1884 Morgan dollar, unusual rim--grading update

logger7

I picked up this 1884 Morgan dollar in a collection today. I don't know why it looks different, it looks polished to me, the rim is thicker than usual. Any thoughts on this?

OAKSTAR

It looks fake. I hate going first!

braddick

Potentially mounted and removed from jewelry?

MFeld

It might just be the lighting and the angle of the imaging, but my first thought was counterfeit. The dark areas at the peripheries look similar to what’s seen on many of the fakes.

By the way, I hate going third!
😉

AUandAG

Weigh it and then if that is close do a specific gravity test on it.
bob
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_2vA1qO2fA

logger7

I doubt any were made with a rim like that but sure has the ring of silver when dropped.

bsshog40

Pretty nice rims for an EF coin. ?????

davewesen

I was wondering about circulated proof like this one ->

https://coins.ha.com/itm/proof-morgan-dollars/1884-1-pr55-ngc-ngc-census-1-140-pcgs-population-1-199-mintage-875/a/1216-11093.s?hdnJumpToLot=1&x=0&y=0#

logger7

Clear diagnostics would be the wire rim. Very unlikely to find a proof from this retired violinist's collection of largely low grade coins that I bought it with.

More pictures:

gumby1234

It has the look of thr Chinese counterfeits. That was my first thought.

ricko

The edge (third side) is strange where the ridges 'appear' not complete... The dark tarnish appears added... Generally, and without a conclusive determination, I just don't feel good about that coin. ICBW. Cheers, RickO

124Spider

I certainly am not an expert, but my first thought was fake, also. It looks wrong in so many ways, to me:

1. It's an XF coin, but the eagle's chest still shows some feathers.
2. The beading at the edge of both obverse and reverse is separated from the rim, which is pretty unusual, I believe. My 1884 also is raw, and grade it at AU58; its beading is quite different from that coin.
3. The "toning" around the edge of both obverse and reverse bears a strong resemblance to known fakes I have see.

logger7

It's the right weight. It could be a proof.

FredWeinberg

It’s counterfeit, imo
Enlarge the first set of photos and you can see casting pits/marks,
and ‘mushy’ strike, consistent with a counterfeit

logger7

Ok, thanks that should be definitive.

PeakRarities

I can’t help with the diagnostics but it’s got that fake Chinese look to it as others have stated.

logger7

I ran the coin by the graders at ICG who graded it 1884

S$1

AU

55

DTLS

Polished

So this coin is a strange one, not a fake.

ChrisH821

Toned dark then polished would explain the fake looking appearance.