1905 Barber Half Dollar Chopmarked from Travels Through Asia

Like the preceeding 8 reales, this coin went to Asia and was chopmarked by a businessman there. The chopmarks indicated ownership and confirmation that the coin(s) were silver.

A great many collectors pay premiums for the chopped coins, often more than high grade examples. U.S. Trade dollars were struck specifically for use in Asian trade. 8 Reales are the most common coins found chopped and they circulated a great deal; this Barber half dollar is quite unusual to have circulated as a desired silver coin. Silver high denomination coins (and their greater weight in silver) were much preferred and it is quite unusual to find a U.S. half dollar that was circulated in Asian and chopmarked.

This 1905 Barber half was quite likely in much better condition when it went overseas and was then circulated for perhaps several years after being chopmarked. Many if not most such silver coins never found their way back to the U.S. although the Asian merchants would have used some of them in transactions back to the U.S. at some point.

While perhaps not as exciting in appearance, finding a chopped half dollar is very unusual.