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1854 $3 Gold - Real or Fake?
jclovescoins
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This was an ex-jewelry piece...was in a bezel until this morning. Any markers where you can tell if this is real or fake?
Any advice is appreciated.
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I would vote real looking at the sharpness of the strike (as compared to the $1 coin in those other threads), have you weighed it?
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I don’t have a scale to weigh it, but when I bought it was told it weighed fine. Might send this one to be graded to be sure, but would like to get some opinions. Thanks!
I am leaning towards fake. If the small mark on the reverse at 1:00 up next to the denticles is raised, which would indicate to me a tool mark, then I would say fake. The coin could still be real gold though.
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Beirut fake from the 1960's-70's.
What are the diagnostics? How can you tell? Should it be gold? Thanks for the info!
The small spike of metal coming out of the denticles at 1:00 on the reverse is a typical characteristic of fake gold from the 1970's.
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Interesting...thanks! Won’t waste grading fees then and guess it’ll get melted or returned
Maybe Smitty might want to buy it.
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
Nah...have never knowingly sold a fake coin and will not start. This will need to get melted or returned to where I obtained it. Feel bad about the deal we had and how it turned out, but worse about how I was treated. All is well that’s ends well. Glad so many people on the forum are knowledgeable about these apparent fakes from the 70s.
It looks counterfeit to me.
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Definitely looks counterfeit
Counterfeit.
The dentiles are uneven on the right side, and the overall look is slightly off. I have real one, but I am on iPad and can’t post photos right now.
Looks fake at first glance to me
There is a certain texture to the surfaces on the Beirut counterfeit that I believe happened when the dies were cast copied from genuine coins, presumably using intermediary casting. I have a slight advantage because I was an Authenticator in the 1970’s.
I bought a bunch of those in Beirut in 1966 or 1967 at $8 each. Sold 1 to a dealer friend I trusted but regretted selling later after finding out he sold it as real. Ended up melting rest in 1979 for a nice profit. $1 gold were $6 each, not really a good gold deal but made very nice necklaces for friends, and the size preferred by the women I knew. They didn't like the $3. Only have one $1 left that I gave to my future wife in 1969. She still likes it.
The overall softness of the design indicates transfer dies were used. The false dies were made using a real coin as a model and were either cast, made using EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining), or were machined using a transfer engraving machine to transfer the design from a real coin to the face of the die. It helps to make a side by side comparison with a coin of the same type that is known to be authentic. The softness of the design on the counterfeit will become readily apparent.
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
Certainly looks fake however I cannot confirm that it's origins are Beirut.
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Interesting information... Thanks for the diagnostics...I do not generally buy small gold, but it could happen..Cheers, RickO
The rims are too sharp. I agree it is an aggressively well done counterfeit.
Here is a real one. It's graded MS-63.
I believe that I have identified the maker. Someday I must write an article about them. However, if you have information pointing to another maker I would be glad to hear it.
If you knew it was in a bezel, I would think you bought it for weight.
If not, do so in the future.
I would NOT send it for grading.
Personally, I would off that thing as fast as possible.
For weight price. Those...."used to be" in demand for cufflinks, tietacks, and the occasional necklace.
I'd try for that market.
I wish they were all that easy.
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