1915 $5 Indian on eBay......counterfeit or altered coin?
ArizonaRareCoins
Posts: 679 ✭✭✭✭
Obviously, there is no such thing as a 1915-D $5 Indian, but is this coin a counterfeit or did someone take a real 1915 and add the d or take a 1915-s and alter the s to a d?.....I think it's a real 1915-s and the s was altered to a d:
https://ebay.com/itm/-/333298081279/?rt=nc
0
Comments
Those are not pictures of the actual coin. That obverse picture is actually a $2 1/2 Indian, not $5. I would guess he just found close up pictures to attract attention, and was not smart enough to know about the mint marks/using a $2 1/2 obverse instead of $5, etc. Check out the slab shot... terrible actual pictures. His 1903-s $5 gold is the same.. slab shot coins don't match closeup shots.
I hadn't thought of that. I was too focused on the d mint mark, I hadn't considered the front was a different coin..
Agree except that obverse looks like a $5 coin. Is this guy trying to scam the buyer or does he not have the skill to take close up pics and thought there would be no harm in borrowing other pics?
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
That seems to be the case as he has relisted his coin, this time with different pictures. This time there's no "d" on the reverse and the coin looks like an XF:
https://ebay.com/itm/1915-Indian-Head-5-00-Gold-Half-Eagle-High-Quality-never-cleaned-eye-appeal/333298125684?hash=item4d9a1dcb74%3Ag%3Ax-QAAOSwydNdViGl&LH_Auction=1%7C1
This series is heavily counterfeited and this coin is impossible to evaluate with those crappy pics. Pass.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I cannot even hazard a guess with the different pictures, different coins etc.... I will say, that mint mark is phony...Cheers, RickO
Actually the coin and mint mark look fine. It's just that they're pics he borrowed and not the coin he's trying to sell.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
@PerryHall.... You could be correct... it just looks very strange... I really like the $5 gold Indian (I have posted mine here several times), and the mint mark looks too low... and the 'condition' adds to my doubts....Cheers, RickO
This is why knowledge is power in these here parts buckaroo! Peace Roy
BST: endeavor1967, synchr, kliao, Outhaul, Donttellthewife, U1Chicago, ajaan, mCarney1173, SurfinHi, MWallace, Sandman70gt, mustanggt, Pittstate03, Lazybones, Walkerguy21D, coinandcurrency242 , thebigeng, Collectorcoins, JimTyler, USMarine6, Elkevvo, Coll3ctor, Yorkshireman, CUKevin, ranshdow, CoinHunter4, bennybravo, Centsearcher, braddick, Windycity, ZoidMeister, mirabela, JJM, RichURich, Bullsitter, jmski52, LukeMarshall, coinsarefun, MichaelDixon, NickPatton, ProfLiz, Twobitcollector,Jesbroken oih82w8, DCW
These coins are my specialty. There is a small but noticeable difference in the $5 and $2 1/2 obverse, and I believe he showed a $2 1/2 at first. It wasn't the coin for sale, either way, lol.
The incused Indian $2.5 and $5 are my favorite design and I have all dates and mintmarks with the exception of the 1929 $5 which is a very expensive coin. I've noticed that most of the stars, letters, and dates on the $5 go right up to the edge of the coin while on the $2.5 they are slightly away from the edge. The difference between the two designs is quite subtitle.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I don't think you can go based on the location relative to the edge of those things though. If you scroll through coinfacts for both coins, the locations for those things is all over the place for both coins. They just have a different "look". Almost like the $5 is heaftier, more sculpted, something. I've cherrypicked a few $5 Indians listed in the $2 1/2 category on ebay by being able to tell the slight differences, where they only shows the obverse, but I knew it was a $5 instead of a $2 1/2. Here is the pictured coin between a $2 1/2 and $5. To me it's pretty obviously a $2 1/2 they showed. Agree to disagree? lol
Where's Insider2 and CaptHenway when we need them? They're both expert authenticators and graders and I'd like to hear their opinion.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
@Insider2 @CaptHenway Thoughts on if the obverse coin shown was a $5 or a $2 1/2? We may or may not have money on it (We don't, haha)