Contemporary Counterfeit Cents - a Pictorial Record

STONE · August 19, 2014 4:40AM

The world was much different 100-200 years ago. The U.S. Cent was a denomination that actually had individual buying power...and the further back in time you go the stronger the denomination, more or less, it was. As a result, there was a greater incentive to counterfeit the U.S. Cent further back in time.

Over the past few years, but especially within the last couple months, I have had the privilege to acquire several interesting contemporary counterfeit U.S. coins, and among them different types of U.S. Cents - Large Cents, Indian Cents, a Lincoln Cent, and even a Feuchtwanger Cent. Recently I have also been assembling a photographic database of known and perceived contemporary counterfeit U.S. coins of all denominations.

I thought it would be interesting, informative and educational to share the different types of contemporary counterfeit Cents I have acquired as well as those images I have added to my database.

Large Cents:
Last Digit unknown (181X)

1815 - Hand-Cut die; fantasy date and designed like the later types (Goldberg sale 60)

1817 - Hand-Cut Die (Goldbergs sale 74)

1818 - Hand-Cut Die (Very popular contemporary counterfeit; one of just 2-3 known I believe)
This photo is from a Goldberg auction (I believe); unfortunately I do not own this one.

1818 13-Star Obv, Hand-Cut dies (Goldberg sale 67)

1819 - Hand-Cut die (Goldbergs sale 60)

1821 N-2

1822 Reeded Edge!

1826/5

1845

1846

1848 Small Date - Coinfacts photo (1 of about 10 known)

1856 Electrotype (relatively 'common' among the Large Cent counterfeits - at least 12 known)

Unknown date - broken planchet

Feuchtwanger Cent:

Indian Cent:

*Rick Snow has a large collection of Indian Cent counterfeits

Lincoln Cent:

Davideo · August 19, 2014 5:38AM

Very interesting, thanks for sharing. Were these made of copper and does anyone know the copper value within a large cent?

STONE · August 19, 2014 5:56AM

I have done the specific gravity on all the pieces I own. Unfortunately I'm not home now to share the relative metal/alloy I believe some were made from. Although, off the top of my head I know the second 1846 is made from primarily brass

lostincoins · August 19, 2014 7:49AM

Stone thank you for sharing this as I find it very interesting. At times I wonder what people will think of the counterfeits that are being made now in say 100-200 years, will they be collectible as physical money may no longer exist for actual commerce transactions.

RedneckHB · August 19, 2014 8:07AM

Great thread!!!

NumisOxide · August 19, 2014 8:41AM

Very neat collection. I like that 1818 a lot.

MrEureka · August 19, 2014 8:48AM

Cool stuff. I didn't know that there were contemporary counterfeit Feuchtwangers!

Sonorandesertrat · August 19, 2014 10:49AM

Neat stuff!

kaz · August 19, 2014 11:34AM

Very interesting thread, Stone!

DeliaBug · August 19, 2014 11:40AM

So a question since this was all "real" money back then. If a coin was made to government specs - same weight, etc. why would someone give a hoot about getting a "counterfeit" coin. Obviously I am not referring to underweight and other spurious issues that did not meet gov't specs. But if someone received even a flat disc of copper weighing 208 grains then they were paid. Right?

SullivanNumismatics · August 19, 2014 11:48AM

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing the images.

Aegis3 · August 19, 2014 12:50PM

Some other large cent counterfeits I can think of...

An 1817

There's an 1818 "13-star" counterfeit, made by modifying the 14-star die making a large final star. It was in a Goldberg sale in the last couple of years, but I couldn't find it in their archives right now.

There's an 1841 counterfeit in Superior's September 1999 sale. I don't have the catalog, and if I saved the image I lost it later when my then-hard drive crashed.

Lakesammman · August 19, 2014 10:55PM

Nice collection! Some were made for collectors, like the Birch and Getz cents, since the real deal was so expensive.

DaveWcoins · August 19, 2014 11:20PM

Great thread. Thanks Stone.

I will go to the bank to see what I have in my contemporary cft collection for cents, and then post some.

Treashunt · August 19, 2014 11:49PM

Neat.

I knew about the Bust $1/2 contemporary counterfeits but not these.

Thanks for posting

Walkerguy21D · August 20, 2014 12:00AM

Very interesting, Winston!.
Some of those are quite good, like the first 1846, and the 1848 almost looks like a pattern.

ebaybuyer · August 20, 2014 12:07AM

excellent share ! perhaps I will do a similar thread about seated dimes and quarters !

jayPem · August 20, 2014 12:36AM

Interesting, informative AND educational....? Are you sure you're on the right forum ?

STONE · August 20, 2014 12:38AM

<< <i>I will go to the bank to see what I have in my contemporary cft collection for cents, and then post some.

excellent share ! perhaps I will do a similar thread about seated dimes and quarters ! >>

johnny9434 · August 20, 2014 5:21AM

nice stuff and some are real eye sores. interesting stuff thanks

Aegis3 · August 20, 2014 12:11PM

The 1818 13-star I mentioned earlier was in the Goldberg's February 2012 sale. I remembered a few of the details wrong. Interesting piece.

STONE · August 20, 2014 12:16PM

<< <i>The 1818 13-star I mentioned earlier was in the Goldberg's February 2012 sale. I remembered a few of the details wrong. Interesting piece. >>

Awesome. I'm adding it to the list above

DMWJR · October 26, 2017 9:42PM

I would love to see the photos back up. I was going to refer to them, but they are gone ...

Bodin · October 26, 2017 9:55PM

-^^ +1

Treashunt · October 27, 2017 3:23AM

@DMWJR said:
I would love to see the photos back up. I was going to refer to them, but they are gone ...

held hostage, along with all of mine by Photobucket

ldhair · October 27, 2017 3:49AM

For only $400 a year, they will make your images show again. I'll never trust them again.

thebeav · October 27, 2017 5:48AM

400 $ ?????
I sent them eighteen hundred......For that, I can share up to 3 photos per month.......

ricko · October 27, 2017 6:00AM

Too bad the pictures are gone... this was an interesting thread....Cheers, RickO

DIMEMAN · October 27, 2017 2:51PM

@thebeav said:
400 $ ?????
I sent them eighteen hundred......For that, I can share up to 3 photos per month.......

You are kidding right!

DMWJR · October 27, 2017 2:55PM

Photobucket ... an early cloud. I don't trust clouds

thebeav · October 27, 2017 3:10PM

Yes, kidding dimeman.....

ldhair · October 27, 2017 5:09PM

Lots of changes over the years with Photobucket. Some were good but the last few have been less than friendly. All the image are still there but, they won't show on forums unless you pay for the service.
It's been free for all these years. I guess like everyone, they need money for the service. Wish they had came out with something better.

ldhair · October 27, 2017 5:10PM

Lots of changes over the years with Photobucket. Some were good but the last few have been less than friendly. All the image are still there but, they won't show on forums unless you pay for the service.
It's been free for all these years. I guess like everyone, they need money for the service. Wish they had came out with something better.

LanceNewmanOCC · February 10, 2022 11:54AM

amazing images are still hosted in this old thread from photobucket. wow

halfcentman · March 10, 2022 9:43AM

With the new discovery, there are now five known examples of the 1818 14 Star Counterfeit Large Cent. It is an R7+. There is rumor of a low-grade 6th example.

WAYNEAS · March 10, 2022 12:45PM

Thank so much for sharing.
Wayne

Contemporary Counterfeit Cents - a Pictorial Record

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