proof set

[lee]

not sure if this is the place for this so if it isnt please feel free to move it.
my friend chris who has just taken up metal detecting calls me and says he has just found a coin in his back yard that he cant identify and can he bring it over .
anyway it turns out to be a ct copper compleatly toasted but thats not the story , he pulls out some coins behind a glass picture frame that i cant make out what thay are apart from to merc dimes , the coins were found hidden behind a wall in his 1700s house in vermont , thay came tumberling out in 1976 when his farther was remodling and was told thay were proofs so he put them behind glass and gave them to chris when he got older.
chris broke the back open in front of me and i started to examine them 2 mercs 6 seated quarters and to seated dolars but all were not silver so i asume thay are proofs ?.
the quarters after looking on coin book were nothing special but the 2 proof dollars are 1854 and 1858 (only 300 minted and only ever done as a proof).....there worth thousands !!!!!!!!!.
thay are in a bad way and i dont want him to lose any more detail on them before getting them valued .
does anyone know what he should be doing with them to keep them from deterearating any more ? the proofs seem to be valued at 20,000 and 15,000 respectivly.
any help would be great.

[CTDirtFisher]

Lee, some pictures would help us help you...

[lee]

he is going to post them on here tomorow paul but thay seem almost...... errr.....rusty did thay make proofs out of iron or somthing ?

[Sal66]

UMMM.... Lee, you said the Quarters are Silver but the proofs are not ?? How do you know this ?? Did you use a Magnet? If the some are Silver and 2 are not then their Counterfeits . What year are the ones you say are Proof ?
If the Proof ones are rusty, then their definitely not real .
Post some pics if you can. I'm sure we can figure this out.
Take Care.

[Atokad]

Best of luck to your friend on them being valuable!!

[lee]

UMMM.... Lee, you said the Quarters are Silver but the proofs are not ?? How do you know this ?? Did you use a Magnet? If the some are Silver and 2 are not then their Counterfeits . What year are the ones you say are Proof ?
If the Proof ones are rusty, then their definitely not real .
Post some pics if you can. I'm sure we can figure this out.
Take Care.

none of them are silver sal , dates on the quarters are all 1882 and even the mercs have rust on them and there dated 1929 and 1944

[jkress]

This is all very interesting Lee.

I have dug plenty of silver coins with different degrees of rust stain on them. Usually because the coin
was next to a piece or pieces of iron in the hole.

Try a quick couple of tests.
1 - Grab a Merc from your collection and one of the rusty ones. Drop each on a table top. Do they make the same 'ping' sound?
2 - Compare the readings each one makes from your metal detector.

[del]

[Sal66]

I would say that they are older counterfeits . What do they read as on the detector ? So, if their nor Silver then they must attract to a magnet then , correct ?

[Kris]

Kris here, new member. I will post the photos tonight. I have been a very busy man of late. I am mostly a relics finder since I have unlimited sites in Vermont to pick and someday I will take those pictures as well when life does not get in the way.

[Kris]

Sorry Lee for the late response. It is all my fault...damn me! lol!

[lee]

no problem krisie mate.

[Kris]

Here are the coins from the wall in Vermont house. They were in a frame since 1976. Then I met Lee and we had to crack her open! My parents and I have heard the gauntlet of theories as to origin and value. Pawn shops, strange coin shops, collectors, detectorists, etc...Always a different opinion. I post these with the prodding of Lee to perhaps find a reasonable evaluation. Proofs? Counterfeits? Fire damaged originals? You be the judge. Then maybe some accurate values can be determined. This is my first post ever, I hope it fits the bill.

[Kris]

None of the coins are magnetic...I just tested them.

[del]

they look like pewter counterfiets or have been in a fire , bring them to wednesday Y.T.C. club meeting with Lee and i'll check'em out in person for ya.

Dan

[Kris]

None are magnetic, just tested them

[Kris]

Here are the two dimes found with the American questionable proofs and the batch of other coins. Also, a copper (what is it?) and a Spanish eighth Reale? Looking for information. Last two found in Connecticut.
All the coins I posted are non-magnetic. This means the material could be silver, copper or pewter. I have not cleaned them with olive oil or anything.