Initial research on a group of struck fake 1803 "C-3" half cents-Draft
burfle23
Posts: 2,587 ✭✭✭✭✭
I am working on an article summarizing initial research on a group of struck fake 1803 half cents.
This one has become particularly difficult, as there appear to be 2 groups of fakes, one I call "originals", the other "restrikes".
As in the case of many of these groups of counterfeits we have found the probable genuine source coin, and then found it submitted for certification to a major TPG after fake examples hit the radar screen.
The 1st image shows the source example from an original auction and then as resubmitted for certification.
The 2nd image shows a pair of the original struck fakes.
The 3rd image shows the progression from the source to the "restrike" example submitted for certification (and determined to be fake by the TPG circa fall of 2015). Major attribution marks are indicated in the circles along with the differences in the engraved leaves. 4th image is a close-up of the touch-up (traces of berry removed, last leaf vein added).
Several of the attribution marks from the 1st group appear to be reduced, including the deep scratch from the “E” to “C”, but the break at the top right of the “E” remain.
This is the only time we have seen this- build a die from a source, strike several examples, then retouch the dies and create a different group of clones to sell. One major common attribution point on all appears to be the slanted “ding” in the “T” of LIBERTY…
The final 2 images are of my attribution pages for these groups of counterfeits.
Comments welcomed!
Best, Jack.
Comments
Bump. This is getting buried and deserves another look. Good informative post. Thanks.
Hard to compete with "It's Friday night and I'm bored. How about a random pic thread?"...
I tried, thought your post required a lot of good research and was well done. Deserved another look.
Very good information. Thanks for posting it.
Excellent research. It’s interesting that they are making changes to the clones.
Choice Numismatics www.ChoiceCoin.com
CN eBay
All of my collection is in a safe deposit box!
Interesting, thanks !!!
Fascinating, actually.
Thanks for posting it.
Interesting, scary and depressing... all at the same time.
"Good" counterfeits really take fun out of the hobby. When I was collecting these coins in the early 1990s, getting caught with a counterfeit was the furthest thing from my mind. The few bad pieces that existed were really bad and easily detected. All one had to do was look for the diagnostic die variety markers.
I wonder how many of these are already out in the marketplace. When did they first start appearing?
Excellent detective work... great pictures. Thanks for the information and your hard work. Cheers, RickO
The earliest source coin we have recorded goes back to 2011; 1st struck fake documented from 2013. The floodgates seemingly opened on these in the fall of 2015. Unfortunately most of the first ones "discovered" were in TPG holders.
Of the fake 1806 half cents from one of my earlier posts I am aware of 6 struck examples in collector's hands and another has the source genuine example.