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Contemporary Counterfeit Cents - a Pictorial Record

STONESTONE Posts: 15,275 ✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
The world was much different 100-200 years ago. The U.S. Cent was a denomination that actually had individual buying power...and the further back in time you go the stronger the denomination, more or less, it was. As a result, there was a greater incentive to counterfeit the U.S. Cent further back in time.

Over the past few years, but especially within the last couple months, I have had the privilege to acquire several interesting contemporary counterfeit U.S. coins, and among them different types of U.S. Cents - Large Cents, Indian Cents, a Lincoln Cent, and even a Feuchtwanger Cent. Recently I have also been assembling a photographic database of known and perceived contemporary counterfeit U.S. coins of all denominations.

I thought it would be interesting, informative and educational to share the different types of contemporary counterfeit Cents I have acquired as well as those images I have added to my database.


Large Cents:
Last Digit unknown (181X)
image
1815 - Hand-Cut die; fantasy date and designed like the later types (Goldberg sale 60)
image
1817 - Hand-Cut Die (Goldbergs sale 74)
image
1818 - Hand-Cut Die (Very popular contemporary counterfeit; one of just 2-3 known I believe)
This photo is from a Goldberg auction (I believe); unfortunately I do not own this one.
image
1818 13-Star Obv, Hand-Cut dies (Goldberg sale 67)
image
1819 - Hand-Cut die (Goldbergs sale 60)
image
1821 N-2
image
1822 Reeded Edge!
image
1826/5
image
1845
image
1846
image
image
1848 Small Date - Coinfacts photo (1 of about 10 known)
image
1856 Electrotype (relatively 'common' among the Large Cent counterfeits - at least 12 known)
image
image
Unknown date - broken planchet
image


Feuchtwanger Cent:
image

Indian Cent:
image

*Rick Snow has a large collection of Indian Cent counterfeits

Lincoln Cent:
image

Comments

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    DavideoDavideo Posts: 1,361 ✭✭✭✭
    Very interesting, thanks for sharing. Were these made of copper and does anyone know the copper value within a large cent?
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    STONESTONE Posts: 15,275 ✭
    I have done the specific gravity on all the pieces I own. Unfortunately I'm not home now to share the relative metal/alloy I believe some were made from. Although, off the top of my head I know the second 1846 is made from primarily brass
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    lostincoinslostincoins Posts: 4,278 ✭
    Stone thank you for sharing this as I find it very interesting. At times I wonder what people will think of the counterfeits that are being made now in say 100-200 years, will they be collectible as physical money may no longer exist for actual commerce transactions.
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    cohodkcohodk Posts: 18,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Great thread!!!
    Excuses are tools of the ignorant

    Knowledge is the enemy of fear

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    NumisOxideNumisOxide Posts: 10,991 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Very neat collection. I like that 1818 a lot.image
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    MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,016 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Cool stuff. I didn't know that there were contemporary counterfeit Feuchtwangers!
    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
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    SonorandesertratSonorandesertrat Posts: 5,695 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Neat stuff!
    Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA

    RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'

    CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
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    kazkaz Posts: 9,081 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Very interesting thread, Stone!
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    DeliaBugDeliaBug Posts: 881 ✭
    So a question since this was all "real" money back then. If a coin was made to government specs - same weight, etc. why would someone give a hoot about getting a "counterfeit" coin. Obviously I am not referring to underweight and other spurious issues that did not meet gov't specs. But if someone received even a flat disc of copper weighing 208 grains then they were paid. Right?
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    SullivanNumismaticsSullivanNumismatics Posts: 837 ✭✭✭✭
    Very interesting! Thanks for sharing the images.
    www.sullivannumismatics.com Dealer in Mint Error Coins.
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    Aegis3Aegis3 Posts: 2,897 ✭✭✭
    Some other large cent counterfeits I can think of...

    An 1817

    There's an 1818 "13-star" counterfeit, made by modifying the 14-star die making a large final star. It was in a Goldberg sale in the last couple of years, but I couldn't find it in their archives right now.

    There's an 1841 counterfeit in Superior's September 1999 sale. I don't have the catalog, and if I saved the image I lost it later when my then-hard drive crashed.
    --

    Ed. S.

    (EJS)
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    LakesammmanLakesammman Posts: 17,308 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice collection! Some were made for collectors, like the Birch and Getz cents, since the real deal was so expensive.

    image

    image

    image

    image
    "My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko.
  • Options
    DaveWcoinsDaveWcoins Posts: 1,185 ✭✭✭
    Great thread. Thanks Stone.

    I will go to the bank to see what I have in my contemporary cft collection for cents, and then post some.
    Dave Wnuck. Redbook contributor; long time PNG Member; listed on the PCGS Board of Experts. PM me with your email address to receive my e-newsletter, and visit DaveWcoins.com Find me on eBay at davewcoins
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    TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Neat.

    I knew about the Bust $1/2 contemporary counterfeits but not these.

    Thanks for posting
    Frank

    BHNC #203

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    Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,212 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Very interesting, Winston!.
    Some of those are quite good, like the first 1846, and the 1848 almost looks like a pattern.

    Successful BST transactions with 170 members. Recent: Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
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    ebaybuyerebaybuyer Posts: 2,984 ✭✭✭
    excellent share ! perhaps I will do a similar thread about seated dimes and quarters !
    regardless of how many posts I have, I don't consider myself an "expert" at anything
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    jayPemjayPem Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting, informative AND educational....? Are you sure you're on the right forum ? image
  • Options
    STONESTONE Posts: 15,275 ✭


    << <i>I will go to the bank to see what I have in my contemporary cft collection for cents, and then post some.

    excellent share ! perhaps I will do a similar thread about seated dimes and quarters ! >>


    image
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    johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 27,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
    nice stuff and some are real eye sores. interesting stuff thanksimage
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    Aegis3Aegis3 Posts: 2,897 ✭✭✭
    The 1818 13-star I mentioned earlier was in the Goldberg's February 2012 sale. I remembered a few of the details wrong. Interesting piece.
    --

    Ed. S.

    (EJS)
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    STONESTONE Posts: 15,275 ✭


    << <i>The 1818 13-star I mentioned earlier was in the Goldberg's February 2012 sale. I remembered a few of the details wrong. Interesting piece. >>


    Awesome. I'm adding it to the list above image
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    DMWJRDMWJR Posts: 5,977 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I would love to see the photos back up. I was going to refer to them, but they are gone ...

    Doug
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    BodinBodin Posts: 998 ✭✭✭

    -^^ +1

    How I pay the bills:
    https://imdb.com/name/nm1835107/
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    TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @DMWJR said:
    I would love to see the photos back up. I was going to refer to them, but they are gone ...

    held hostage, along with all of mine by Photobucket

    Frank

    BHNC #203

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    ldhairldhair Posts: 7,156 ✭✭✭✭✭

    For only $400 a year, they will make your images show again. I'll never trust them again.

    Larry

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    thebeavthebeav Posts: 3,766 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 27, 2017 5:51AM

    400 $ ?????
    I sent them eighteen hundred......For that, I can share up to 3 photos per month.......

    My Ebay Coin Store
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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Too bad the pictures are gone... this was an interesting thread....Cheers, RickO

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    DIMEMANDIMEMAN Posts: 22,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @thebeav said:
    400 $ ?????
    I sent them eighteen hundred......For that, I can share up to 3 photos per month.......

    You are kidding right!

  • Options
    DMWJRDMWJR Posts: 5,977 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Photobucket ... an early cloud. I don't trust clouds

    Doug
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    thebeavthebeav Posts: 3,766 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yes, kidding dimeman.....

    My Ebay Coin Store
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    ldhairldhair Posts: 7,156 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Lots of changes over the years with Photobucket. Some were good but the last few have been less than friendly. All the image are still there but, they won't show on forums unless you pay for the service.
    It's been free for all these years. I guess like everyone, they need money for the service. Wish they had came out with something better.

    Larry

  • Options
    ldhairldhair Posts: 7,156 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Lots of changes over the years with Photobucket. Some were good but the last few have been less than friendly. All the image are still there but, they won't show on forums unless you pay for the service.
    It's been free for all these years. I guess like everyone, they need money for the service. Wish they had came out with something better.

    Larry

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    LanceNewmanOCCLanceNewmanOCC Posts: 19,999 ✭✭✭✭✭

    amazing images are still hosted in this old thread from photobucket. wow

    <--- look what's behind the mask! - cool link 1/NO ~ 2/NNP ~ 3/NNC ~ 4/CF ~ 5/PG ~ 6/Cert ~ 7/NGC 7a/NGC pop~ 8/NGCF ~ 9/HA archives ~ 10/PM ~ 11/NM ~ 12/ANACS cert ~ 13/ANACS pop - report fakes 1/ACEF ~ report fakes/thefts 1/NCIS - Numi-Classes SS ~ Bass ~ Transcribed Docs NNP - clashed coins - error training - V V mm styles -

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    halfcentmanhalfcentman Posts: 1,498 ✭✭✭
    edited March 15, 2022 1:20PM

    With the new discovery, there are now five known examples of the 1818 14 Star Counterfeit Large Cent. It is an R7+. There is rumor of a low-grade 6th example.

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    WAYNEASWAYNEAS Posts: 6,399 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thank so much for sharing.
    Wayne

    Kennedys are my quest...

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