I think this 1885 V nickel is couterfiet. Any seconds?

dsessom

I was browsing Ebay to see if I could find any good deals on V nickels and came across an 1885 Liberty nickel that just doesn't look right at all. Nevermind that it's horribly corroded, but the dots on the reverse are rounded when they should be flat, the dentils are wrong, and the surfaces even though corroded look more like a sand cast counterfeit. I just wanted to get some other opinoins before I emailed the seller. If it is a counterfiet, he could be losing a lot of money.

Ebay linkage...

I believe the seller is a board member, so I sure hope I'm wrong. Eeek!

Studio60

Nope. Not a counterfeit.

CaptHenway

I am inclined to say genuine, but if a good Chinese counterfeit were etched in a mild acid and then antiqued it could look like this, and still be worth the counterfeiter's while. I would not buy such a coin without a reputable TPG "Genuine" slab.
MOO
TD

Frankcoins

Looks genuine. That type of look would be very hard to replicate.

rld14

Looks like BONGOBONGO's Lincoln.

Tdec1000

That's a name i haven't heard in a while!

enzet

Hi,

I'm not an expert on this coin type but I have had a number of transactions with the seller before. The seller is a stand-up guy and very professional to deal with. You can rest assured he will stand by his product and will never knowingly sell counterfeit coins.

Regards,

enzet

(from Melbourne, Australia)

PerryHall

Looks real but with that surface corrosion I would still pass on it. I don't need an ugly coin with problems; however, someone looking to fill a hole in a coin album will buy it.

magikbilly

Hi,

What is with the shape of the second 8? Why is the top of the 1 pointed? Not my series at all but those things jumped out to me. Edited to add I am seeing weirdness all over the place. The fonts seem thinner and sharp? The "stomach" of the 5 looks different. Those etched surfaces can hide a lot of information.

Eric

291fifth

It looks like a coin that spent a long time buried in the ground. It's probably genuine but is a problem coin I'd have no interest in.

MFH

Looks genuine - but I would never buy a coin that looks like that.

Walkerguy21D

Almost looks like it has seen a heat treatment, besides the corrosion issue.
When you can buy a certified Proof 64 of this date for ~$1100-1200, that would make this a tough sell anywhere near the BIN price.

johnny9434

it looks ok. jmo thou

Broadstruck

I wish I hadn't looked at that without my 3-D glasses...

PerryHall

<< <i>It looks like a coin that spent a long time buried in the ground. It's probably genuine but is a problem coin I'd have no interest in. >>



Agree. Probably a metal detector find.

golden

Looks OK but butt ugly.

droopyd

<< <i>Looks real but with that surface corrosion I would still pass on it. >>

COALPORTER

<< <i>Almost looks like it has seen a heat treatment, besides the corrosion issue.
When you can buy a certified Proof 64 of this date for ~$1100-1200, that would make this a tough sell anywhere near the BIN price. >>



Yes, for 1400 you can do MUCH better than that coin. If it was a really good coin, u think the seller would have it certified?

I have never seen surfaces so pitted, so what happened? It also lools like extra metal build up on the face near the eye and cheek, which is kind of odd. I would really want to see the coin in hand to determine real/fake.

samingeorgia

I agree with those who say that it took a dirt nap. Sad, too, because it would be a nice specimen except for the corrosion. I note that you can read all the letters in "Liberty", even the "i".

dsessom

<< <i>Hi,

I'm not an expert on this coin type but I have had a number of transactions with the seller before. The seller is a stand-up guy and very professional to deal with. You can rest assured he will stand by his product and will never knowingly sell counterfeit coins.

Regards,

enzet

(from Melbourne, Australia) >>



Enzet,

This was in no way a dig at the seller. He is no doubt a good guy. But my local B&M owner had an 1885 that looked similar, and it turned out to be counterfiet. He was not happy...

I was really hoping the more experienced members here would disagree with me.

Best regards,

Cocoinut

When I worked in a coin shop 30 years ago, we'd get a lot of Shield and V nickels that were pitted like the one shown. I think it's genuine, but wouldn't pay $1400 for it.

Jim

EagleEye

My guess is that it is a Proof that was too impaired to sell as a Proof, so someone fooled around with it to make it look like a dug up business strike.

magikbilly

<< <i>My guess is that it is a Proof that was too impaired to sell as a Proof, so someone fooled around with it to make it look like a dug up business strike. >>




Aha! That is what I was getting at with the fonts.

Best,
Eric

ebaybuyer

looks like a recovery coin, ive found several V nickels, after a not so professional cleaning, this is what they look like (this ground is not kind to any coin composed of copper)