Fake double-struck error coins on eBay
IkesT
Posts: 3,324 ✭✭✭✭✭
In the course of researching double-struck errors, I've found a number of fakes appearing recently on eBay.
On genuine double-struck coins, the first strike is weaker, having been flattened or distorted to some degree by the second strike. On the recent batch of fakes, in contrast, the weaker strike is actually the second strike (made with a counterfeit die) and, while weak, is not flattened, since it has not been overstruck.
Another common feature on this group of fakes is that only one side of the coin is double-struck. A genuine one-sided double-strike can occur when a coin is struck twice in collar without rotation, but one of the dies rotates between strikes. This normally occurs on proof coins, however, which (at least during some periods) were struck twice as a matter of routine. It is rare to see this occur on business strikes, so when many such business strike coins are offered in succession by the same seller, it is a red flag.
The fake double-struck coins have fooled consumers, such that some of them have sold recently on eBay for hundreds of dollars. They may at times be marketed as doubled dies, rather than double-struck. Here is one such fake that has already been reported and removed:
It appears that the second (counterfeit) strike was at an oblique angle on this example; consequently, major areas of the design are missing.
Comments
Another example on a state quarter - this fake error sold for $135. Once again, a genuine coin was overstruck by a counterfeit die on only one side; this saves both time and expense for the counterfeiter. Note again that the details of the counterfeit strike are weak, but not flattened.
This fake error sold at auction for $764.
This one sold for $50, BIN:
This one sold for $75, BIN:
This one sold for $75, BIN:
This one sold for $125, BIN:
What I see here it is alot of mechanical doubling. So me who I just release this I lost alot and seem I am a dump.
NEVER ARGUE WITH AN IDIOT.
FIRST THEY WILL DRAG YOU DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL.
THEN, THEY WILL BEAT YOU WITH EXPERIENCE.
MARK TWAIN
If you say so...
That's not mechanical doubling.
Go easy on him, he's a dump.
Thanks for the post. Would you be able to post some pictures of legitimate doubling? I’m pretty new to this so I’m trying to learn the difference. I could see that some of those angles just didn’t look right in a couple of your examples. And some seemed too perfectly detailed. Lol.
Search for "double struck in collar" on Google and the major auction websites and you'll find many examples. Some will be flipover double-struck, like this one:
https://coins.ha.com/itm/errors/1997-1c-lincoln-cent-flipover-double-struck-in-collar-ms66-red-pcgs/a/60280-93121.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
A double struck coin will have the details of the first strike flattened down.
Exactly. On the fakes that I posted, the details on the second strikes are weak, but not flattened. The second strikes were also too weak to flatten out the details from the first (genuine) strikes.
@IkesT
Great Info. Had not considered the result of a double strike in that manner before.
Thanks,
jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
IkesT, I have no doubt these are fakes. But how exactly are they being produced? In other words, how is the slightly raised (but not flattened ) date and letters produced, with out damaging other portions of the coin? Is it a totally fake obverse die? or partial die?
I'm assuming it's a fake die (pair of dies) with the doubling on the die.
I believe genuine coins are overstruck with a complete counterfeit obverse die. If you look very carefully, you can find some slight damage and flattening to the original coin by the second strike. For example, the original "03" in the date shows flattening on the 2003 cent, and there is relatively strong evidence of overstriking (for these fakes) on Lincoln's bust - you can see doubling on Lincoln's nose and the truncation of the bust (toward the right end).
@tincup On some of the others, where it's hard to see any evidence of flattening or damage on the original (genuine) designs, it may be because the coin is struck one or more times with the counterfeit die at an oblique angle in order to hit the fields of the coin but avoid the designs.
If I may... just picked this real one up last week. The first strike weakness is plain.
Empty Nest Collection
Matt’s Mattes
Genuine 1971-D Kennedy Half Dollar, with superimposed image of an Eisenhower Dollar on the obverse. Note the "S" mint mark from the IKE $ near the rim between the "9" and "7" in the date.
no way to strike just a date and not flatten the original - that entire coin is made with 1 fake die
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dcarr, is the Kennedy Half you posted an experiment that you did yourself to demonstrate the type of "error"? Or is it an actual error coin that is out there?
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An experiment I did (not to sell, and not to disclose how).
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Sneaky!!
bob
Interesting, I will like to have one for study in my lab.
NEVER ARGUE WITH AN IDIOT.
FIRST THEY WILL DRAG YOU DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL.
THEN, THEY WILL BEAT YOU WITH EXPERIENCE.
MARK TWAIN
Here's another fake double struck cent that just sold. Reported it and contacted seller but couldn't get it pulled.
I see a lot of these. The wavy fields, indistinct design, and and often one-sided double-strikes are some of the main characteristics of these fakes. The host coin is always genuine, and the 2nd strike is the fake part (made from some sort of false die.) They're easy to detect once you know what to look for, but unfortunately people are deceived by them frequently.