Weird Looking 1931-S Lincoln Cent
Connecticoin
Posts: 12,949 ✭✭✭✭✭
How was this one concocted? All I can think of is a 1933 had the last "3" changed to a "1", then an "S" was added. Wouldn't it be easier to just add an "S" to a 1931 Philly? Kind of disappointing to see this from a long-time dealer:
1
Comments
Genuine.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein
This one's the real deal.
The date looks ok to me.... The mm appears a bit clunky, but cannot determine if added from those pictures. Cheers, RickO
Looks like a nice one.
Not sure what you are seeing but this is a genuine cent from a reliable dealer.
Just compare the date to other listings on eBay.
Looks like a normal cent to me.
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So there are 31-S die varieties with that font of a “3” (looks like the “3” from a 1933 cent), and a “high 1” like that? News to me.
I'm no expert on 1931-S cents. But when I compare that coin to some other photos online.... your concerns seem valid. The '31' does not match up.... position wise and thickness. And the last '1' does is larger and higher.
Different die? fake? I would have enough questions at this point... and would not purchase the coin. Again, I'm no expert on the 1931-S.
Definitely a fake. On all genuine 1931 cents the bottom half of the 3 is much larger than the top half. You can tell a 1931 just by looking at the 3, as it is a unique shape among all Lincolns from the 1930's.
I say real. I think the top of the 3 was moved west by a hit and thus throws it all off.
bob
Auction coin:
They look totally different! No way this coin is real, unless it is a newly discovered die variety.
It's been altered. The 3 in the date is wrong, and in the wrong position compared to a genuine coin.
There looks to be no sign of alteration.
Someone did a real good deception job.
Pete
It looks like it was altered from a 1933 Cent. Look at the size, position, and shape and compare to the "3" in the 1931-S phony
Pete
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Well spotted. The comments about the 3 are correct.
I suspect that it was altered from a 1938-S, but I would want to see it in hand before saying so for sure. Excellent workmanship. Probably done decades ago. There used to be a coin doctor out there who did fabulous repair work. We once got in a High Relief that had been mounted in jewelry, with the solder still on it, and certified it as such. Six months later it came back with the solder removed and even with the negatives of the previous submission I could not tell that any work had been done on it.
Back in the old days we always looked for added S's. Altered dates were less common, and this one just might have slipped through. Good catch.
I found a 31 S a while back and in similar condition. I'll dig it up later to compare with these.
Agree, it's not a genuine 31s
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Good eyes Connecticoin. This is one that had many fooled. I also would have been taken in by the deceptive job, based on the photo. Coinscratch, if you could find your coin, would certainly like to see it also.
Shows we have to constantly be on guard.... so many fakes out there.
Mystery solved. Actually, I think it might be a 1935-S, 36-S, or 37-S. So they only alter the last digit, then have a real mintmark.
The seller ended the auction. I messaged them a couple days ago and they just responded that it looks questionable to them as well.
I can't say for sure, but the left side of an 8 would give you some metal to work with in the right place.
Nice alter job but not nice enough - the 1 is an instant red flag.
"When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"
The second 1 is too high, for sure, which is another reason why I think this was altered from a 1938-S. Take a look at the 8 on a 1938. The second 1 is also a bit too straight sided and doesn't feather out into the field properly.
That said, I have seen a lot of altered coins in my life, and all in all this is one of the better ones. You needed to compare the style of the numerals to a genuine 1931 anything. I don't fault anybody for being fooled by it, including the seller.
That is the glory of the internet. You can find pictures of stuff to compare coins to.
I am just surprised someone would go to that much trouble to fake a coin worth $75.
As I said I think this was made decades ago, when it was worth maybe $35 but $35 was worth a lot more than $75 is worth today.
I identified a 1911-S Cent that was altered from a 1944 Cent.
I noticed it because the mintmark was wrong.
Then I sealed the deal by seeing a V.D.B. on Lincolns shoulder.
The alteration that I found would bring a very modest difference in price.
Pete