1787 Massachusetts “4-C” half cent- “Live or Memorex”?
burfle23
Posts: 2,191 ✭✭✭✭✭
Purchased from an internet seller of known and suspect bad “coins”, this example came under scrutiny from the time I first saw it for sale, even though it was in a TPG holder…
Image courtesy NGC:
Many might ask why counterfeit such a low grade, common early copper, and my answer would be to try and fly under the radar screen while selling as many as possible!
While on the surface this example may well look like a genuine specimen, things start to unravel when compared to a known genuine one (my PCGS genuine one as reference:
At best, the suspect one is a tooled and “weathered” example, but when the other marks and damage on the reverse that are IDENTICAL to several other examples is considered the best explanation is there are counterfeits out there!
The identifying common features and marks are shown in the following:
The whole research article published for Coin Week can be found at https://coinweek.com/counterfeits/counterfeit-coin-week-1787-massachusetts-4c-half-cent-1-page-attribution-guide/
The initial research article was front page of the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4) News Letter.
Best, Jack.
Comments
Not being a collector of these coins, the circulated example that is the subject of this thread sure would have fooled me.
Thanks for sharing...Mike
Thank you for your research and for sharing this.
At the rate things are going soon the only thing safe from counterfeiters will be junk silver dimes, and I'm not sure about them. Thanks for the heads up on this item.
@burfle23
Great post, thanks
PS I hope the one that I have is genuine:
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
Great write up and to the point. Appreciate the heads up. My first thought was the surface had to much pour look and the color was way off.
Best place to buy !
Bronze Associate member
Thanks for the information.... I do not have one of these... and would be so nervous should one be offered... I would have to get a lot of help before buying...I do like these old coppers though. Cheers, RickO
I agree Ricko; I find I do a lot more research prior to purchasing any early American copper. It has forced me to be more knowledgeable about the series, varieties and attributions of the coins I collect.