Which coin is most often altered?

TopographicOceans · May 3, 2016 8:18AM

I agree with lkeigwin's comment below and changed the thread title to be "altered" instead of "doctored" since doctoring has a broader connotation and altered is closer to what I was trying to ask.

I think it's an 1853 Seated Liberty No Arrows in any denomination.

I bought a raw quarter once and sent it in to PCGS and it came back as Not Genuine.

Apparently a good trick is to buy a more common 1853 with Arrows and them grind them off and voila you've got a no arrows variety.

The price difference is 15-20 times more for the no arrows variety so it is highly profitable.

AUandAG · May 3, 2016 8:22AM

Not that I could put it into a category but the problem of artificial toning is really big. All denominations it appears. More and more every day and by more and more sellers....ugh.

bob

rhedden · May 3, 2016 8:36AM

Here are some other candidates:

1798 large cents that mysteriously turned into 1799s.

1876-CC quarters that became 1870-cc quarters, but still have the large CC mintmark.

1898-s or 1883-s Morgans that got tooled into 1893-s Morgans.

1922 "plain" cents with the "D" ground off

1944-D Lincoln cents that were tooled into 1914-D, and still have the "VDB" on the shoulder.

Morgan dollars that have frosty cheeks- because they were thumbed, puttied, or otherwise manipulated to cover up bagmarks.

Gold that was puttied or lasered to remove marks.

robertpr · May 3, 2016 8:46AM

I think a good chunk of the nicely toned Morgans out there are actually AT, even though they may be "market acceptable".

TommyType · May 3, 2016 8:55AM

1916D Mercury dimes?

I've never been in the market for one, but have been inundated with warnings about added mintmarks!

lkeigwin · May 3, 2016 9:05AM

I think of "doctored" as different from "altered". Doctored, as in AT'd, puttied, whizzed. The coin is genuine but messed with.

Altered is not genuine...it's being passed off as something it is not. E.g., adding an S mintmark to a common 1909 VDB.

Probably the most doctored coins are those that are AT from chemicals, heat, etc. Maybe Morgans?

Lance.

BustHalfBrian · May 3, 2016 9:27AM

I think I find more 1944-D cents altered to looked like 14-D than anything else.

ricko · May 3, 2016 10:30PM

I agree there is a technical difference between altered and doctored....The definition by Lance is good. I think the offerings for altered given above are likely accurate for most altered... and artificial tarnish is certainly the most predominant form of doctoring.... Cheers, RickO

PerryHall · May 3, 2016 10:41PM

Originally posted by: TommyType

1916D Mercury dimes?

I've never been in the market for one, but have been inundated with warnings about added mintmarks!

Agree along with 1909 VDB with an added S mintmark.

PerryHall · May 3, 2016 10:43PM

The 1928-S Peace Dollar with the S mintmark removed.

TwoSides2aCoin · May 3, 2016 10:59PM

Indian Head nickels turned into more hobo nickels than any other coin I can think of but any date was altered there. It didn't matter to most engravers, or the few. As to one specific date .... I have no clue.

PerryHall · May 3, 2016 11:07PM

Originally posted by: TwoSides2aCoin

Indian Head nickels turned into more hobo nickels than any other coin I can think of but any date was altered there. It didn't matter to most engravers, or the few. As to one specific date .... I have no clue.

I assume dateless buffalo nickels treated with acid to make the date appear are considered to be altered.

TwoSides2aCoin · May 3, 2016 11:10PM

Originally posted by: PerryHall

Originally posted by: TwoSides2aCoin
Indian Head nickels turned into more hobo nickels than any other coin I can think of but any date was altered there. It didn't matter to most engravers, or the few. As to one specific date .... I have no clue.

I assume dateless buffalo nickels treated with acid to make the date appear are considered to be altered.

Yes, true. As well "doctored". And if sold without disclosure, then (to me) spurious dealing.

PerryHall · May 3, 2016 11:15PM

Many of the steel 1943 cents have had their original dark zinc coating removed and then were replated with zinc. They are called "reprocessed". Also, many 1943 steel cents were plated with copper to simulate a 1943 cent struck on a copper planchet which is a valuable mint error. They are easily detected with a magnet.

ShadyDave · May 3, 2016 11:18PM

Originally posted by: rhedden

Here are some other candidates:

Gold that was puttied or lasered to remove marks.

Can someone link me to an article or a thread here that discusses "lasering"? I've seen this mentioned here several times in reference to gold and with having bands on a merc dime being "lasered" but I have not seen any pictures/documentation/articles on this. Thanks in advance...

PerryHall · May 3, 2016 11:38PM

Originally posted by: ShadyDave

Originally posted by: rhedden

Here are some other candidates:

Gold that was puttied or lasered to remove marks.

Can someone link me to an article or a thread here that discusses "lasering"? I've seen this mentioned here several times in reference to gold and with having bands on a merc dime being "lasered" but I have not seen any pictures/documentation/articles on this. Thanks in advance...

Can't find a link but supposedly hairlines on proof gold coins were removed by melting them with a laser.

Wabbit2313 · May 4, 2016 12:16AM

Originally posted by: PerryHall

Originally posted by: ShadyDave

Originally posted by: rhedden
Here are some other candidates:

Gold that was puttied or lasered to remove marks.

Can someone link me to an article or a thread here that discusses "lasering"? I've seen this mentioned here several times in reference to gold and with having bands on a merc dime being "lasered" but I have not seen any pictures/documentation/articles on this. Thanks in advance...

Can't find a link but supposedly hairlines on proof gold coins were removed by melting them with a laser.

If you have the laser and the skill required to do this, more power to you!

Barberian · May 4, 2016 12:32AM

Originally posted by: BustHalfBrian
I think I find more 1944-D cents altered to looked like 14-D than anything else.

I found a whole bunch of 1941-S cents altered to look like 1911-S's in a coin shop in Ann Arbor 40 years ago. It created quite a stir among customers in that shop. The owner was happy to see me leave.

Insider2 · May 4, 2016 12:37AM

As already stated: The most often seen ALTERATIONS (not including doctoring, cleaning, etc.) BY FAR in no order are done to make 16-D 10c, 1909-S VDB 1c, 1932-D 25c, 1922 1c. Nothing else comes even close. I've been told by several authenticators on many occasions that one or more of these four alterations are seen EVERY DAY at each major grading service.

keets · May 4, 2016 12:48AM

what insider said and there probably isn't even a close second.

au58 · May 4, 2016 9:05AM

Second on Insider's assessment.
Next on his list may be 1909-S Indian Cent with added S.

PerryHall · May 4, 2016 10:09AM

Originally posted by: Insider2

As already stated: The most often seen ALTERATIONS (not including doctoring, cleaning, etc.) BY FAR in no order are done to make 16-D 10c, 1909-S VDB 1c, 1932-D 25c, 1922 1c. Nothing else comes even close. I've been told by several authenticators on many occasions that one or more of these four alterations are seen EVERY DAY at each major grading service.

I would think the 1932-S quarter with the added S mintmark would be right up there with the 1932-D quarter with the added D mintmark..

WildIdea · May 4, 2016 12:35PM

Sounds like adding a few bands to the gold mercs is in order lol.

291fifth · May 4, 2016 4:50PM

I think cents altered to look like 1914-D and dimes altered to look like 1916-D would top the list.

LanceNewmanOCC · May 6, 2016 8:57AM

Originally posted by: BustHalfBrian

I think I find more 1944-D cents altered to looked like 14-D than anything else.

+1

i hope we get imagex of this quarter!

The 1928-S Peace Dollar with the S mintmark removed.

i know the obv diags very well for 28p and look at virtually everyone i can but i have yet to find a removed mm. guess that is good? or maybe im missing them?

i havent verified if 28p/s share any obverses.

.

coindeuce · May 6, 2016 10:44AM

I've seen a enough copper plated 1943 cents. The look on a customer's face when my supermagnet snatches their coin away from them is worth the price of a genuine '43 copper cent.

TopographicOceans · May 6, 2016 1:57PM

Originally posted by: coindeuce
I've seen a enough copper plated 1943 cents. The look on a customer's face when my supermagnet snatches their coin away from them is worth the price of a genuine '43 copper cent.

astrorat · May 6, 2016 7:56PM

Historically it's been the 1916-D dime followed closely by the 1909-SVDB cent. ANACS was started in the early 1970's by Charlie Hoskins (it was then located in Washington, DC) as a service to the hobby to authenticate coins. The two coins that were the biggest scourge for collectors at the time were 1916-P dimes with an added 'D' and 1909-VDB cents with an added 'S'.

Edited to add:
ANACS Certificate from 1975