Modern Counterfeits

littlewicher

Does PCGS look at moderns and see if they're authentic and not counterfeit? With all the modern equipment available it would be very easy to counterfeit coins. Couldn't you make a whole bunch of state quarters in really high grades, have them graded by PCGS and get MS69s or MS70s? If PCGS doesn't check for counterfeit coins in moderns, how do you know that all of your modern collection is authentic? Just a thought......................

Keyrock

But why would you. It would be more cost effective to get the MS bags from the mint and search. If I was to counterfeit (which I don't) I would do a semi key, or a key in a mid range MS condition. (i.e. a 11D quarter eagle in MS63 will fetch much more than a few MS 69s).

itsnotjustme

You pay for authentification and grading. if they didn't check, they'd be opening themselves up for huge lawsuits. With all the scrutiny an MS69 or MS70 must go through, I can't imagine a fake getting through.

I'm not sure even this would be profitable enough for a counterfeiter. Let's say they could produce MS69s that would get through, and that a Pop 1 will bring $10,000. FOr that $10,000 they would need to do all the leg work and take the risk of producing that one coin. Not a cheap or risk free process. Producing more than 1 or 2 will drastically cut the prices, they they'd need to move on to another date/mint. If you counterfeit $20 bills, mass production doesn't cut the value of each, and you don't need to change until new bill designs come out.

stujoe

I am pretty sure they check all coins for authenticity but, truthfully, how easy would it be to make moderns in the really high grades that would make it worth the time and effort and risk? I would think not too easy. Hell, the mint can't do it consistantly.

fcloud

Wasn't it PCGS whom discovered those $20 St. Gaudens with the small "Q" on the back when they were getting a huge quanitity of gold for certification a number of years back? I think it would be a huge mistake to not check for authentisity. I am sure they check every coin thouroghly in every detail including things like spacific gravity.

Tony

Conder101

<< <i>Wasn't it PCGS whom discovered those $20 St. Gaudens with the small "Q" on the back when they were getting a huge quanitity of gold for certification a number of years back? >>



I believe you are thinking of the $3 and $20 gold pieces with the omega symbol on them, and no those were discovered by ANACS back when it was owned by the ANA. They DID do a full authentication on submitted coins.




<< <i>I am sure they check every coin thouroghly in every detail including things like spacific gravity. >>



I would about guarantee they do not do more than a quick visual inspection.

Mark

I have to agree with Conder that PCGS likely checks only coins that are commonly counterfeited. Keep in mind that PCGS graders look at most coins for only a small handful of seconds, so I really can't see PCGS doing specific gravity tests on all coins. That is, not unless they could perform the test in 4 seconds.

However, I also bet that PCGS graders do more carefully check 16-D dimes, 1909-SVDB cents, all gold coins with dates that were counterfeited by Omega, etc. for authenticity.

Mark