Silver Half Penny

[Blueboy]

Ok guys I know knickers about coins, but aren't the half pennies meant to be coppers? i.e.bronze? Why is this one silver covered?
Hope it's not a stupid question but I've only found bronze coloured pennies etc before
C

 

[Heatho]

Looks like it was either silver plated or spray painted?? I've never heard of silver half penny's either.

 

[Blueboy]

Looks like silver plated, found them in an old broken glass jar
C
edit: Notice it's got an "X" scratched into it like someone was testing it, maybe back in the day conmen tried to pass off coppers as silver?

 

[silver]

Maybe there was some silver in the ground pretty close to it and an acidic type soil conducive to a natural set of circumstances that culminated in a layer of silver being deposited onto the coin as it lay insitu within the soil.
I'd try for a silver coin(or silver cutlery) very close by when next at the same spot.

 

[Blueboy]

Hey Silver, see my edit above, looks like someone tested it at some point

 

[silver]

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16644
if it's got silver on it throw it up here too Colin, it still counts (anomalous silver).

 

[Blueboy]

LOL
Did a Google. Check out this page, scroll down to a woman called Ronda's question (shouldn't it be a fish called Ronda?) she has one too apparently

http://coinquest.com/cgi-bin/cq/coins?main_coin=2396

 

[Blueboy]

Ronda--- "I have this coin dated 1899. Unfortunately, does have a small hole at top. My issue is, this coin is not bronze, it is silver???? I am stumped. Have any ideas? I have searched everything. I do not understand why it is made from the wrong material?? Thanks for any help in advance. Ronda
- Ronda "

"Hi Ronda -- There are two possibilities: (1) you have a copper coin plated with silver, or (2) you have a penny that was produced with silver instead of copper. A normal 1899 copper penny weighs 8.8 grams (half penny weighs 5.7 grams). Take your coin to a jeweler and get it weighed accurate to 0.1 gram. If the weight is 8.8 grams, then it is silver plated and worth very little. If its weight is significantly different than 8.8 grams, it is not made of copper and can be worth quite a bit of money. - CoinQuest (Paul)"

 

[rocketaroo]

silver frosted paint is my guess

 

[Wally69]

Two common reasons:

1. Birthdate significance - usually has a hole in coin to wear as pendant but sometimes not

2. To pass off as a florin/shilling over the bar late at night

Nice forgery

 

[silver]

Do the weight test on it then Colin.

 

[Goldpick]

Might well be an old counterfeit hp, something that was pretty common at the time. Some were stamped of marked to indicate a forged coin, I have a few older coins marked with the same cross in the same location. The segregations on the rim of the silver hp also seems to look a lot longer than on the other pictured one.

I have also found an older penny painted gold, talking about a heart starter.

 

[Blueboy]

Well I was also thinking that if the silver one was a proper Half Penny silvered then the exposed areas of wear should have toned the same as the normal one, but it is more brassy, actually better quality than the proper coin which has deteriorated more.
C

 

[Heatho]

Well I was also thinking that if the silver one was a proper Half Penny silvered then the exposed areas of wear should have toned the same as the normal one, but it is more brassy, actually better quality than the proper coin which has deteriorated more.
C

Was just thinking the same thing.

 

[silver]

Well it wouldn't be as worn as no one would want to be left holding it, would have caused chaos just to try and spend it ,... so I recon someones X'd it and give it the big hurl, far enough to never be found again, and cause them the bane of shoppers existence ever again.
Bet they (and all onlookers) shut/averted their eyes as it flew to its final resting place too, just to ensure it would have slim chance of retrieval even if they changed their minds or fell flat on their arse with not a hapenny to their name ! 8) 8.(