Thanks for posting this - I enjoy reading these columns each month. What you need to remember is these are written for the average and below-average collector.
This is funny: "At first glance, this coin appears to be..." The truth is that, at first glance, any person working in a TPGS grading room and most folks inputting that coin in the receiving department would know in a second that it was a fake by the shape of the date digits alone!
Thanks for the link.... I do agree with @Insider2 though... for experienced Morgan collectors, it should be readily apparent from many indicators...the date and obverse image being a couple of the more obvious points. Cheers, RickO
NGC works to get articles like this in front of many readers through their web site as well as Coin Week. You can search both sites for articles on other denominations and varieties.
@vplite99 said:
This is the first I've heard about about too much quality (sharper hairs over ear) being a counterfeit tell. I fear for the future.
Read the article again. Experienced Morgan dollar collectors who have studied the series can amaze you. Anyway, they do me. 99% of the time all they need to see is the obverse of a dollar to tell what mint it came from. The rim, luster, color, and strike are usually all they need to see. Some coins are rarely found fully struck. That was one tip-off in the story. The hairlines were too sharp and complete.
The denticle under the 1 in 1894 is different on the two but I don't know much about Morgans.
Do they line up differently on different hubs of the same year or not?
Maybe I'm too lost in old copper research right now.
Update....Never mind, I just checked CoinFacts and both alignments look valid.
@vplite99 said:
This is the first I've heard about about too much quality (sharper hairs over ear) being a counterfeit tell. I fear for the future.
The hair detail over the ear was not transferred from a genuine coin. Those details were added to the counterfeiter's tooling by hand, and they are not correct and do not match any genuine Morgan Dollar.
I always look for the 'bubbly' surface of high points (top surface of date numerals and lettering) which is a very strong indicator of a counterfeit coin.
"Gold is money, and nothing else" (JP Morgan, 1912)
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
Comments
Always a worthwhile read. Thanks. Peace Roy
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Good read.
Thanks for posting this - I enjoy reading these columns each month. What you need to remember is these are written for the average and below-average collector.
This is funny: "At first glance, this coin appears to be..." The truth is that, at first glance, any person working in a TPGS grading room and most folks inputting that coin in the receiving department would know in a second that it was a fake by the shape of the date digits alone!
The coin is a first look counterfeit as it has a 1921 reverse with straight arrow feathers.
Thanks for the link.... I do agree with @Insider2 though... for experienced Morgan collectors, it should be readily apparent from many indicators...the date and obverse image being a couple of the more obvious points. Cheers, RickO
This is the first I've heard about about too much quality (sharper hairs over ear) being a counterfeit tell. I fear for the future.
NGC works to get articles like this in front of many readers through their web site as well as Coin Week. You can search both sites for articles on other denominations and varieties.
Read the article again. Experienced Morgan dollar collectors who have studied the series can amaze you. Anyway, they do me. 99% of the time all they need to see is the obverse of a dollar to tell what mint it came from. The rim, luster, color, and strike are usually all they need to see. Some coins are rarely found fully struck. That was one tip-off in the story. The hairlines were too sharp and complete.
The denticle under the 1 in 1894 is different on the two but I don't know much about Morgans.
Do they line up differently on different hubs of the same year or not?
Maybe I'm too lost in old copper research right now.
Update....Never mind, I just checked CoinFacts and both alignments look valid.
My Saint Set
Speaking of counterfeit, another one on ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/193401922967
I think the reverse is actually molded from an 1878 (7 tail feathers, reverse of 1878) coin.
The hair detail over the ear was not transferred from a genuine coin. Those details were added to the counterfeiter's tooling by hand, and they are not correct and do not match any genuine Morgan Dollar.
All that attention to detail yet not struck on a 90% planchet.
That's so the counterfeiter can brag, "It wasn't even worth silver price".
Louis Armstrong
An interesting read for sure and a good one
The close-up of the date is a dead giveaway.
I always look for the 'bubbly' surface of high points (top surface of date numerals and lettering) which is a very strong indicator of a counterfeit coin.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
You are correct, the reverse also has the small stars of the 78.
Takes 1 second looking at that picture to determine it's a fake.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)