Anyone ever seen a counterfeit ike dollar?

COINS MAKE CENTS · October 5, 2019 5:26PM

So I ran across this ike dollar in a collection I recently purchased. It's a first for me. I've never seen a fake ike. This coin only weighs a 17.56 grams and a genuine ike is suppose to weigh 22.68 grams. The coin has a very mushy look and the reverse is rotated quite a bit. Just something I've never seen.

This picture shows the rotation

mannie gray · October 5, 2019 6:28PM

I haven't seen a counterfeit Ike either.

morgandollar1878 · October 5, 2019 6:32PM

This would be first for me too.

SaorAlba · October 5, 2019 6:34PM

I wonder why someone would counterfeit a common Ike- but then I have acquired common date counterfeits of clad era coinage. I cannot imagine that it was made as a monetary counterfeit to circulate - other than someone was trying to hone their skills.

JBK · October 5, 2019 6:39PM

What does the edge look like?

It is not your average pot metal casting.

Weiss · October 5, 2019 6:46PM

Possible it's real, just leached / soaked in acid? Or electrolysis?

Alternately, wonder if it's some kind of practice making an electrotype copy?

fiftysevener · October 5, 2019 6:46PM

Must be fake, looks like wrong reverse for a 71

COINS MAKE CENTS · October 5, 2019 6:49PM

@JBK said:
What does the edge look like?

It is not your average pot metal casting.

Funny you ask that theres actually 2 different types of reeding on it

Hemispherical · October 5, 2019 6:53PM

Looks like a high school project.

JBK · October 5, 2019 7:43PM

The edge makes it extremely interesting. I was not 100% sold on it being fake until the edge.

Looks like a struck forgery. If it is, that is very unusual for that era, I think.

BJandTundra · October 5, 2019 8:40PM

Somebody wanting to make an official looking slug for the slots in Nevada?

blitzdude · October 6, 2019 3:42AM

@SaorAlba said:
I wonder why someone would counterfeit a common Ike- but then I have acquired common date counterfeits of clad era coinage. I cannot imagine that it was made as a monetary counterfeit to circulate - other than someone was trying to hone their skills.

There was a time not so long ago where $1 was a days wage for many. I've seen fake quarters and dimes with dates in the late 60's-70's.

ricko · October 6, 2019 5:09AM

That is the first fake Ike I have seen....actually, had not even thought of counterfeit Ikes...but the slots were mentioned above, and that could well be a reason, but with the odds on slots, there would seem to be no ROI... a lot of labor involved in making the fake. Cheers, RickO

Cougar1978 · October 6, 2019 7:30AM

Unbelievable. I guess they will try anything.

Ebeneezer · October 6, 2019 7:49AM

Nothing would surprise me. Just more crap off the slow boat from China.

jmlanzaf · October 6, 2019 8:19AM

@Ebeneezer said:
Nothing would surprise me. Just more crap off the slow boat from China.

Does not look like a Chinese fake to me. I would bet it is 100% Made in the USA.

COINS MAKE CENTS · October 6, 2019 9:21AM

i've showed lots of dealers this coin, and everyone says the same thing........ why would you counterfeit and Ike, damn this thing looks bad, and yup i've never seen one before.

segoja · October 6, 2019 7:33PM

They counterfeit current state quarters, so an Ike would not be out of the question

This coin looks weird but it could be real just monkeyed with a lot

YQQ · October 6, 2019 7:42PM

The slots would reject it!
they are very sophisticated these days. I used to be well informed about what the coin acceptors can and can not do when checking coins. ( it was part of the business I was involved in with the transit industry)
Someone who does not know, can always try and fool the slots

COINS MAKE CENTS · October 6, 2019 7:53PM

@segoja said:
They counterfeit current state quarters, so an Ike would not be out of the question

This coin looks weird but it could be real just monkeyed with a lot

I dont know what's going on with it. All I know is its 10 grams to light has a crazy rotation and there is 2 different types of reeding, and it does sound right when dropped

CaptHenway · October 6, 2019 10:28PM

Five grams too light, but i'd bet that if you put it on a poker table back in the day it would have passed.

Former ANACS Authenticator John Hunter once showed me a counterfeit $1 slug from a certain casino in Vegas. This retired tool and die guy was making them in his basement, pretty good quality, and every day he and his wife would go into the casino with 200 of the tokens in her handbag. He would drop them into a dollar slot until they were gone and then cash in whatever payout was in the payout bin. Might be over $200, might be under. Once the cashier's office spotted the fakes they started watching the doors for anybody coming in with what looked like some weight on them. John was expert witness at the trial. The guy;''s defense was that he was just trying to supplement his Social Security. The casino had been hit for over $6,000 worth.

Moxie15 · October 7, 2019 4:28AM

Thanks Capt, I remember reading about that a long time ago but could not remember the details.

19Lyds · October 7, 2019 12:02PM

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/706299/check-out-this-ike

Here's another one:

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/711683/is-nothing-sacred-anymore

There are plenty out there folks.

johnny9434 · October 7, 2019 12:08PM

that's a first for me as well. thank you for sharing as now I know. how distressing to see that

Namvet69 · October 7, 2019 6:33PM

In 1971 there were lots of analog dollar slots in Nevada. Peace Roy

Kristalm · November 11, 2019 11:03AM

This is a 1972 Ike I found in circulation. Fake? Overgreased
Over greased die?

dcarr · November 11, 2019 3:57PM

@Kristalm said:
This is a 1972 Ike I found in circulation. Fake? Overgreased
Over greased die?

I think it has clear glue all over it.
Or maybe partially eaten by acid.

CCGGG · November 11, 2019 4:09PM

To be honest, I can't recall even seeing a worn IKE... Some people will try anything I guess.

dcarr · November 11, 2019 4:10PM

@YQQ said:
The slots would reject it!
they are very sophisticated these days. I used to be well informed about what the coin acceptors can and can not do when checking coins. ( it was part of the business I was involved in with the transit industry)
Someone who does not know, can always try and fool the slots

Slots in 1971 would have been less sophisticated, of course.

In the early 1980s I was playing Black Jack at the MGM casino in Las Vegas. I won a hand and was paid with five one-dollar MGM metal tokens (Ike dollar size). One made a thud and I knew from across the table that it was a cast fake. I left it out there and told the dealer that I wanted a real one. She paused and gave me a strange look. I reiterated that it was fake and I wanted a real one. She picked it up and called the pit boss over. He took the coin and told the dealer to give me a different one. Then he immediately got on his phone and then left with the counterfeit.

PS:
At the time I also noticed that a number of the genuine MGM metal tokens in use had evidence of cleaning and some dark residue on them. That was from the big fire they had there a couple years earlier.

toyz4geo · November 11, 2019 4:13PM

Interesting, especially the edge.

davewesen · November 12, 2019 3:56AM

Is there any outer nickel/copper left? It could have been a source metal for an electroplating experiment.

JBK · November 12, 2019 7:21AM

@Kristalm you might consider starting a new thread to get a wider audience.

Would love to hear more input.

Anyone ever seen a counterfeit ike dollar?

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