Counterfeit Seated Half in PCGS plastic on eBay

JasonRiffeRareCoins · July 24, 2014 11:31AM

Item number: 221503676176

I've seen a lot of counterfeits lately.

Goldbully · July 24, 2014 11:38AM

eBay Link

Heritage Images

Fields on eBay obverse are toneless around device.

Heritage has a nice image of a totally original coin.

AUandAG · July 24, 2014 12:03PM

Sure does have the look of a Chinese fake....reported.

bob

3keepSECRETif2rDEAD · July 24, 2014 12:18PM

<< Sure does have the look of a Chinese fake....reported.

bob >>

...I agree that the fingernail may be of Chinese descent, but I will have to disagree that it is fake...you simply cannot get that deep of yellowing from an acrylic nail

Erik

bolivarshagnasty · July 24, 2014 12:30PM

With such poor pictures in the ebay listing, what did you key in on to determine it was a fake? Not a series that I have studied.

EXOJUNKIE · July 24, 2014 12:32PM

Auction ended by the seller. Nothing looked right about it.

blu62vette · July 24, 2014 12:36PM

<< With such poor pictures in the ebay listing, what did you key in on to determine it was a fake? Not a series that I have studied. >>

The date looks wrong to me.

JasonRiffeRareCoins · July 24, 2014 12:45PM

First, the font on the insert of the slab is off.
Second, go to PCGS and try to verify the cert, it brings up a coin that sold on heritage and the photos of the coin do not match up.
A Chinese slab with a stolen cert # and counterfeit coin.

bigjpst · July 24, 2014 1:21PM

Scanned the barcode with my iphone, and 002826636359049. So that would be coin 002826.grade 63 cert 6359049. So unless that is a 55 doubled die cent in 63.....

coindeuce · July 24, 2014 1:26PM

LanceNewmanOCC · July 24, 2014 5:06PM

<< With such poor pictures in the ebay listing, what did you key in on to determine it was a fake? Not a series that I have studied. >>

the date, the surfaces, the strike, the fake grime, the color/hue of the insert, the font on the insert and i'm sure an examination of the holder would yield some diagnostics oh and the barcode on its own and in relative position to the numbers below it, the unusually weakness on lettering devices, shallowness in odd ways, etc. or you could say the numbers position in relative position to the barcode above it, however you prefer.

some other things used but not easy to explain, experience, pattern recognition of certain photography techniques, selling history or lack thereof, some descriptions and title text.

probably some other things that go through my mind within a few seconds after seeing something like this. in-hand, it would be a no-brainer although from images it ain't too far away from that.

forgot the mention the obvious. comparison to known auction link images and/or pcgs images. simple comparison is a fantastic tool for many things.
.

yosclimber · July 24, 2014 8:07PM

As others have said:
- cert number is valid, but ebay image of coin does not match Heritage auction image
- bar code is incorrect (also it is crudely made - some of the bars are not straight)
- coin is too worn for XF

BillJones · July 24, 2014 10:35PM

One think you can do is go to the PCGS certification verification area. Click on "PCGS" at the top of this page, and down at the bottom of the PCGS page you will see "Certification Verification." Click on that and you will be able to enter the serial number. If the coin has been sold by a major auction house, like Heritage, you will get a link where you can see a picture of the coin. In the case the fake coin does not match the real one.

CoinZip · July 25, 2014 12:50AM

Welcome to the Collectors Universe Message Boards Jason....

LindeDad · July 25, 2014 1:26AM

Good catch it might of slipped by.

TommyType · July 25, 2014 1:28AM

<< One think you can do is go to the PCGS certification verification area. Click on "PCGS" at the top of this page, and down at the bottom of the PCGS page you will see "Certification Verification." Click on that and you will be able to enter the serial number. If the coin has been sold by a major auction house, like Heritage, you will get a link where you can see a picture of the coin. In the case the fake coin does not match the real one. >>

I may be complaining just to complain....

But shouldn't the "Cert Verification" link be more prominent on the PCGS page? Like, right on the homepage?? Every time I go looking for it, (and I never remember where I found it last), it seems like a treasure hunt...

DaveWcoins · July 25, 2014 1:29AM

<< Good catch, it might have slipped by.

>>

+1

roadrunner · July 25, 2014 2:03AM

The seller suggest the coin is "uncirculated" sitting in an XF45 holder. That's weird.

Then in the listing below they reference Ron Guth's info on 1852 quarters in unc. Something is not right here as if the "cataloger" had no clue between an 1852 25c vs. an 1852-0 50c.
Not a date you see counterfeited all that much. If you're going to do it then do the 1852 half which costs a lot more and is easier to do (ie no mint mark).

Worst of all, the mint mark is too small. There's no medium or small O for this date.

LanceNewmanOCC · July 25, 2014 2:12AM

<< But shouldn't the "Cert Verification" link be more prominent on the PCGS page? Like, right on the homepage?? Every time I go looking for it, (and I never remember where I found it last), it seems like a treasure hunt... >>

probably but the url(s) is/are pretty easy. i got tired of looking for the links and just memorized them. easy enough. astonished i didn't do it sooner. LOLOL

pcgs.com/cert
pcgs.com/prices
pcgs.com/pop
pcgs.com/photograde
pcgs.com/lingo
pcgs.com/books

obviously there are others but this gets us started

.

MsMorrisine · July 25, 2014 2:14AM

pictures saved

Counterfeit Seated Half in PCGS plastic on eBay

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