???? Why and how did this 1875 CC dollar get these 4 holes? 0

[TON Collection]

Does anyone know how or why this happened to this coin?

[Mohawk]

Well....it's definitely post minting damage.  My guess is that your coin was used in a jewelry piece or some other kind of ornamentation, maybe a belt buckle, sometime in the past and at another point in the past, the coin was retrieved from the jewelry piece it was in.  In my theory, the holes were made to affix the coin in the jewelry piece and the solder is either from the process of making the jewelry piece or a crude attempt to repair the damage to the coin once it was removed.

Edited June 5, 2019 by Mohawk

[Just Bob]

It was definitely mounted on something.

Makes me wonder if it is real. 

[Mohawk]

8 minutes ago, Just Bob said:

It was definitely mounted on something.

Makes me wonder if it is real. 

You know, I got so wrapped up in my explanation that I didn't think of that.  There's a good chance that it may not be......Trade Dollars are one of the most faked coins out there.

[TON Collection]

11 minutes ago, Just Bob said:

It was definitely mounted on something.

Makes me wonder if it is real. 

Me to bob

[TON Collection]

13 minutes ago, Just Bob said:

It was definitely mounted on something.

Makes me wonder if it is real. 

I thought it could be fake as well. But it tested as silver not that means it is real

[Mohawk]

17 minutes ago, TON Collection said:

I thought it could be fake as well. But it tested as silver not that means it is real

That's very true and it's good that you know that TON.  While many Trade Dollar fakes are laughable (I have actually seen one dated 2009.  No joke.  2009), there are some good ones that are well made and are made out of silver.  I'd check out our host's page on the 1875 CC Trade Dollar and see how your example matches up.  That could help get you moving with determining the authenticity of your coin.

[JKK]

My first thought was: "something not right with that Trade Dollar." The color looks off, plated even.

The most likely argument for its authenticity, to my mind, is the drilling. That probably happened long before the modern era of very convincing fake TDs. It might be plated, it's certainly abused, but I have a hard time imagining it's not real--not because it tested as silver, but because I think that is one very old drill-and-patch job.

[Greenstang]

It looks genuine to me. Don't see any of the usual markers of a counterfeit. Does look plated though.

Too bad someone ruined a CC mint Trade Dollar.

[Mohawk]

18 hours ago, JKK said:

My first thought was: "something not right with that Trade Dollar." The color looks off, plated even.

The most likely argument for its authenticity, to my mind, is the drilling. That probably happened long before the modern era of very convincing fake TDs. It might be plated, it's certainly abused, but I have a hard time imagining it's not real--not because it tested as silver, but because I think that is one very old drill-and-patch job.

I agree with you on the drill and patch job, Jonathan.  It does look pretty old school and you make a very good point about the drilling predating the era of convincing fake Trades.

[Mohawk]

11 hours ago, Greenstang said:

It looks genuine to me. Don't see any of the usual markers of a counterfeit. Does look plated though.

Too bad someone ruined a CC mint Trade Dollar.

People do bad things to good coins all the time.  It's a very sad occurrence.  I've seen some horrors when I was working at the brick and mortar that would bring most of us to tears. 

Edited June 6, 2019 by Mohawk