What is the world's most valuable counterfeit coin?

MrEureka

What is the world's most valuable counterfeit coin?

Rules:

1. The value should be determined based on what a knowledgable buyer would pay for it knowing it to be a fake.

2. "Restrikes" from original dies are NOT considered counterfeit, wherever and whenever they were struck. (I'm not interested in debating Class 2 and Class 3 1804 dollars. Start your own thread on those if you must.)

Examples:

I saw a nice fake 1933 $10 many years ago. I'd pay $750 for it today. (FYI, I'd have Corum turn it into a watch.)

I had a contemporary counterfeit (common date circ) Indian cent about a year ago. I think I got about $250 for it.

tradedollarnut

A really well done fake 1804 brought over $5k a while back. I think an 1805 did also [in the same auction].

CalGold

1793 strawberry leaf cent

CG

sinin1

1799 dollar

MrEureka

1793 strawberry leaf cent

Is that the consensus on the strawberrys? If so, that will be hard to beat!

SeattleSlammer

That's a tough one, but I'd have to say a 1796 pickel-berry 50C.

sinin1

Duh, what was I thinking - gotta be the 1933 $20 that sold a few months back for millions!!!

cladking

I've heard that some contemporary counterfeits of ancients can go quite high.
They can bring in excess of $10,000 and sometimes exceed the genuine examples.

SethChandler

Wasn't the Brasher Doubloon a "copy" of another foriegn coin....something like a Spanish one that was circulating alot in New York in the late 1700's?

FC57Coins

I've heard that the Omega Saints are pretty popular - can anyone add to this?

Frank

MrEureka

Wasn't the Brasher Doubloon a "copy" of another foriegn coin....

The original Brasher doubloon is called the "Lima-style Brasher doubloon". (The only sale in recent times was the Garrett specimen.) The Lima Brasher was modeled after the Spanish doubloons of the era, but it was NOT a counterfeit. The other Brasher - the more "common" one - is of a completely original design. (I've had the pleasure of handling two of them!) They are my absolute favorite coins of all time. Please treat them with respect.

Julian

I guess that it has to be either a colonial coin or a gold coin, but I really can't come up with anything right now, as I probably would not pay much for a counterfeit. I do remember selling a group of Smith counterfeit cents of many different dates and varieties for $500/coin, about 15-20 years ago.

MrEureka

I probably would not pay much for a counterfeit

Julian, you're being lazy, shame on you! (Everyone else, I actually have the utmost respect for Julian, but don't tell him quite yet, this is all in fun, remember?) For starters, what about 1848 "small date" cents?

Julian

Yeah, I am being lazy and you're right about the cent.

GDJMSP

What about the restrikes of the Confederate half dollar ? While Scott did produce his die from an original coin - it was not an original die. They sell in the neighborhood of $7k.

These coins are typically not considered counterfeit - but based on the rules specified - they would qualify.

Johnscoin

I've seen a counterfeit high relief go for either 1 or 2,000 a year or two ago. I've seen a couple of Omega counterfeits as well, but haven't seen one sold...

ARCO

I wonder if you could count the very suspect Sacagewea/quarter mule. Very suspect and very expensive. Not really a counterfeit, but it is sort of.

Tyler

P.S. I too would like to know more about the Omega saints. Any estimates on existing counterfeits. I for one would love to own one!

MrEureka

I too would like to know more about the Omega saints. Any estimates on existing counterfeits.

Wild guesses, based on the numbers seen: 1000-1500 "coins" in existence, worth about $1000 apiece.

Conder101

I believe some of the contemporary counterfeits in the VT series would be in five figures, the Edward Smith counterfeit 1796 half cents. If you consider them counterfeit there is the 1795 NC-1 Jefferson head cent.