thoughts on if this Morgan is real or counterfeit? (Updates)

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U1chicago
U1chicago Posts: 6,995 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited February 5, 2026 6:39AM in U.S. Coin Forum

What are your thoughts on if this Morgan is real or counterfeit?

Some more details: from what I was told, it came from a fire years ago so that is what explains the surfaces looking a bit weird. I was pretty sure it along with a few others like this were all real.

With the latest increase in silver I was planning on selling (under melt/ at the price of a cull) but when the LCS tested it on their sigma device, it did not scan correctly. He mentioned something about it testing 85% silver-which sounded weird to me. Can fire damage change the coin so that it doesn’t test properly?




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  • MasonG
    MasonG Posts: 7,591 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @TomB said:
    Surfaces look odd.

    Some sort of environmental damage? If I was going to go to the trouble of counterfeiting a Morgan dollar, I think I'd choose a scarcer date, but who knows?

  • Cougar1978
    Cougar1978 Posts: 10,067 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 4, 2026 8:59PM
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    With it wellstruck appearance I don’t see how it can be CF. How does it’s wt compare to others? How did you acquire it? 1880-S is a common date.

    Investor
  • may
    may Posts: 1,700 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Genuine, definitely messed with some time in the past. I kinda like it.

  • Bochiman
    Bochiman Posts: 25,790 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @MasonG said:

    @TomB said:
    Surfaces look odd.

    Some sort of environmental damage? If I was going to go to the trouble of counterfeiting a Morgan dollar, I think I'd choose a scarcer date, but who knows?

    Chinese don't go by that. When I visited there, for work about 20 years ago, there were literally BUCKETS of fake "US Dollar" coins...mostly morgans but also some older and some ripoff ASEs that had dates from 1906 and such.
    No "rare dates" in the batches I saw. this was at a market.

    Friend of mine, year prior to that, knew I collected and brought back 4 "US Dollar" coins...all 4 counterfeit. He couldn't tell. He thought he was doing me a solid. He spent $20usd for the 4 of them. That was at a night market.

    I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment

  • lilolme
    lilolme Posts: 2,993 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    My first thought was metal movement but looking at the larger reverse photo I don't see any build up or haloing around any of the devices or letters. Additionally a similar surface texture is seen inside the gaps and loops of the letters. This makes me think something applied to the surface. The S mintmark while flat-fat is similar to some on the VAM list in link below. The letters and sheriffs appear good (none of those fat sheriffs or mismatch letter thicknesses that I could see). The obverse in the hair has some small dots, similar to rusty die dots, but I didn't check VAM for that or is it other. Above the wing on the left side there appears to be a small area where the surface is different or perhaps the 'stuff' is missing (if that is what it is)?

    https://www.vamworld.com/wiki/1880_S_MintMark_Guide

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  • RedRocket
    RedRocket Posts: 1,949 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Genuine, altered surfaces.

  • Greenstang
    Greenstang Posts: 1,652 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The coin is genuine, what happened to the surface after
    it left the mint I don’t know.

  • MFeld
    MFeld Posts: 17,155 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The coin looks genuine to me. But it falls somewhat short of being a “Gem”. 😉

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • BillJones
    BillJones Posts: 35,946 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The 1880-S dollar is known for bright, sometimes Proof-like surfaces. This piece is pitted. It may have been pickeled in acid for a while which caused this. It is probably genuine, but no more than a couriosity or piece of bullion.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • coastaljerseyguy
    coastaljerseyguy Posts: 2,131 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @BillJones said:
    The 1880-S dollar is known for bright, sometimes Proof-like surfaces. This piece is pitted. It may have been pickeled in acid for a while which caused this. It is probably genuine, but no more than a couriosity or piece of bullion.

    Agree, I think some folks used to call these 'burnt' with that dull color and look from being in the dip for way, way too long.

  • BillJones
    BillJones Posts: 35,946 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @coastaljerseyguy said:

    @BillJones said:
    The 1880-S dollar is known for bright, sometimes Proof-like surfaces. This piece is pitted. It may have been pickeled in acid for a while which caused this. It is probably genuine, but no more than a couriosity or piece of bullion.

    Agree, I think some folks used to call these 'burnt' with that dull color and look from being in the dip for way, way too long.

    Over dipped, “cooked” coins are usually dull and white. This piece has pits, which don’t look like the result of physical contact.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • U1chicago
    U1chicago Posts: 6,995 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Some more details: from what I was told, it came from a fire years ago so that is what explains the surfaces looking a bit weird. I was pretty sure it along with a few others like this were all real.

    With the latest increase in silver I was planning on selling (under melt/ at the price of a cull) but when the LCS tested it on their sigma device, it did not scan correctly. He mentioned something about it testing 85% silver-which sounded weird to me. Can fire damage change the coin so that it doesn’t test properly?

  • U1chicago
    U1chicago Posts: 6,995 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Tom_B and others does the above extra info help explain the surfaces?

  • lkenefic
    lkenefic Posts: 9,520 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    If this was a big copper coin I'd think that it was a ground recovery piece and environmental damage, but copper is a much more reactive metal than silver. Perhaps it spent time in the ground... in an acidic environment?

    Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;

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  • PerryHall
    PerryHall Posts: 47,763 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Did you try the ring test? Balance it on the tip of your finger next to your ear and tap the edge with a wooden pencil. Silver has a distinctive melodious ring.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
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  • U1chicago
    U1chicago Posts: 6,995 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @PerryHall said:
    Did you try the ring test? Balance it on the tip of your finger next to your ear and tap the edge with a wooden pencil. Silver has a distinctive melodious ring.

    I’ll try that later today.

  • DesertCoin
    DesertCoin Posts: 484 ✭✭✭
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    Genuine. Cull condition. Always possible for the original silver mix to be bad on these (although quite rare).

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  • RedRocket
    RedRocket Posts: 1,949 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @RedRocket said:
    Genuine, altered surfaces.

    I agree.
    Treated surfaces after it was subjected to heat/fire.

    Red R

  • CaptHenway
    CaptHenway Posts: 34,178 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Probably a keychain coin

    Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
  • jesbroken
    jesbroken Posts: 11,253 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Did I miss the weight? Your photo of the scale digital reading is blank. That might answer a lot of questions. If weight correct, I would also feel legit.
    Jim


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  • U1chicago
    U1chicago Posts: 6,995 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @jesbroken said:
    Did I miss the weight? Your photo of the scale digital reading is blank. That might answer a lot of questions. If weight correct, I would also feel legit.
    Jim

    The scale showed 26.7

  • oldglorycoins
    oldglorycoins Posts: 305 ✭✭✭
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    Real, just worth melt

    Micah Langford - https://www.oldglorycoinsandcurrency.com/

  • 2windy2fish
    2windy2fish Posts: 1,143 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @RedRocket said:
    Genuine, altered surfaces.
    I agree.
    Treated surfaces after it was subjected to heat/fire.

    Red R

    This may be a first on this forum…
    Some one re-posting and agreeing with their own comment…
    😂

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