Fake GSA Morgan found at summer FUN

oldsubguru · July 18, 2013 10:18PM

Discovery piece do turn up once-in-awhile at coin shows. However, this is the one type that you do not want to see.

Randy Campbell, ICG's senior grader was asked to give his opinion on a 1881-CC. His finds can be read here:

http://www.icgcoin.com/uncategorized/counterfeit-gsa-found-at-summer-fun-in-orlando-fl/

BJ Neff

BillJones · July 18, 2013 10:33PM

I would characterize this item as a "flea market" quality counterfeit. The fact that insert is cardboard instead of plastic should be an instant red flag for any collector who has handled or owned the genuine item. Beyond that the photos of the complete coin show that it is not genuine. To me the reverse especially cries out to me that the piece is bogus.

I don't suppose that many of those who buy coins at flea markets read the posts on this site, but they would do well to take this post as a warning call for the bad stuff that is out there.

DorkGirl · July 18, 2013 10:51PM

Fake GSA

DorkGirl · July 18, 2013 10:51PM

A quick glance at it, and it looks OK, but it has to be a quick one.

Unknown · July 18, 2013 11:52PM

This content has been removed.

ricko · July 19, 2013 12:29AM

We see here the one's that are detected. As always, the population of counterfeits is likely much larger. Be careful out there.....Cheers, RickO

pjcoins · July 19, 2013 12:34AM

glad to know this!

ebaytrader · July 19, 2013 12:35AM

I looked at the coin at the show and it appeared as polished though it didn't display hairlines. It just didn't look right at first glance but a point in the article was that a dealer doing a sizable deal may barely glance at it, and in that scenario, it's quite dangerous.

kryptonitecomics · July 19, 2013 2:19AM

Very good info and certainly a coin that might get lost in a bulk deal but the bigger problem is all of the beginning collectors who would get burned probably 90+% of the time with a coin like this.....very bad news.

Mitchell · July 19, 2013 2:31AM

Thanks for the heads-up.

At first glance, the coin looks off. That would be a big red flag for me. But, like others have pointed out, newbies could get burned.
Sigh.

LanceNewmanOCC · July 19, 2013 2:32AM

.
i'm glad to see this.

too many i've seen that are complacent in this hobby/business and things like this are GREAT reminder that the guys on the other side of the fence aren't going to stop and they don't take breaks

hopefully it will make a few more people get off their laurels and start caring a little bit. it is no joke to me and seeing family inheritances go up in flames paying for the counterfeiters/sellers deviant purposes enrages me which is why i personally strive to provide counterfeit detection information to this forum. it reaches a wide audience and if just little 'ol me helps even a few people from getting burned, i consider the time well spent.

after being at a recent show and seeing dealers get burned on what i consider obvious counterfeits for large amounts of cash and they've been buying/selling coins longer than i've been alive and then seeing the disaster that could have been prevented with even just a little study, i really am starting to take a hard line on the subject.

laziness and trust unfortunately are not acceptable excuses. don't study, risk getting burned. simple as that. unless you are very good at counterfeit detection, don't buy big-boy coins for cash from people you don't know. maybe not even a check as by the time you find out, it will probably be too late and just because the perps may get caught, doesn't mean you get your money back. people with these types of behavioral issues tend to be poor money managers, even the ones i know had in 6 and 7 figures amounts in cash. if lottery winners can blow through fortunes in a few years....

i did forward a huge amount of counterfeit images to those that needed them so it isn't like i'm standing by complaining. i'm more of a doer than a gawker.
.

AUandAG · July 19, 2013 2:57AM

Nice to get this info.

bob

roadrunner · July 19, 2013 3:13AM

Yes, fuzzy overall look with dullish luster and a polished appearance wouldn't fly in a GSA holder even if the coin were real. Lacking sharpness of strike in the eagle's breast for example.

cmerlo1 · July 19, 2013 3:17AM

They're getting better at the date font.

Timbuk3 · July 19, 2013 4:19AM

Thanks for the "heads-up" !!!

morgansforever · July 19, 2013 4:22AM

Thanks for the info.

19Lyds · July 19, 2013 4:37AM

Agree, thanks for the Information.

keyman64 · July 19, 2013 4:53AM

Kudos to ICG for a very well written article. I have met Randy several times and he has always been very nice and willing to share his knowledge.

Mission16 · July 19, 2013 7:03AM

<< <i>Ehh, that isn't that good of a fake, I would like to think I would notice the issues with the coin right off the bat. >>

And that's the key statement, there/

FreddieH · July 19, 2013 11:11AM

Awareness BUMP

DennisH · July 19, 2013 2:54PM

A quick glance and it looks... fake.

apollo14 · July 28, 2013 11:35PM

... I have found Randy Campbell at ICG to be very helpful (and conservative) when it comes to grading!

LanceNewmanOCC · July 29, 2013 4:31AM

.
well i thought someone would have just cracked the case open and put in a counterfeit but by what the following article images show, the holder is a counterfeit as well!

courtesy of numismatic news 8-6-13 vol. 62 no. 31

fig. 1 just shows the same image as linked from the op, so i didn't include it.

BigAl · July 29, 2013 3:10PM

Tough to generate new interest in a hobby when this is an everyday occurrence. A lot of us were probably burned on our first purchases due to over grading or perhaps a problem coin. Today the level of sophistication in counterfeiting coins as well as slabs is not only frightening, but poses another barrier of entry to the new collector.

LanceNewmanOCC · July 29, 2013 3:14PM

<< <i> but poses another barrier of entry to the new collector. >>

imo, one of the BEST things to do for collectors is encourage them to come and read here for a while.

i've recommended it to many people
.

Fake GSA Morgan found at summer FUN

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