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Post your best counterfeit coin

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  • burfle23burfle23 Posts: 2,331 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2018 9:14AM

    This coin was recently posted on a Dealer’s Face Book page as a contemporary counterfeit. After careful review it was determined to be an altered date 1858.

    What makes it more interesting is it was actually cataloged in a 1994 Stacks auction, but then shown withdrawn. Apparently it was "discovered" prior to the actual sale.


    I sent a note to both Harvey Stack and David Bowers and they said it wasn't unusual to return an item like this in the original flip to the consignor; both stated they were glad it hadn’t been sold!

  • Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @cardinal said:
    This one was so good, it was purchased by an experienced coin dealer for $88,000 in 1980!

    When these first came out they were state-of-the art. These deceived lots of folks. They are written up in Counterfeit Detection a Reprint from the Numismatist. Unfortunately, the ANACS authenticators wrote that these fakes were cast counterfeits. :( They are not.

  • burfle23burfle23 Posts: 2,331 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 30, 2018 4:11AM

    One of my best appearing, but technically one of the worst!

    Loosely a "fantasy" piece, the obverse is from a Philly 1872, the reverse a San Fran 1875-s and the reeding of an 1876 by reed count.

  • Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭

    IMO, any counterfeit that is slabbed as genuine by a major TPGS is a "great one." At the time they are finally detected, they are the State-of-the-Art fakes I referred to above.

  • cardinalcardinal Posts: 2,005 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Insider2 said:

    @cardinal said:
    This one was so good, it was purchased by an experienced coin dealer for $88,000 in 1980!

    When these first came out they were state-of-the art. These deceived lots of folks. They are written up in Counterfeit Detection a Reprint from the Numismatist. Unfortunately, the ANACS authenticators wrote that these fakes were cast counterfeits. :( They are not.

    Indeed! They are not cast counterfeits, they are die-struck, and they ring like a bell when tapped on the edge -- just like a real one!

  • markelman1125markelman1125 Posts: 1,851 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2018 10:19AM



    Showed it to a well known coin dealer who determined it was counterfeit

  • ashelandasheland Posts: 23,190 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great thread! All of my coins are real though.

    :D

  • burfle23burfle23 Posts: 2,331 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Insider2 said:
    IMO, any counterfeit that is slabbed as genuine by a major TPGS is a "great one." At the time they are finally detected, they are the State-of-the-Art fakes I referred to above.

    Agreed; as we both know the 1872-s was slabbed actually twice by two different TPGs.

  • ParadisefoundParadisefound Posts: 8,588 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How did they make it looks worn and circulated or was it indeed circulated over the years? :/

    @BillJones said:
    This piece is one of those German silver contemporary counterfeits that Don Taxy covered in his "Counterfeit and Mistruck" book back in the 1960s. It has a lettered edge instead of a reeded one.


    For those who are not familiar with the type, here is a genuine 1837 half dollar.


  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,268 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CoinscratchFever said:
    Here is the only one I am aware of and only because they told me so! However, in an earlier thread @jmlanzaf said I have a couple in a pic of several silver dollars. I still haven't figured out which ones he was talking about. I'm beginning to think he was just a lil' hot under the collar... :D !

    Me? Never

  • burfle23burfle23 Posts: 2,331 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My latest addition and last one for the night...

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,997 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Paradisefound said:
    How did they make it looks worn and circulated or was it indeed circulated over the years? :/

    @BillJones said:
    This piece is one of those German silver contemporary counterfeits that Don Taxy covered in his "Counterfeit and Mistruck" book back in the 1960s. It has a lettered edge instead of a reeded one.


    For those who are not familiar with the type, here is a genuine 1837 half dollar.


    The counterfeiter makes of with less detail in their dies, probably runs it through a rock tumbler to put more “wear” on it. The low detail dies were seen in colonial times. If the coin looked worn, it met that other people had accepted it, which means that it must be good, right? That was the logic, which probably met it worked much of the time.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • cameonut2011cameonut2011 Posts: 10,167 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 30, 2018 2:43AM

    @dcarr said:
    Highest grade vintage counterfeit. 1896-o Morgan micro-o MS-64. "Privately Made" VAM-4:

    The "c word" is taboo to many here. It looks like a fantasy coin to me. No known micro O genuine coins exist; thus, no one could possibly be fooled. No need to bother complying with the HPA or hiring competent counsel to do basic legal research first either: Since there are no micro "O" coins it couldn't be a copy according to forum legal experts per their "Ask Jeeves" web searches and Law and Order legal procedure lectures.

  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 8,480 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 30, 2018 3:37AM

    @cameonut2011 said:

    @dcarr said:
    Highest grade vintage counterfeit. 1896-o Morgan micro-o MS-64. "Privately Made" VAM-4:

    The "c word" is taboo to many here. It looks like a fantasy coin to me. No known micro O genuine coins exist; thus, no one could possibly be fooled. No need to bother complying with the HPA or hiring competent counsel to do basic legal research first either: Since there are no micro "O" coins it couldn't be a copy according to forum legal experts per their "Ask Jeeves" web searches and Law and Order legal procedure lectures.

    The vintage privately-made ("micro-o") Morgan dollars were made with intent to deceive, via the spending of them at the apparent face value (while the total cost to the maker was less than 50 cents each). A million or more of them, using at least 34 different die pairs, were likely produced by the same maker. I've been collection them, but I have basically no chance of obtaining one example from each die pair. Regardless of whether it is considered a "fantasy" or a "counterfeit", the high-grade 1896-o micro-o pictured above would probably sell for $1,000 or more to a knowledgeable collector (no, I do not have it for sale presently).

  • CoinscratchCoinscratch Posts: 8,674 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @CoinscratchFever said:
    Here is the only one I am aware of and only because they told me so! However, in an earlier thread @jmlanzaf said I have a couple in a pic of several silver dollars. I still haven't figured out which ones he was talking about. I'm beginning to think he was just a lil' hot under the collar... :D !

    Me? Never

    Hi! How you doing today?

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,268 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CoinscratchFever said:

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @CoinscratchFever said:
    Here is the only one I am aware of and only because they told me so! However, in an earlier thread @jmlanzaf said I have a couple in a pic of several silver dollars. I still haven't figured out which ones he was talking about. I'm beginning to think he was just a lil' hot under the collar... :D !

    Me? Never

    Hi! How you doing today?

    Good. You?

  • AlexinPAAlexinPA Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 6, 2018 3:01PM

    Very educational; thanks.
    PS: I'm sorry but I have no counterfeits (whispering: that I know of) but I sure like that 1896 O.
    For a fake it's rather pretty. :)

  • Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 3, 2018 12:14PM

    @cameonut2011 said:

    @dcarr said:
    Highest grade vintage counterfeit. 1896-o Morgan micro-o MS-64. "Privately Made" VAM-4:

    The "c word" is taboo to many here. It looks like a fantasy coin to me. No known micro O genuine coins exist; thus, no one could possibly be fooled. No need to bother complying with the HPA or hiring competent counsel to do basic legal research first either: Since there are no micro "O" coins it couldn't be a copy according to forum legal experts per their "Ask Jeeves" web searches and Law and Order legal procedure lectures.

    Actually, those coins that don't exist are called "Small O" in VAM. Check it out. :)

  • CoinscratchCoinscratch Posts: 8,674 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @CoinscratchFever said:

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @CoinscratchFever said:
    Here is the only one I am aware of and only because they told me so! However, in an earlier thread @jmlanzaf said I have a couple in a pic of several silver dollars. I still haven't figured out which ones he was talking about. I'm beginning to think he was just a lil' hot under the collar... :D !

    Me? Never

    Hi! How you doing today?

    Good. You?

    Very good, found my very first doubled die this weekend. It wasn't the '58 1c but you know somethings better than nothing.

  • snizzlesnizzle Posts: 214 ✭✭✭✭







    I looked for a 1914-d. In circulation for my set. found 2 altered before finding the real thing.

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,268 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CoinscratchFever said:

    Very good, found my very first doubled die this weekend. It wasn't the '58 1c but you know somethings better than nothing.

    I saw that. Congratulations! Sometimes things do pop up.

  • gripgrip Posts: 9,962 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Interesting thread, thanks to all that contributed.

  • MeltdownMeltdown Posts: 8,792 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This one isn't very convincing bacause of the metal but the design is very close.
    photo IMG_3257.jpg
    photo IMG_3258.jpg

  • MeltdownMeltdown Posts: 8,792 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Here's another that's not very convincing...
    photo IMG_5781.jpg
    photo IMG_5782.jpg

  • ParadisefoundParadisefound Posts: 8,588 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 5, 2018 10:18PM

    @Regulated said:
    Like the intricate work on the feathers <3

  • RegulatedRegulated Posts: 2,992 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That was my favorite bit. Just added this to my collection on Saturday...


    What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
  • carabonnaircarabonnair Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I like how it is parsed - UNI THD STATES OF AME RICA

  • carabonnaircarabonnair Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It appears I have too many.
    The "best"? Perhaps the gold dollar

  • mikev50mikev50 Posts: 14 ✭✭

    1885cc-morgan-sold as a fake-

  • abcde12345abcde12345 Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Who here has a counterfeit within their collection (that is so good) they are not aware of it?

  • burfle23burfle23 Posts: 2,331 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Couple of new adds:

  • ParadisefoundParadisefound Posts: 8,588 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 8, 2018 8:01AM

    :)She is the prettiest I've seen though

    @Regulated said:
    Not very convincing, but very old...

  • 124Spider124Spider Posts: 941 ✭✭✭✭✭

  • NewEnglandRaritiesNewEnglandRarities Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭✭

    Just got two of the very rare Henning nickel dates but no pic yet. In the meantime, here is maybe the King of Contemporary counterfeits, the famous 1787 Half Dollar. There are three varieties of the 1787, all are extremely rare and less than 12 known of the entire series. Very lucky to own two of them, including this one.


    New England Rarities...Dealer In Colonial Coinage and Americana
  • ldhairldhair Posts: 7,238 ✭✭✭✭✭


    Larry

  • OAKSTAROAKSTAR Posts: 7,237 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )

  • burfle23burfle23 Posts: 2,331 ✭✭✭✭✭

  • OAKSTAROAKSTAR Posts: 7,237 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @burfle23 said:

    Is that a counterfeit?

    Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )

  • OmegaraptorOmegaraptor Posts: 540 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @OAKSTAR said:

    @burfle23 said:

    Is that a counterfeit?

    Yup... do you know what it was struck on?

    Take a close look...

    "You can't get just one gun." "You can't get just one tattoo." "You can't get just one 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent."

  • OAKSTAROAKSTAR Posts: 7,237 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Omegaraptor said:

    @OAKSTAR said:

    @burfle23 said:

    Is that a counterfeit?

    Yup... do you know what it was struck on?

    Take a close look...

    Nope. I'm looking, I'm lost. So it's a counterfeit in genuine slab?

    Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )

  • OmegaraptorOmegaraptor Posts: 540 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @OAKSTAR said:

    @Omegaraptor said:

    @OAKSTAR said:

    @burfle23 said:

    Is that a counterfeit?

    Yup... do you know what it was struck on?

    Take a close look...

    Nope. I'm looking, I'm lost. So it's a counterfeit in genuine slab?

    It is a very high quality counterfeit that unfortunately evaded detection at our host - these are becoming quite a problem in the early American copper community.

    Take a look at ONE CENT on the reverse.

    "You can't get just one gun." "You can't get just one tattoo." "You can't get just one 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent."

  • OAKSTAROAKSTAR Posts: 7,237 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yes, so I'm seeing some type of counter stamp here.

    Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )

  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 8,480 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Note the star in front of her lips.

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