A Pretty Decent Looking Counterfeit Until You Look Closely!

burfle23

Images of a "coin" for sale:

There are a few issues when looked at closely-

1st it doesn't match the listed "small date, small letters" variety:

2nd it is an off center bust, which was only struck dated 1795:

3rd it has the "bite marks" of the struck fakes nicknamed the "vampire" counterfeits.

4th the obverse bar code doesn't read (at least with my scanner).

Unfortunately the cert number used does not have an on-line image of the genuine coin.

My Coin Week article can be found at https://coinweek.com/counterfeits/struck-counterfeit-coins-a-family-of-struck-fake-draped-bust-dollars/ for those interested.

LanceNewmanOCC

great catch. if this were raw, it would probably slip though into someone's collection.

they really messed that one up, at they are prone to do, thankfully.

great presentation and education.

i will just post a comp of the date to show that the date/mm area are ones to always focus on, as well as mixed-up improper types and features like you've shown. know your series(') -the 6 is really bad.

braddick

Don't even have to look that closely.

burfle23

@braddick said:
Don't even have to look that closely.

Unfortunately some will be fooled...

burfle23

The listing was removed.

LanceNewmanOCC

@burfle23 said:
The listing was removed.

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so much for my surprise vacation to tahoe...

PerryHall

@burfle23 said:
The listing was removed.

It'll be back.

ricko

These do have a way of showing up again..... Probably next on etsy or other venue. Cheers, RickO

calgolddiver

Thanks for the documentation and education !!

WAYNEAS

@burfle23
Thanks for sharing and the documentation of why it is a fake.
Wayne

BillJones

@burfle23 said:

@braddick said:
Don't even have to look that closely.

Unfortunately some will be fooled...

Yep. More than a decade ago, a guy showed up at my local coin club meeting with one these. He was really PO'd when I told it was no good. It's a naked eye counterfeit for those who know early dollars because of the placement of Ms. Liberty on the obverse. The "to the left" variety appeared only in 1795.

This fellow had "snagged this bargain" off the Internet for $200. I didn't bother to tell him that few people sell $8,000 coins for $200.

CopperLad

Thanks for the information.
It also looks too nice for a VF25. That might have saved me.

Pghpete

Thanks for learning opportunity. I already know from being on this forum that one should only buy coins from TPGs such as our host. But when you see something like this, it's scary to think how easy it would be to get ripped off. Thanks for your vigilance to all you folks who spot and report these fakes.

LanceNewmanOCC

@PerryHall said:

@burfle23 said:
The listing was removed.

It'll be back.

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but at least next time it will be too far right and a 1794. meh

LanceNewmanOCC

@CopperLad said:
Thanks for the information.
It also looks too nice for a VF25. That might have saved me.

.
or maybe not. you could TOTALLY get a faux gold Ɔ∀Ɔ stacker.

can you do a set registry with invalid cert #s?

Barberian

The "rope-like" or "playdoh" like date and/or lettering is usually found on counterfeits and is a sure sign that it's fake. Always check the serifs of a raw coin in question against those of certified examples.

burfle23

Found the genuine example; swing and a miss ...

LanceNewmanOCC

@burfle23 said:
Found the genuine example; swing and a miss ...

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nice find.

one of the few times i actually want to swap out the fake for the authentic one! especially in OGH.

lilolme

On the 1796 dollars are the 9 and the 6 the same except flipped over?? Looked at several on coinfacts and it might be my imagination (again) but they look very similar on each one I looked at. The counterfeit they look different.