Home U.S. Coin Forum

Help with a Quarter eagle Indian - signs of fake?

Hi, I am thinking of buying this 2 1/2 dollar Indian online and would like your help to look for any signs that it might be a fake one. I don't have possibility to weigh och measure so I have to look at the pictures. Grateful for any input!

Comments

  • The condition is not a problem for me, if bought at the right price, as long as it’s genuine.

  • PeakRaritiesPeakRarities Posts: 3,700 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Agree with @PerryHall. If I had to pick one coin that Novice collectors should avoid buying raw, it would be Indian Quarter Eagles.

    Founder- Peak Rarities
    Website
    Instagram
    Facebook

  • KliaoKliao Posts: 5,557 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Looks alright but would also highly recommend buying a graded example due to the high number of counterfeits of this series.

    Collector
    75 Positive BST transactions buying and selling with 45 members and counting!
    instagram.com/klnumismatics

  • tommy44tommy44 Posts: 2,281 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Bad news probably the most counterfeit of all US gold coins, good news most of the counterfeits are gold, so..... I guess if you can buy it under melt. However it wouldn't be for me. I agree with others, if you are a novice and want to have a gold quarter eagle buy one in a slab or at least from a reputable dealer who will stand behind it.

    it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 33,921 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Numismatico said:
    The condition is not a problem for me, if bought at the right price, as long as it’s genuine.

    If you can't tell... and clearly you can't... then either buying from a reputable seller and/or buying certified will save you money in the long run. If you go bargain hunting, sooner or later you are going to get burned.

  • jomjom Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @DeplorableDan said:
    Agree with @PerryHall. If I had to pick one coin that Novice collectors should avoid buying raw, it would be Indian Quarter Eagles.

    I would add the Half Eagles to that list as well. Hard coin to grade...period.

    I don't understand why novice collectors have this affliction: buying the most difficult coins to grade and buying them raw. We ALL did it at one time or another. You'll get advice saying "don't do it!" but you never listen. Weird....

    jom

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 33,921 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jom said:

    @DeplorableDan said:
    Agree with @PerryHall. If I had to pick one coin that Novice collectors should avoid buying raw, it would be Indian Quarter Eagles.

    I would add the Half Eagles to that list as well. Hard coin to grade...period.

    I don't understand why novice collectors have this affliction: buying the most difficult coins to grade and buying them raw. We ALL did it at one time or another. You'll get advice saying "don't do it!" but you never listen. Weird....

    jom

    Because they want cheap. Until cheap ends up costing them, they keep bargain hunting on Facebook

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,093 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Probably genuine. Possibly ex-jewelry.

    Would make a great ball marker!

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,942 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I see some cleaning marks in front of the Indian’s face in front of the neck up to his lips. The value of the piece is tied to its melt value. The piece does look genuine.

    Given the number of counterfeits of this type, TPG certification is highly recommended. Even if it’s made of gold, getting caught with counterfeits takes the fun out of collecting.

    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 ... ?
  • telephoto1telephoto1 Posts: 4,881 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's real but cleaned at some point and still has gunk residue in a few crevices.


    RIP Mom- 1932-2012
  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,323 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Pass.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • mark_dakmark_dak Posts: 1,114 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Most of the advice above comes with a pretty rich price tag. Not so sure about picking these up on eBay but if you can purchase from a reputable dealer you can pick something like this up with a fair premium lately. Picking up the best raw gold is the only way to come out on top. Expect to pay considerably more to follow the advice above. This is especially true with $2300 gold plus grade inflation. I have bought many raw quarter eagles without a problem.

    Counterfeits are generally of the same gold content of the originals so getting burned will limit almost all of the downside. In my opinion, while there are some out there, after looking at real and counterfeits for some time you will notice the difference. Do plenty of homework before diving in but the fake coin story is quite overblown. JMHO

    Mark

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 33,921 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @mark_dak said:
    Most of the advice above comes with a pretty rich price tag. Not so sure about picking these up on eBay but if you can purchase from a reputable dealer you can pick something like this up with a fair premium lately. Picking up the best raw gold is the only way to come out on top. Expect to pay considerably more to follow the advice above. This is especially true with $2300 gold plus grade inflation. I have bought many raw quarter eagles without a problem.

    Counterfeits are generally of the same gold content of the originals so getting burned will limit almost all of the downside. In my opinion, while there are some out there, after looking at real and counterfeits for some time you will notice the difference. Do plenty of homework before diving in but the fake coin story is quite overblown. JMHO

    Mark

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file