achor leaning on the testimonial. On top there is an eagle sitting. The testimonial reads as follows: To RASMUS S. MIDGETT FOR RESCUING SINGLEHANDED TEN MEN FROM THE WRECK PRISCILLA. Below the testimonial at the base is the date August 18, -1889-. There is also words that are struck on the outside edge of the coin that read: IN TESTIMONY OR HEROICS DEEDS IN SAVING LIFE FROM THE PERILS OF THE SEA. I would appreciate any information that you could tell me. Lee Bennett. Thank You.

I don't have any historical information available on the PRISCILLA shipwreck only on the Life Saving medals themselves.  It takes a considerable amount of time to create a design, render it in plaster, create a galvano, master hub and then a working die. The medals designs used between 1874-1889 were designed so that a empty space or scroll was left blank and then engraved on to a working die, personalizing that particular die.

All Eisenhower dollars made for circulation were struck on copper-nickel planchets (blanks).  There were special collector issues struck in 40% silver at the San Francisco Mint for 1971,1972,1973,1974 and 1976 (dual dated 1776-1976). These issues were only available by subscription and now must be purchased from coin dealers or other collectors.  Both the silver uncirculated and proof issues have an "S" mint mark.

Note the Coin Doc never recommends cleaning or using dangerous chemicals as part of participating in the hobby of collecting coins and paper money. Many coins are ruined by cleaning whether by chemical or mechanical means. The answer below addresses a question about the use of Acetone by one individual. Also, there are professionals in the fields of archeology and numismaitics that care for coins that have been under the earth or sea for long periods of time. These people are trained in the art of preservation and restoration.

Acetone won't hurt a silver or gold coin and it will dissolve many impurities that are sitting on the surface, like dirt and PVC residue. It will not affect toning (patina) or remove metal from the coin. You only need to rinse the coin in cool, clear water after briefly soaking the coin in acetone.  Put the coins on a sheet of aluminum foil to dry.  Do not rub, or blot the coins with a cloth or paper towel.

Since the surface metal is not affected, this will not cause the coin to appear "cleaned". Note that acetone will not "cure" or improve damage already present from PVC or from previous cleaning.  It is just a solvent. The coin may still be rejected by third party grading services.

Cleaning coins reduces their value. Gold does not rust, it is virtually inert.

Grading is a art not a science. There is serious doubt whether anyone can consistently tell the difference between one grade number among eleven mint state grades (I'll admit I can't). This is a fantastic advantage for the grading services as collectors and dealers knowing that the grade assigned is subjective will pay to submit the same coins over and over again until they get the grades they want or need.

Third party grading may survive because the current crop of U.S. collectors want guarantees that their coin is a specific grade. The only problem is that coins will decline in price as the grading services dilute each mint state grade. Eventually every collector will have to have his coins regraded in order to defend his investment. The only winner are the third party grading services.

The American Historical Society is a private company that is neither a society or involved in Historical research. The 27 coin set they offer are commonly available coins. I would compare the prices and grades they offer against similar coins available from your local coin dealer.

Collector values of obsolete paper depend on the issue date of the note, the bank that issued it, the variety (many from this period have 6 or 7 digit serial numbers) and most of all, the grade (condition). 

There is a system of grading bank notes and this information has a strong influence on price.  For an example a 1914 Germany 20 Mark dated 5.8.1914 [August 5, 1914] with 6 digit serial number in VG (very good) brings about 25 cents.  The same note in uncirculated condition (new) brings about $175.

The AGE of the note has no bearing on value (some asignats from the French Revolution sell for $5).  Only rarity, condition and collector interest are significant.

The 1922 Grant half dollar was struck to commemorate the centenary of Ulysses S. Grant's birth. The coin was designed by Laura Gardin Fraser.  The reverse shows the house in Point Pleasant, Ohio, where Grant was born on April 27, 1822.

There are two varieties, one with a star and one without. The star has no particular meaning but it made collectors want to buy two examples (Mint marketing at its finest). The coin is usually seen in About Uncirculated to Gem uncirculated condition.  The coin was sold at a premium and never released for general use.

Value Range with Star (AU - MS65) $500 - $6,500+
Value Range no Star (AU-MS65) $45 - $650.+ Note that heavily worn or cleaned specimens bring far less.

The Sacagawea dollar has the following total composition:

88.5% copper
6.0% zinc
3.5% manganese
2% nickel

No, the "colorizing" is a gimmick by a private company to get a big premium for current Chinese Panda bullion coins. There has always been a strong collector market for Pandas and this is a method on which to take advantage of that popularity. Collectors and dealers of these coins will most likely NOT want to pay a premium for them in the future and might even consider them to be worth less than Pandas that were not altered.

Of course, I could be wrong and everyone will want their coins painted in the future.  You never know.....

-Another example of plating. This activity is VERY common and a neat advertising ploy.  Both U.S. and world coins are found plated in silver or gold, probably by electrolysis.  These coins have no additional value because of their plating and the official view is that they are "mutilated" coins and worth only a percentage of their face value.  Weighing is diagnostic, standard copper cents weigh 3.11 grams, an aluminum cent, far less.

Her great-grandfather gave her the coin about 2 years ago.  The story he told her was that when he was 11 or 12 years old, a friend gave it to him because he didn't want it any more.  He was born in 1903, which would make the date that he came into possession of it around 1914.  He kept it in a coin box for all those years until one day my daughter was asking some questions about his collection and he gave it to her because she thought it was interesting.

My questions revolve around whether it's at all possible that the coin is authentic.... were copies of the coin made as collector's items before the 1910's (when great-grandfather got the coin)?  Would even copies of that vintage have any value?  How can we find out if it's original? (Very unlikely, I know.)  Is the only way to send it to the ANA?  How do you protect the coin?  Do you insure it? Thanks for any help you can provide!

The coin you are referencing is a 1776 Massachusetts Pine Tree copper.  Reproductions are often shown because only one piece is known to exist. Most examples are museum copies.

The Hobby Protection Act passed by the United States Congress some years ago requires that coin reproductions have the word "copy" or "replica"  stamped into the reproduction. Of course, replicas made before the act have no stamp.

Many of the old reproductions were made about the time of the centennial celebration in 1876. These and other colonial era replicas  were sold as souvenirs of American history. Replicas, even old ones, may have no specific value.

If you would like a definitive opinion, send the coin to the American Numismatic Association for certification (see the Links page for the ANA site).

The 1999 Connecticut Quarter is worth.....25 cents....All approximately 500 million of them.  The purpose of the State Quarter program is to teach Americans a bit of history and coins are a good vehicle for this. Every State in the Union will be represented, 5 each year, in the order that they became states.

Occasionally, errors are found. There is a popular  collector market for these. Most errors will bring a premium over their face value whether they are State quarters or any other coin. Please see the "What's it Worth?" feature.

See Coin Doc Archive #2 and search for  "Kiaochow" to get information about these coins. I suggest checking publications such as World Coin News in order to find dealers that might handle this material

"Notgeld"  translates as "Necessary money" so as not to upset the authorities. This is very much like the emergency tokens of the United States Civil war that were labeled "Not One Cent".  Notgeld was used in many German towns and villages during and after the great inflation of 1923 in Germany and Austria. There are a lot of issues and they were printed on a variety of materials including porcelain and leather as well as on paper.

Unfortunately, if you visit some of the towns in these areas they are still making the stuff and selling it to the tourists.  Since there were few if any security devices on this token currency, they are easy to reproduce, therefore few of these issues are worth more than a nominal amount.

1. Allows viewing of both sides
2. Is enclosed to avoid contact with harmful substances
3. Affordable
4. Easy to transport a set of coins

I do not like the expensive individual cases provided by professional
grading services. I have come up with one solution:

1. Encase the coin in a top and bottom shell (I forget the brand name of these small disks)
2. Place the coin in a mylar attached cardboard foldable holder (no need to staple?" may want to change and staples add to the bulkiness)
3. Attach the coin date and mint mark with a printed self-adhesive label
4. Put the holders into pockets on a page made for a 3-ring binder

Question: What is the best (better?) way to store coins that is affordable allows viewing and flexibility in collecting?

My personal coin storage preference is Mylar flips stored in a coin box. You can get plastic boxes with dividers from most coin dealers to in which to store the coins. This system is relatively inexpensive and allows safe handling of almost any size coin. If you collect medals, there are also large size Mylar flips and boxes to accompany them.

-Not that I know of.  Kennedy half dollars dated 1965 have been found struck on 90% flans and 1964 Kennedy's on 40% flans. There is always the possibility that 90% 1966 half dollars just haven't been discovered. Weighing is diagnostic.  90% half dollars weigh 12.5 grams and 40% half dollars weigh 11.50 grams.

Kindest Regards,
Beth Vinoski

The Cincinnati Mining & Trading Co. was one of the private firms that made "emergency" gold coinage for commerce during the Gold Rush period in California (1849-1856). Only a $5 and $10 coin were issued. No $20 coins were struck. Very few of these private issues survived since their gold fineness was too low for acceptability and so most were melted.

Only one $5 gold piece is known to exist and the $10 gold pieces are very rare (last auction price: $200,000).  There are many replicas in base metal, brass or white metal,  that are either museum copies or made for some other commercial use.  A well known copy of the $10 coin has the word "TRADING" spelled as "TRACING". Copies have no specific value.

I never heard of the term "saf". It might refer to "San Francisco", the Mint where the proofs are struck. In recent years the mint has struck proof coins on the same copper-nickel composition as circulating coins and on 90% silver flans, thus the 1995-S and 1995-S silver proof set.  Note that the difference only applies to the dime, quarter and half dollar.  The cent and nickel are identical in both sets.

The coins you have described are "bullion coins", that is, coins whose primary value is in their gold content. The Napoleon 20 Francs contain .1867 troy ounce pure gold and the Russia 10 Ruble contains .249 troy ounce pure gold. Multiply these decimals against the world gold price (see the Metals page to figure the approximate current value in US$.

There were never silver cents minted in the United States. So, what could you have?

1. A cent struck on a dime planchet (blank).  A silver dime blank (dimes were silver until 1964) got mixed up with the cent blanks. Since a dime is smaller than a cent, the main characteristic of this error is that the outer parts of the design are missing.  This error is quite scarce. Value Range: $200 -$300.
2. A plated cent.  Plating cents or other coins with gold or silver is often used in promotions.  The coins are usually given away along with a coupon or other advertising material.  The plating gets the attention of the consumer. Value Range: $0.
3. A counterfeit cent struck on a lead flan.  Color is dull gray.  I don't quite know why anyone would go through the trouble of counterfeiting a cent but they do exist - Practice coins for counterfeiters???