RE: Disappointing News From PCGS
USMC
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I had posted that a $20 gold coin I have had for around 50 years
was sent into PCGS for grading - they found it to be counterfeit.
I was asked to post a picture of the coin when I got it back.
I received it today. and took the best pictures I could of the coin.
I noticed the are intitials below the bust - looks like J.B.L
What are those initials?
Would this coin have any value ?
See Pictures Below - Thanks
Al / USMC
Disabled Vietnam Veteran
4
Comments
James B. Longacre, the designer.
I see a general lack of detail in the coin, and the detail that is there doesn't have sharpness. If you compare it to a genuine piece you'll see what I mean.
James Barton Longacre who was the designer of this coin among other coins.
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JBL= James B. Longacre, Designers initials. I'm not real good with counterfeits but comparing yours to one graded, the lettering on yours look very mushy and not as defined as a real one. Just my 2c.,
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Those initials are present on every genuine coin as well.
Lacks crispness that I would expect on a genuine coin. Liberty's hair detail is a little wonky and the central reverse is uncharacteristically weak. If you've had it as long as you have, chances are it's gold, though. Many mid-century counterfeits are good metal and weight.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
there is a mobile phone app from PCGS called Coinfacts. you can use that or here is the coin on the coinfacts web page from PCGS
https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1898-20/9033
:
Comparison Pictures
:
CoinFacts
Yours
See how "fat" the date is? How the stars seem kinda poofy rather than sharp and compact? Those are your main giveaways. The color looks a shade off as well, these old counterfeits were often a higher purity gold than the real deal haha.
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Weren’t many of this era’s counterfeits made to get around the prohibition on gold ownership? So the intent wasn’t to deceive collectors but the government by making bullion available in a “tolerable” form that the government wouldn’t take issue with? And that’s why it’s got the right metal, purity, and weight?
It would be interesting to know the gold content.
Yes, that's my understanding.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Did you have any tests done to determine what metal(s) it's made out of? And there are counterfeit collectors but I have no idea of value.
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Every US gold coin has been counterfeited regardless of numismatic value.
Definitely test it to make sure it's real gold (and a lot of these high-quality counterfeits were made with real gold).
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@USMC... I agree with the comments above about the mushy features. Take it to a jeweler with a Sigma machine and they can determine the metal content. If real gold, you at least have that... plus, there are collectors of counterfeit coins that may be interested in it. Cheers, RickO
I can imagine your disappointment.
I found this forum after I purchased a $20 Liberty at a Montana antique shop.
When I inquired here about having the coin graded, I learned I had purchased a whizzed hunk of bullion.
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Get the metal tested, if it’s at least gold you got something.