Category Archives: Counterfeits

1857 Flying Eagle Cent “Varieties” – Jack Young’s Fun With Fakes

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC), and the Dark Side Group ……
A new installment of my CoinWeek exclusive series documents three different counterfeit  1857 Flying Eagle cents, all with their own unique telling markers. I’ll start with this example that a friend posted to the Dark Side Group. He asked members which one they liked better:

Above: Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent. Below: Genuine 1857 Flying Eagle cent.
Above: Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent. Below: Genuine 1857 Flying Eagle cent.

After review, the best answer in my opinion was “the not counterfeit one”!

One of the best “tells” for this variety of fake is the reverse “chip” as circled in red:

Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent.
Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent.

This particular type has been around for a while, as evidenced by this 2017 “Bay” sale and an article by NGC that documented it.

Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cents.

To read that article on counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cents, click here

NGC Screenshot of an 1857 Flying Eagle cent counterfeit diagnostics article.
Image: NGC.

But the research doesn’t stop, as there are others also in the marketplace currently. The following examples have an apparently shared reverse; I nicknamed them the “Notched T” counterfeits.

I sent a note to Flying Eagle and Indian Head cent expert Richard Snow and received the following information about the “T”: “it’s a defect in the transfer process” (for making the false dies).

Defect found on the reverse of a family of counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cents.
Defect found on the reverse of a family of counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cents.

And an example submitted and returned body-bagged by NGC:

NGC body bagged this counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent.
NGC body bagged this counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent.

Continuing down the proverbial rabbit hole leads to the latest fake of the family, one I nicknamed the “Bad T” (of UNITED).

Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent listed on eBay.
Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent listed on eBay.

A fairly decent looking example until you examine it more closely; there are lots of depressions and surface irregularities, as well as the odd “T”:

Left: counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent. Right: genuine 1857 Flying Eagle cent.
Left: counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent. Right: genuine 1857 Flying Eagle cent.

Didn’t take much looking to find others after this one was reported!

Here’s an example from Ecrater.com:

Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent listing on ecrater.
Image: ecrater.

This counterfeit matches the eBay listed one exactly.

Pick up points from this family of Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cents.
Pick up points from this family of Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cents.

And another “Bay” example, this one showing some of the attribution marks even better:

Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent listed on eBay.
Counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cent listed on eBay. Image: eBay
A counterfeit and a marked copy 1857 Flying Eagle cent share obvious markers.
A counterfeit and a marked copy 1857 Flying Eagle cent share obvious markers.

And let’s not leave Etsy out! More fun there with an 1856 and an 1858 thrown in for good measure!

Three counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cents listed on Etsy.com.
Three counterfeit 1857 Flying Eagle cents listed on Etsy.com.

And one major “twist”: this “PCGS” certed 1856 example:

Counterfeit 1856 Flying Eagle cent in fake PCGS slab.
Counterfeit 1856 Flying Eagle cent in fake PCGS slab.

Poor images of this one won’t allow positive attribution by type, but the “6” is a pretty clear sign that it’s really bad…

Again, hopefully the information in this article information will help reduce the opportunity for fraudsters to sting collectors with these fakes, as it continues to be a real jungle out there!

Best as always,

Jack


 

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1798 Small Eagle Draped Bust Dollar – Jack Young’s Fun With Fakes

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC), and the Dark Side Group ……
In a past CoinWeek article, I reviewed a “family” of counterfeits based on a 1799 variety of the Draped Bust silver dollar, Large Eagle reverse, with various dated obverses. I have also previously discussed the “mix and match” approach employed by counterfeiters of using various dies for their fakes. And along those lines, we now have the combination featured in this installment of “Fun with Fakes”!

As in my previous articles, this one will start with a recent “Bay” listing:

An eBay listing of a counterfeit 1798 Draped Bust Dollar coin.
An eBay listing of a counterfeit 1798 Draped Bust Dollar coin.

Running through the attribution of this coin resulted in NO matches; there are only two varieties of the 1798 Small Eagle reverse and this one isn’t either.

Collecting Notes snippet from PCGS.com. Image: Google.
Collecting Notes snippet from PCGS.com. Image: Google.

The obverse looked familiar when I saw it, but it didn’t match with this reverse. And the reverse looked familiar, but not with this obverse!

Enlarged photograph of a counterfeit 1798 Draped Bust Dollar coin from an eBay listing.
Enlarged photograph of a counterfeit 1798 Draped Bust Dollar coin from an eBay listing.

The obverse is the same as used in this “1798” example from the previously mentioned article, mated to the counterfeit 1799 Large Eagle reverse with common marks.

Previous 1798 large eagle Internet example (image from the Coin Week article).
Previous 1798 large eagle Internet example (image from the Coin Week article).

A little digging yielded the source of the Small Eagle reverse, also actually from another of my CoinWeek articles; this reverse is from the 1795 off-center bust dollar.

Subject “1798” on left, counterfeit 1795 reverse on right (image from the Coin Week article).
Subject “1798” on left, counterfeit 1795 reverse on right (image from the Coin Week article).

So, the first “twist” in this story is the swapping of dies from my two CoinWeek articles on counterfeit early dollars to create this new “variety”.

Searching the usual suspects on the internet yielded this same obverse, but the Large Eagle reverse example on eCRATER:

Current eCRATER ad- direct from China.
Current eCRATER ad- direct from China.

Continued searching resulted in finding this example on DHgate:

Past DHgate ad for “copy coins”.
Past DHgate ad for “copy coins”.

Looks like a direct match to the subject example for quite a bit less money than the eBay listing price! Fortunately, that listing was removed before a possible sale.

The next “twist” will be in finding differently dated examples with the same counterfeit combination as this 1798 Small Eagle Draped Bust dollar – I appreciate all the help I can get in finding and documenting them as the next fake “family”.

Obverse and reverse of counterfeit 1799 Draped Bust dollar coin. Image: eBay.
Obverse and reverse of counterfeit 1799 Draped Bust dollar coin. Image: eBay.

And then I found this “1799”: a different obverse but the same reverse.

Most collectors with a little experience in early U.S. dollars and a Red Book should know that the Small Eagle design was used only from 1795 through 1798 with the Draped Bust obverse, not 1799. So, this “coin” is in reality another “numismatic anomaly” – my neologism for some of these finds! Wouldn’t you know it, the seller states “1795-1798″…

Best as always,

Jack


 

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1794 Half Dollar and Relatives – Jack Young’s Fun With Fakes

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC), and the Dark Side Group ……
My latest installment of this CoinWeek exclusive series will initially focus on a bad 1794 half dollar, starting with this popular listing:

An eBay listing of a Counterfeit 1794 Half Dollar.
An eBay listing of a Counterfeit 1794 Half Dollar.

Attribution is always my starting point for any subject example, and I looked to compare this suspect coin with a known genuine one. The subject doesn’t match any known genuine example, so I picked the closest match (O-105) for a comparison image. A couple of differences initially stood out as circled:

Counterfeit and Genuine 1794 Half Dollars
Subject example, known genuine one, highlighting 2 key differences

I also took notice of two possible attribution marks on the reverse:

Subject Reverse of a counterfeit 1794 Half Dollar; interesting marks in red
Subject Reverse; interesting marks in red

These highlighted marks may be used to identify various dated fakes in this series. As luck would have it, someone in another forum had posted a similar example, claiming it was a “dug find”.


Purported “Dig Find” 1794 Flowing Hair Half Dollar.

The images were well done, showing that the details match up – including the two reverse marks. Not bad for a rare 1794 non-variety!

Suspect example reverse and “dug” example
Suspect example reverse and “dug” example

With two matching examples, the effort turned to attributing the possible source example used to make the dies to strike these fakes. That went pretty quickly, as there are only two dates of Flowing Hair half dollars; focusing on the 1795 O-119 variety resulted in an unexpected match. The green-circled attributes of this die variety both match the subject 1794, which cannot be…

Genuine 1795 O-119 Flowing Hair Half Dollar. Image: PCGS.
Genuine 1795 O-119 Flowing Hair Half Dollar. Image: PCGS.

The second highlighted reverse mark, the “scratch” by the left ribbon, is not common to this variety.

And, of course, there are “replica” 1795s with matching marks to the subject 1794 half dollar:

Matching scratches on two fake Flowing hair half dollars.
Matching scratches on two fake Flowing hair half dollars.
Replica Flowing Hair Half Dollar Shared Reverses.
Replica Flowing Hair Half Dollar Shared Reverses. AliExpress example on the right.

Here’s a listing on AliExpress, where the “coin” is a little cheaper and can be had without that pesky “COPY”!

Ali Express listing
Ali Express listing of a counterfeit 1794 Flowing Hair Half Dollar.

And a twist, if you thought it couldn’t get worse: counterfeit 1795s in fake holders!

Counterfeit 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dollar.
Counterfeit 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dollar.
Ali Express Listing for a 1795 Half Dollar.
Ali Express Listing for a 1795 Half Dollar.

But for a final twist, I ran into this:

Counterfeit 1795 half dollar currently listed on eBay.
Counterfeit 1795 half dollar currently listed on eBay.

And the common reverse:

Counterfeit 1795 half dollar reverse. Image: eBay.
Counterfeit 1795 half dollar reverse. Image: eBay.

Stay thirsty, my friends!

Best,

Jack


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Counterfeit Gold Coins Filled With Platinum: Hollow Gold

Platinum-filled Gold Coins. Some 19th Century fakes were plugged with precious metal.

The production of counterfeit gold and silver coins is almost as old as coinage itself.

The usual method involves making something that looks like an authentic coin but using cheaper metal. Success for the criminal was measured by the quantity of fakes they could exchange for legal currency without getting caught[1]. One specialty was making fake silver coins from cheap substitutes, such as tin, that looked like ordinary worn coins. These allowed the use of cast or low-quality false dies without raising too much suspicion about design quality.

Another common counterfeiting approach came into use with the introduction of copper-nickel three-cent and five-cent coins in the latter 1860s. In this fraud, criminals exploited the difference in raw material cost and face value for legal coins. This was the seigniorage (or profit) the United States Mint made when they used one cent of copper-nickel to make a coin with a five-cent face value. Normal U.S. alloy was 75% copper and 25% nickel, but anyone could buy common “maillechort” or “nickel silver” from scrap metal dealers or jewelers for a few cents per pound[2]. This was readily melted, rolled into strips, and cut into blanks ready to be impressed with false dies. Authentic nickels and three-cent pieces were used to make counterfeit dies, and the struck pieces of scrap were easily passed to workers who used them for purchases and train fares.

In 19th-century America and parts of Europe, a more sophisticated and deceptive method came into use along with the large influx of new gold from California and Australia. This used a real coin, such as a $10 eagle or a $20 double eagle, and preserved the faces and most of the edge in original condition. The counterfeiter did not attempt to copy the coin; rather, gold was removed from inside. Visually, the coin appeared genuine, but in reality it had been hollowed out, the gold removed, and the cavity filled with a cheap heavy metal such as platinum[3].

Today, we consider platinum a precious metal widely used in electronics and as a catalyst for certain chemical reactions[4]. But for much of the last 150 years, it has been a specialty metal prized for its limited chemical reactivity and high melting temperature in laboratory and assaying equipment. The chart below plots the market value of platinum versus gold from about 1880 to 1980.

Annual Average Spot Price for Platinum 1880-1982.
Table 1. Average annual platinum (blue line) price per Troy ounce versus gold (red line) 1880-1980. Notice that until 1890 it was only one-fifth or less per ounce than the price of gold. It was not until about 1901 that platinum equaled, and then exceeded, gold’s price. (Base platinum graph adapted from Wikipedia commons. Gold price added by author.)

Pure platinum, at 21.45 grams per cubic centimeter, was noticeably denser than pure gold’s 19.3 g/cc, but native platinum contained impurities (including palladium) that reduced its density enough to make it a good replacement for gold in counterfeiting[5].

The Discovery of a New Way of Making Counterfeit Gold Coins

At the beginning of the Civil War in 1860, the Treasury Department and the Mint became aware of a new method of adulterating gold coins with platinum (called “platina” in contemporary letters). Previously, the most common replacement method was to drill small holes through the edge of a coin and replace the gold with a plug of platinum. The damaged edge was repaired and gilded with a bit of gold leaf to hide the work. But the new process was capable of removing as much as half the gold in a $10 Eagle and very difficult to detect.

Here’s what Dr. John Torrey, Assayer at the New York Assay Office, had to say in July 1860:

I procured for you to-day, a fine specimen of a ten-dollar gold coin. It has the proper weight and size, but it is no doubt filled up with platina [i.e. platinum]. It was probably made by sawing through a genuine eagle, and then turning out on a lathe, or filing away, a considerable part of the gold. A disc of platina was then introduced, and a narrow hoop of gold used to fill the saw-cut. The whole was then united with silver solder, and the milling renovated. I have reason to believe there are many of these coins in circulation. We have some ounces of platina taken out of a lot of them, brought to our office. You will have difficulty in finding the seams in the piece I send you. Scarcely a bank in our city would hesitate to take it. I paid five dollars for this piece, which is about its intrinsic value.

Now, how shall we detect these debased pieces? The coinage is genuine, the weight and size correct. I am able to tell them (except when the seams are manifest) only in one way, i.e., by plunging then under nitric acid. This almost immediately acts on the silver solder, producing bubbles of nitrous gas, and a green discoloration around the joint; finally separating the parts completely. A few minutes or even seconds immersion in the nitric acid is generally sufficient to detect the fraud. This method can of course be applied to a considerable number of pieces at once [meaning, ‘at one time’], and the bad ones picked out; the gold ones not being injured by the operation.[6]

According to Torrey, the counterfeiter carefully sliced a normal $10 eagle in half through the edge. Each part was mounted in turn on a small lathe and gold removed from the center without disturbing the edge or penetrating the coin’s faces. Next, a small disc of platinum was inserted in place of the gold. This must have been a precise fit so that when restored, the coin was solid. The two halves were then soldered together with the existing reeds aligned. A piece of gold wire was pushed into the visible saw cut and the reeds restored. This latter step was likely done with a small gear rather than a file so that all the reeds looked normal across the coin’s thickness. Torrey noted that he “…paid $5 for this piece, which is about its intrinsic value” for the adulterated eagle. If this were representative of other gold coins adulterated this way, the counterfeiter was removing about half the face value from every coin.

Figure 1. Typical 1860 Eagle referred to by Dr. Torrey. The only clue to adulteration would be at the edge-to-rim junction where a thin seam might be visible. (Photo of a normal coin courtesy HA.com.)
Figure 1. Typical 1860 Eagle referred to by Dr. Torrey. The only clue to adulteration would be at the edge-to-rim junction where a thin seam might be visible. (Photo of a normal coin courtesy HA.com.)

Despite the precise control such operations demanded, this was all easy to accomplish using equipment available in the late 1850s. Weight could be controlled by the thickness of the gold band which covered the cutting and the only visible seam would be between the band and a coin’s normal rim[7]. With careful machine control, weighing the re-joined coin and edge filling to mint specification, and a small toothed gear to reform the reeds, a good machinist-counterfeiter might make five to 10 fakes per day. Using $10 gold pieces, that would mean revenue of $25 to $50 per day – double if $20 coins were used[8].

Compare that to the $3 daily wage of a Philadelphia Mint mechanic.

Dr. Torrey’s detection method was very effective but also not something that was convenient or easily done outside an assay office or mint facility. By the time a potentially counterfeit gold coin could be tested with acid, the person passing the fake would likely be long gone, and some merchant or bank was left holding the residue. The most reliable and readily available test was called the “ring test”. A suspect coin was dropped on a marble countertop and a clerk listened for the characteristic high pitch ring of a normal coin. A struck silver or gold coin is a solid body that makes a ringing sound when balanced on a finger and lightly tapped with a fingernail or solid metal rod. A counterfeit, such as we’ve described, is composed of several pieces and not a solid body. When tested by dropping or tapping it will produce a dull “thump” or “thunk” sound completely unlike that of an authentic coin[9].

Faced with this form of counterfeit gold coins, United States Mint Director James Ross Snowden suggested that “reducing the thickness of our gold coinage is the only mode of preventing the debasement in question.”[10] Multiple experiments were conducted and several pattern coins on wide, thin planchets were made[11].

Figure 2. Experimental 1860 thin half eagle produced in response to filling coins with platinum. This pattern is 27 millimeters in diameter, the same diameter as a gold Eagle, but weighs 8.36 grams, identical to a standard half eagle. The pattern is approximately one millimeter thick. This piece is cataloged as Judd 271. (Courtesy HA.com)
Figure 2. Experimental 1860 thin half eagle produced in response to filling coins with platinum. This pattern is 27 millimeters in diameter, the same diameter as a gold Eagle, but weighs 8.36 grams, identical to a standard half eagle. The pattern is approximately one millimeter thick. This piece is cataloged as Judd 271. (Courtesy HA.com)

A Possible Solution

A solution eventually emerged from Edward Pratt, the Assistant Treasurer in Boston, in a letter to Treasury Secretary Howell Cobb:

If the Department should determine to employ detectives… it will perhaps be advisable to impart to them the following facts, the accuracy of which can be easily established, viz.: that there are in this country very few purchases of manufactured platina; such being confined almost entirely to dentists and chemists. The Professor of Chemistry at Harvard University informs me that in the course of a year, he uses but about 10 or 12 ounces; and one of the leading dentists if this city tells me that he uses in the same time from six to nine ozs. Much platina is undoubtedly used in the form of crucibles, etc., but it is all manufactured abroad.[12]

Pratt’s observation was that very little platinum was produced or used in the United States. This would naturally limit the extent to which cutting and filling could be performed. Also, anyone acquiring platinum in larger quantities or who was not in a business known to use the metal, would immediately raise suspicion and come under investigation[13]. Simply put, filling gold coins with platinum was severely limited by the metal’s limited availability.

In the end, all the alarm, hand wringing, letter writing, and pattern making was for naught. Cut and filled gold coins quietly evaporated from Mint and Treasury thoughts. Letters ended up in musty anonymous file cases and pattern pieces adorned the Mint Cabinet of Coins & Medals, plus a few select private collections.

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Notes

[1] Traditional punishments were permanent: death by one of several gruesome means; amputation with an axe of both hands; forehead branding and the amputation of one hand; and blinding with mercury fumes were among the options.

[2] Also known as German silver, argentan, new silver, nickel brass, albata, or alpaca. Containing no silver, the alloy consists of copper, nickel, zinc and sometimes tin. It is often used in cheap jewelry as a substitute for Sterling or fine silver.

[3] Platinum was a common impurity in California gold along with iridium and osmium.

[4] Platinum was found in placer deposits during the 16th-century Spanish conquest of South America. It was first thought to be a special kind of silver, and was called “platina del Pinto” (“little silver of the River Pinto”) after the Rio Pinto in Colombia. Because it would not melt with furnaces available to the Spanish, they soon considered it a nuisance and contaminant and often discarded it.

[5] Iridium and osmium, both denser than platinum, were also present in native deposits. This forced criminals making counterfeit gold coins to adapt their techniques to accommodate available metal.

[6] RG104 E-1 Box 59. Letter dated July 14, 1860 to Snowden from Eckfeldt and Dubois.

[7] This might have been another reason the mints were concerned about a fin extending beyond the rim, especially on gold coins. The junction of repaired reeding and rim might have closely resembled a natural fin.

[8] Eagles and half eagles were likely preferred since they circulated in large cities. Double eagles were much less commonly seen and would probably have been more closely checked by merchants and banks.

[9] Some authentic coins will not ring properly if they have inclusions in the planchet or have been damaged.

[10] RG104 E-1 Box 60. Letter dated September 29, 1860 to Cobb from Snowden. Repeated in letter dated October 1, 1860 to Snowden from Cobb.

[11] See Roger W. Burdette. “Dr. Barclay’s Experimental Coinage ~ 1832-1876” in Fads, Fakes and Foibles (Seneca Mill Press LLC, 2021).

[12] RG104 E-1 Box 60. Letter dated September 21, 1860 to Cobb from Pratt. Excerpt. 6-7.

[13] Purchasing assay equipment was not an option because the manufactured goods cost more than the same weight of gold, and would also produce suspicion among the Treasury Department’s customs agents.

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Counterfeit Coins and the Effects on Numismatics

By Harvey Stack – Founder, Stack’s Bowers …… Editors Note: Links to the next two Articles…. Part2     Part 3 Counterfeiting, or making something false, has occurred since goods were exchanged for services or other items. If a bag that was supposed to contain wheat was instead full of another grain or even sand, that […]

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Fun With Fake Coins – 1824 Capped Bust Half Dollar

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC), and the Dark Side Group …… My latest installment of this CoinWeek exclusive series concerning the more “affordable” varieties of fake coins will follow the same format as my previous ones as I present a group of counterfeit Capped Bust half dollars, starting with a listing for […]

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Jack Young’s Fun With Fakes – 1872-CC Seated Liberty Dollar

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC), and the Dark Side Group …… Moving on from my initial installment of this CoinWeek exclusive series and following the same format, I present a very counterfeit 1872-CC Liberty Seated dollar! In my initial review of this one, I circled some marks of interest to look for […]

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Jack Young’s Fun With Fakes – 1795 Flowing Hair Dollar

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC), and the Dark Side Group …… I am working on a concept for articles that cover some of the less deceptive raw fakes currently seen on internet selling venues. The first one with that concept in mind is this counterfeit 1795 dollar… This recent item was listed […]

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A Current Deceptive 1811 Half Cent Counterfeit

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC), and the Dark Side Group …… As a quick intro, I have had over 60 research articles on the subject of current counterfeit coins published in half a dozen different coin forums – with the majority exclusive here on CoinWeek! In previous articles, I have reviewed three […]

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Two Online Counterfeit 1883-CC Morgans in Bad Slabs

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC), and the Dark Side Group …… This article presents two more recent listings–purported 1883-CC Morgan dollars–from a Chinese bad seller of counterfeit “coins” in fake “PCGS” slabs. The first example has some of the best seller images I have seen for these, but things go sideways pretty […]

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A Collectible Counterfeit? The Story of Henning Nickels

By Tyler Rossi for CoinWeek ….. A few years ago, I decided to start coin roll hunting, and with $25 I opened an account at the nearest bank that had a coin counting machine. After becoming friendly with the tellers, I began buying boxes of coins, pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters to search. While I […]

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The 1920 Wilson Dollar: A Counterfeited Rarity

An elusive Wilson Dollar medal represents a challenge for collectors of higher grades The Wilson Dollar By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… The Wilson dollar was struck to commemorate the opening of the Manila Mint on July 6, 1920, which was the first and only US mint established outside the continental United States. The obverse is […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Altered Date 1815 Half Dollar

The altered date on this half dollar imitates a true numismatic rarity Altered Date Counterfeits by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… In the early part of the 19th century, the fledgling United States was in a crisis. US merchant ships were being blocked from conducting trade with mainland Europe by the British Royal Navy. This lead to […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” 1818 Counterfeit Capped Bust Quarter

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Reporting exclusively for CoinWeek, the discovery of a “New” Counterfeit – an 1818 B-10 “Homer Face” quarter dollar! It is from the same group of counterfeiters that the Dark Side Group and I have been following since late 2015 and a cert series of 20+ different […]

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Fact or Myth: Josh Tatum and Racketeer Nickels

By Lianna Spurrier for CoinWeek ….. The Liberty head or “V” nickel was released in 1883. The denomination was marked by a large “V” on the reverse; the word “cents” was nowhere to be found. The three cent piece of the time was labeled in the same way, with a large Roman numeral three and […]

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NGC Introduces High-Security Hologram With Unique QR Codes

Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) is introducing a new high-security hologram as part of its comprehensive efforts to combat counterfeiting and create a safer marketplace for NGC-certified coins, tokens, and medals. Among the innovative hologram enhancements are a QR code and a numerical security code that are unique to the specific encapsulated collectible, making it extremely […]

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NGC Counterfeit Detection: 2002 American Silver Eagle

A counterfeiter hoped that this computer-generated fake would fly under the radar   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) …… The American Silver Eagle is the flagship silver bullion coin of the United States. Its obverse features Adolph A. Weinman’s renowned Walking Liberty design used on the half dollar from 1917 to 1947. From its inception […]

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Counterfeit 1920 “PCGS” and Raw 1921 Pilgrim Half Dollars

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… I continue to update my list of bad “PCGS” slabbed coins from the main Chinese counterfeit seller of such: https://boxbullion.com/ One of the listed coins is a 1920 Pilgrim Tercentenary Commemorative Half Dollar; of course, they show a genuine example in their listing but note it […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1796 “S-85” Large Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Struck Counterfeit 1796 “S-85” Large Cent This article is intended as a continuing summary of the deceptive struck counterfeits documented to date, including the damaged “source” coin, the example most likely repaired and used to create the dies to strike the other copies; this source was […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1913 Great Britain Gold Sovereign

By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… These two counterfeits share some of the same imperfections. The British gold Sovereign is one of the most popular and enduring coins around. It has been struck from 1817 to present, and well over 1.1 billion were struck over those two centuries. During those years, the coins were struck at […]

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ACEF, Treasury Dept. Plan Law Enforcement Training at ANA

To address the mass proliferation of counterfeits plaguing the U.S. marketplace, the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) in partnership with the U.S. Treasury Department and in cooperation with the American Numismatic Association (ANA) will sponsor an accredited seminar for local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Entitled, “Counterfeit Coins, Precious Metals, Numismatic and Financial Crime […]

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Counterfeit Mintmarks? Watch Out for Embossed Mintmarks

By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for PCGS …… The presence or lack of a particular mintmark can make or break the difference in the price of a coin. Consider, for example, the values of coins from so many popular series minted during the late 19th and 20th centuries. A 1916 Mercury Dime without a mintmark? It’s worth […]

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NGC Counterfeit Detection: 1873 Half Dollar

Don’t be fooled by this coin, which bears a lot of obvious red flags   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) …… A few weight changes occurred during the Seated Liberty half dollar series (1839-91). At the outset in 1839, the half dollars were struck on planchets that weighed 13.36g. This weight was decreased to 12.44g […]

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NGC Counterfeit Detection: 2023 American Silver Eagle

There are numerous design flaws noted on this fake that reveal it is a poor imitation of one of the United States’ most beautiful coins.   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) …… The obverse of the modern American Silver Eagle bullion coin features the magnificent Adolph A. Weinman design from the Walking Liberty Half Dollar […]

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Counterfeit Kennedy Half Dollars

By Jay Turner for PCGS …… After working professionally as a coin grader for over 20 years, I am still surprised by what can cross my desk. Recently while grading coins from a PCGS express submission from Hong Kong, two such surprises were in a single submission. Submitted as a crossover from an alternative service […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1903 Barber Dime

Just because a Barber dime is not a great rarity doesn’t mean it won’t be a target for counterfeiters   The Barber Dime series (1892-1916) holds one of the greatest rarities in United States numismatics: the 1894-S. Fewer than a dozen of these Proof coins are currently known to the collecting world, and on the […]

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Grading and Counterfeit Seminars Offered at World’s Fair of Money

The American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) World’s Fair of Money (WorldsFairOfMoney.com) is being hosted at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on August 8-12. The show brings coin collectors together from all over the world, featuring hundreds of dealers, auctions, displays of rare treasures, educational opportunities, and more. Leading up to the show, […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1861 Seated Liberty Quarter

A counterfeiter was hoping that this transplanted mintmark would fly under the radar   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. In 1855, the relatively new San Francisco Mint began striking quarters. At first, annual mintages were typically only a fraction of what was produced at the Philadelphia Mint. For instance, the 1861-S has a mintage […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1841 Seated Liberty Silver Dollar

The 1840s were a time of real change for the silver dollar, but this particular coin is a fake   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. The Seated Liberty silver dollar series began in 1840, when the silver dollar was struck in large quantities for the first time in decades. The acclaimed Christian Gobrecht design […]

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From the Dark Corner: Counterfeit Early Coppers in Genuine TPG Holders

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… So, here we are at 50 CoinWeek articles and a new installment of the “Dark Corner”! In this article, I’ve gone back to the start of this madness for me and my EAC (Early American Coppers) roots: I will focus on the early copper counterfeits that […]

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From the Dark Corner: Counterfeit Early Coppers in Genuine TPG Holders

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… So, here we are at 50 CoinWeek articles and a new installment of the “Dark Corner”! In this article, I’ve gone back to the start of this madness for me and my EAC (Early American Coppers) roots: I will focus on the early copper counterfeits that […]

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From the Dark Corner: Counterfeit Early Coppers in Genuine TPG Holders

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… So, here we are at 50 CoinWeek articles and a new installment of the “Dark Corner”! In this article, I’ve gone back to the start of this madness for me and my EAC (Early American Coppers) roots: I will focus on the early copper counterfeits that […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1915 Indian Head Eagle

Despite actually being made of gold, this coin gave graders déjà vu   Counterfeit 1915 Indian Head Eagle by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. The United States struck Indian Head eagles (gold $10 coins) from 1907 until 1933, when it stopped minting gold coins and criminalized the private accumulation of the precious metal. Only a […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1915 Indian Head Eagle

Despite actually being made of gold, this coin gave graders déjà vu   Counterfeit 1915 Indian Head Eagle by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. The United States struck Indian Head eagles (gold $10 coins) from 1907 until 1933, when it stopped minting gold coins and criminalized the private accumulation of the precious metal. Only a […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1915 Indian Head Eagle

Despite actually being made of gold, this coin gave graders déjà vu   Counterfeit 1915 Indian Head Eagle by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. The United States struck Indian Head eagles (gold $10 coins) from 1907 until 1933, when it stopped minting gold coins and criminalized the private accumulation of the precious metal. Only a […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1889-CC Morgan Dollar With Added Mintmark

By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. This coin was part of a Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) grading contest, where only about a third of the participants identified it as a fake. The 1889-CC Morgan Dollar is a major key in that series, because it had a mintage of a mere 350,000, a great portion of […]

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ACEF Reports Fakers Using Same Cert Numbers Multiple Times

Recent examples of fake “certified” Morgan and Peace dollars have been found with the same certification numbers on the encapsulation inserts, cautions the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF). “Unsuspecting buyers may find that the cert number perfectly matches the coin when they look it up on a legitimate authentication company’s website, but counterfeiters are spewing out […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1927 Vermont Half Dollar

By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. The 1927 Vermont Sesquicentennial half dollar commemorates the Battle of Bennington, a key victory against the British in the Revolutionary War. The obverse of the coin celebrates the “Founder of Vermont” Ira Allen, a leader of the Green Mountain Boys militia. The reverse shows a cougar (also known as […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1878-S and -CC Trade Dollars

By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. The United States Mint had high hopes when it introduced the Trade dollar in 1873. Silver miners believed that the Chinese market held incredible potential, but it never lived up to expectations. Millions of Trade dollars also found their way into circulation in the U.S. at a time when […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1802/0 Half Cent

Telltale clues indicate this fake originated from a later coin   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. The early years of the United States Mint saw some rather uncouth practices in striking coins that would not be tolerated today, such as the creation of “overdates”, in which a die from a previous year was repunched […]

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Euro Banknote Counterfeiting Remained Low in 2022

By the European Central Bank (ECB) …… 376,000 counterfeit euro banknotes withdrawn from circulation in 2022, second-lowest level ever in proportion to total banknotes in circulation Around two-thirds of withdrawn counterfeits were €20 and €50 banknotes Authenticity of euro banknotes verified using “feel, look, and tilt” method * * * Some 376,000 counterfeit euro banknotes […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Altered 1922 Grant Commemorative Half Dollar

By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. The classic commemorative series, while full of some of the best-designed United States coins of the 20th century, essentially was used to make money for various causes. Such was the case with the 1922 Grant commemorative half dollars. In 1921, the Ulysses S. Grant Centenary Association wanted to coordinate […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Again, from my year-end review and organization of my archive folders and images comes another installment in this series! And as always, I will start with the certified “Dark Corner” example: a 1909-S VDB, one of the most cherished of Lincoln cents: This example first reared […]

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Numismatic Crime – Counterfeit Confederate Notes Sold Over Facebook

By Doug Davis – President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Coin Shop Burglary – Florida The Bay County Sheriff’s Deptartment is investigating the early morning burglary of PCB Coins and Cards in Panama City, Florida on February 16. The suspects gained entry by using a sledgehammer to breach the front glass door. Once inside, […]

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Fake Gold, Silver Coins on Hundreds of Websites: ACEF

Investigators discover more than 300 websites selling counterfeit “rare coins” and “precious metal” items, including some advertisers on Walmart.com   A Long Island, New York investor mistakenly thought he could make a quick profit of at least several hundred dollars on an online purchase of coins from a vendor he found advertising at www.Walmart.com. Instead, […]

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Fake Gold, Silver Coins on Hundreds of Websites: ACEF

Investigators discover more than 300 websites selling counterfeit “rare coins” and “precious metal” items, including some advertisers on Walmart.com   A Long Island, New York investor mistakenly thought he could make a quick profit of at least several hundred dollars on an online purchase of coins from a vendor he found advertising at www.Walmart.com. Instead, […]

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Fake Gold, Silver Coins on Hundreds of Websites: ACEF

Investigators discover more than 300 websites selling counterfeit “rare coins” and “precious metal” items, including some advertisers on Walmart.com   A Long Island, New York investor mistakenly thought he could make a quick profit of at least several hundred dollars on an online purchase of coins from a vendor he found advertising at www.Walmart.com. Instead, […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1954-D Quarter Mint Error

The coin is real, but the second strike error is not   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) …..   In 1954, the Denver Mint struck over 42 million Washington quarters. Given this high mintage, the coins in lower grades are usually not worth much more than the intrinsic value of the silver they contain. A […]

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Another “Family” – Capped Bust Quarter Counterfeits

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) ……   This latest installment is on an earlier series of the quarter denomination based on a B-10 1818 Capped Bust variety, picked by the counterfeiters to spawn a family of fakes. The first image is of a genuine example courtesy of PCGS; the die scratch from […]

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ACEF Gives Counterfeit Training to Midwest Law Enforcement

The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) recently conducted an eight-hour class, “Counterfeit Coin and Precious Metals Investigations” to 35 Kansas and Missouri local, state and federal law enforcement investigators. Participants in the ACEF seminar were shown examples of fake numismatic items during the training session held in the Kansas City suburb of Mission, Kansas. “This educational […]

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ACEF Gives Counterfeit Training to Midwest Law Enforcement

The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) recently conducted an eight-hour class, “Counterfeit Coin and Precious Metals Investigations” to 35 Kansas and Missouri local, state and federal law enforcement investigators. Participants in the ACEF seminar were shown examples of fake numismatic items during the training session held in the Kansas City suburb of Mission, Kansas. “This educational […]

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Another “Family” – Capped Bust Quarter Counterfeits

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This latest installment is on an earlier series of the quarter denomination based on a B-10 1818 Capped Bust variety, picked by the counterfeiters to spawn a family of fakes. The first image is of a genuine example courtesy of PCGS; the die scratch from the […]

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NGC Counterfeit Detection: 1809 Large Cent

This fake has problems with both its weight and its composition   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) …… The United States Mint issued the Classic Head Cent series from 1808 to 1814. Generally, these coins can sell for hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Lower-quality copper was used to create the blanks, so many were […]

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NGC Counterfeit Detection: 1908 Quarter Eagle

The problems with this low-quality fake start with a glaring error   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) …… The Indian Head Quarter Eagle series that began in 1908 was born from President Theodore Roosevelt’s displeasure with the designs on US coinage at the turn of the century. The ensuing rebirth of America’s coinage was carried […]

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NGC Counterfeit Detection: 1884-CC Morgan Dollar

By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) …… The 1884-CC was once considered one of the greatest rarities of the Morgan Dollar series. However, the GSA sales half a century ago included nearly one million coins, over 80% of the original mintage. Nevertheless, examples in Mint State can still sell today for hundreds or even thousands of […]

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NGC Counterfeit Coin Detection: Walking Liberty Half Dollars

A fistful of what appeared to be vintage silver coins turned out to be fakes   A couple of years ago, NGC received a submission of 14 seemingly Gem Uncirculated Walking Liberty half dollars. While they have odd luster and surfaces, the coins are quite flashy. From a distance, they may even appear quite attractive. […]

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More Than €4 Million in Fake 500 Euro Bills Seized in Spain

One of the most sophisticated euro counterfeits ever detected in the EU   By Europol …… On September 21, 2022, Europol supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) and the Spanish Regional Catalan Police (Mossos d’Esquadra) to dismantle an organized crime group involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit euro banknotes. The police intervention […]

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More Than €4 Million in Fake 500 Euro Bills Seized in Spain

One of the most sophisticated euro counterfeits ever detected in the EU   By Europol ……   On September 21, 2022, Europol supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) and the Spanish Regional Catalan Police (Mossos d’Esquadra) to dismantle an organized crime group involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit euro banknotes. The police […]

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NGC Counterfeit Coin Detection: 2000-P American Silver Eagle

This spurious issue includes fuzzy details and missing elements   The American Silver Eagle is one of the most popular coin series in the world. In fact, more than half a billion have been struck in a number of different finishes since it was introduced in 1986. The majority of Silver Eagles are bullion issues […]

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NGC Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1867 Indian Head Cent

The numbers just don’t add up on this fake coin   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) …… The Indian Head Cent series of 1859-1909 remains one of the most popular with collectors of US coins. It covers a period from just before the Civil War to just before World War I. There are no stoppers […]

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NGC Counterfeit Coin Detection: Altered 1893 Morgan Dollar

A mintmark was added to this silver coin to make it look like a valuable Carson City example   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) …… As Morgan Dollar collectors know, 1893 was a very interesting year for the beloved silver series. The United States Mint struck Morgans at four facilities that year: Carson City (‘CC’ […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1922 No D Lincoln Cent

Counterfeit 1922 No D Lincoln cent By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… The 1922 No D Lincoln cent has long been popular with counterfeiters but rarely do they go to the trouble of making dies. As a well-known rarity, the 1922 No D Lincoln cent has been the target of counterfeiters for decades. […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1922 No D Lincoln Cent

Counterfeit 1922 No D Lincoln cent   By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……   The 1922 No D Lincoln cent has long been popular with counterfeiters but rarely do they go to the trouble of making dies. As a well-known rarity, the 1922 No D Lincoln cent has been the target of counterfeiters […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1880-CC Morgan Dollar

This fake is mostly copper, but even if you didn’t know that, there are other red flags   By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) …… The 1880-CC Morgan Dollar had a mintage of slightly under half a million. The NGC Price Guide indicates that even heavily circulated examples are worth at least $100 USD, with expected […]

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The Expanded Family of Counterfeit Large Cents Based on the 1833 N-5 Variety

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) for CoinWeek ….. In my previous CoinWeek article on these 1833 “N-5” counterfeits, I cited the genuine source coin used to create the dies for the fakes. That example has a couple of key “attribution” defects that should be unique only to it but were transferred into […]

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Be Wary of King Charles III “Pretender” Coins Cautions Professional Numismatists Guild

New coins depicting King Charles III are expected to be popular with the public and collectors when The Royal Mint strikes and distributes them, according to the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG). However, the nonprofit coin dealer’s organization cautions that consumers and investors should know the difference between official legal tender and coins issued by countries […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – The Top 10 Most Common Counterfeit US Coins

The World’s Most Commonly Counterfeited US Coins: The 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent   Counterfeit Coin Detection by Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ……   A list of the counterfeit US coins most often seen by NGC. NGC has graded more than 33 million coins since it was founded in 1987. Although most of […]

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Commonsense Counterfeit Detection: Philippines Counterstamped 8 Reales

By Jay Turner for PCGS …… There are many counterfeits and altered coins that unfortunately often defraud people in pursuit of building their collection or looking for arbitrage. With a little commonsense, many of these pieces can be easily detected and avoided. When Spain lost its empire in the Americas, one of the overseas territories […]

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New Information on Nazi Counterfeiting Plot to be Unveiled at World’s Fair of Money August 18

Museum-quality book features never-before-seen accounts from numismatists, historians, descendants of Holocaust survivors, and the granddaughter of the Nazi who ran “Operation Bernhard”   A new book titled Forging Secrets: Faces and Facts Inside the Nazi Operation Bernhard Scheme will become available to the public at a special event at the Hyatt Regency Chicago O’Hare on […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1797 “S-136” Large Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) ……   This latest installment in the continuing summary of the deceptive struck counterfeits documented to date concerns the 1797 “S-136” Large Cent. As with previous articles in this series I have included a one-page attribution guide to aid in the identification of any that are still […]

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Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation Warns: Hundreds of Websites Selling Fake Coins

ACEF warns of fake “precious metal” and “rare coins” offered online, and helps a Texas investor who became an unsuspecting victim   Looking to buy gold and silver, “Oliver”, an investor in Texas, responded to advertisements on Facebook from two companies that touted exceptionally low “introductory offer” prices for silver and gold bullion coins. He […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1787 Massachusetts “4C” Half Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) for CoinWeek …… A comment I have heard in regards to these latest struck fakes is that the counterfeiters do not copy low-grade or common coins; the subject of this latest article begs to differ and I titled my previous Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4) News Letter […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Counterfeit 1723 Rosa Americana!

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Since my “last” installment of this series about my 1796 large cent , I have attended the EAC Convention in St. Louis, where I had the opportunity to have a table exhibiting many of my Dark Side examples! Included was this latest “Dark Corner” subject with […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dime

Counterfeit 1795 Half Dime Reverse   By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……   Counterfeit half dimes are not particularly common, but NGC graders recently identified a fake 1795 half dime submission. The minuscule half dime was struck from 1794 to 1873, although many also include the pattern 1792 half disme—the first coin struck […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Amazing Counterfeit 1796 Large Cent

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) ……   So, here we are after my “last” installment of this series. In that one, I stated: “that’s it for now – but should we find another TPG-authenticated variety not discussed previously I will add a new Dark Corner article.” And now I would like to […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Counterfeit 1798 “S-158” Large Cent

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This is the last of my intended short Dark Corner articles – a fitting last example, as it is the one that got me started on this research journey a few years ago! My intention for this series was as follows: –Write short informational articles on […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1872 Seated Liberty Silver Counterfeit Dollar

1872 Seated Liberty Counterfeit Dollar By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… Rough texture and minuscule raised dots within the recesses are clues that this 1872 Seated Liberty Counterfeit Dollar. The 1872 Seated Liberty Dollar had the highest mintage of any coin in the series with just over 1.1 million pieces struck. Most appear […]

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It’s a Jungle out There! Later Date Large Cent Counterfeits

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… As I continue to document the “family” of counterfeits currently available on the market, both as copies and as authentic examples, I realize how difficult this is as the counterfeits continue to evolve. I have family articles on CoinWeek about two different Bust dollars, fake Turban […]

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Counterfeit Protection: 1881-S Morgan Dollar

From the NGC by Max Spiegel, Numismatic Researcher Raised areas and the incorrrect shape of the mintmark identify this 1881-S Morgan as a counterfeit. The 1881-S Morgan dollar is not a coin that you would expect to see faked. It is easily the most common date in the Morgan dollar series, and NGC has graded […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coins: Another Family of Struck Fake Large Cents

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… It has been a while since I wrote my CoinWeek article on the “family” of large cent counterfeits based on the 1833 N-5 variety, but I have since found the time to discuss another of the “family” type that I call the “beaded” border counterfeit based […]

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ACEF Concerns Included in Federal Review of Counterfeiting & Piracy Markets

The sale of counterfeit U.S. coins and precious metals on e-commerce platforms and third-party marketplaces continues to escalate and the number of victims proves to be a highly lucrative and profitable business for counterfeiters. “Unfortunately, victims across the country are falling prey to the unscrupulous marketing tactics, which result in financial losses,” said Doug Davis, […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1857 Half Cent

Problems abound on the obverse and reverse of this crude fake   By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ……   The Half Cent denomination that had existed since the US started minting its own currency in the late 1700s was legislated out of existence in 1857. Though this year is scarce among the […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Counterfeit 1836 Gobrecht Dollar

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Another of the holed and repaired fakes, the 1836 Gobrecht Dollar is one of the most expensive “varieties” of the deceptive struck counterfeit series. It is also one of the most TPG-authenticated of the group, with eight certified examples documented and several having sold in major […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Counterfeit 1854 Huge O Liberty Seated Quarter

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… In the previous installment, I discussed counterfeits struck from dies made from damaged and repaired genuine source coins, with many starting as holed examples. And in this installment, I will also review a holed example and the struck clones for a popular Liberty Seated variety, the […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1908-S Counterfeit Indian Head Cent

1908-S Counterfeit Indian Head Cent   By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ……   The grading room was recently presented with a 1908-S Indian Head cent for certification. The 1908-S cent had the third-lowest mintage in the Indian Head cent series, with 1,115,000 pieces struck. The first of only two San Francisco Mint Indian […]

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Price for American Numismatic Association Diploma Program to Increase

Members encouraged to take advantage of current price point   American Numismatic Association (ANA) members have until April 1 to take advantage of the current School of Numismatic Diploma Program price, after which the cost to enroll in the program will be $499 USD, a $24 increase from the current price of $475. The price […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Counterfeit 1927-S Standing Liberty Quarter

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… In the previous installment, I discussed an example that had been “tooled” to look like something it is not, with TOOLING referring to either the smoothing of a coin’s fields to remove scratches, corrosion and other forms of damage or to the restoration of lost details […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1883 Seated Liberty Half Dollar

Counterfeit Coin – 1883 Seated Half Dollar   By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ……   A counterfeit coin 1883 half dollar features a large number of raised lumps in the fields and throughout the design elements. The United States Mint shifted its attention from half dollars to the Morgan Dollar after its […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” NOT 1787 Connecticut Copper

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… In this series, I intend to continue to showcase different levels of “counterfeits”, using a rather broad definition of the term. To that end, this installment focuses on a one-off example that is actually an altered/tooled variety made to appear as another. It is deceptive enough […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Chinese Counterfeit 1800 Draped Bust Dime

Counterfeit 1800 Draped Bust Dime By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Spurious Chinese Counterfeit 1800 Draped Bust Dimes are now starting to be seen more often. Draped Bust Dimes, struck 1796 to 1807, had fairly low mintages although emissions did increase with the 1806 and 1807 issues. The 1800-dated Draped Bust Dime had […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Counterfeit 1694 Elephant Token

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… In my first installment from the Dark Corner, I reviewed a counterfeit that was created to fill a need at the time (possibly the 1970s): the fake struck 1882 Great Britain shilling. Although the “coin” appears to be well made, it does not match up well […]

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From the Dark Corner, an “Authenticated” Counterfeit 1901-S Barber Quarter

by Jack D. Young- the Dark Side Group… In the dark corners of my mind I hadn’t anticipated writing this article as this is a recent discovery of an older counterfeit; another that authentication should have started with: ATTRIBUTION, ATTRIBUTION, ATTRIBUTION! As I have stated attribution is one of the 1st things I do when […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: An Interesting 1798 “S-158 Large Cent” + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This is intended as a summary of the documented counterfeit 1798 “S-158” large cents to date, including several listed sellers. The “source” coin, the example most likely used to create the dies to strike the other copies was unknown when we became aware of the first […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – The 1928 Peace Dollar

Counterfeit 1928 Peace Dollar   By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ……   Since so many counterfeit 1928 Peace Dollars are, in fact, altered 1923 coins, it is particularly useful to know the counterfeit coin detection diagnostics that are seen on legitimate examples. The 1928 Peace Dollar had the lowest mintage of any […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Suspect Counterfeit 1799 Bust Dollar

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… In my previous article, I discussed examples that include matching “attribution” marks – circulation marks like scratches, nicks, and dents that are specific to one coin and should not be seen in other examples. Such is the case for the subject of this installment, documented in […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Counterfeit 1872-S Half Dollar

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… In my previous installment of this CoinWeek exclusive series, I discussed examples that do NOT match known varieties of the series including one made to match a nonexistent “coin”! This installment’s subject is one of my favorites and like every one discussed here would be suspicious […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Counterfeit 1899 DDR Barber Quarter

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… My third installment of this series features what would be another of a very rare variety, the “Doubled Die Reverse” 1899 Barber quarter. And I’ll again start with images of the “Dark Corner” example as follows: Top: Slab image of AU53 coin, Bottom: Internet Image. When […]

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Grading & Counterfeit Seminars Offered by American Numismatic Association

In-Person Seminars Return to FUN, National Money Show & Summer Seminar   After offering numismatic learning programs exclusively online for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Numismatic Association (ANA) is once again offering in-person seminars. Opportunities to expand on collecting knowledge and abilities are available at the Florida United Numismatists […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Counterfeit Gold No Stars 1796 Quarter Eagle

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… For the latest installment from the “Dark Corner“, I will review a certified “fake” example of the scarce 1796 Gold $2.50 No Stars quarter eagle. With a reported mintage of just 963 and the only one of its type in the series, even a low-grade or […]

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From the Dark Corner: An “Authenticated” Counterfeit 1882 Great Britain Shilling

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… I am starting this series to review specific counterfeits that have actually been authenticated by third-party grading services and why the items are fakes! These will be short, concise summaries unlike my previous extensive CoinWeek summary articles but will always include comparison images to genuine examples […]

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Anatomy of Fraudulent Facebook Pop-Up Ads

Facebook has become the predominant choice of fraudsters   Online scams related to counterfeit coins and precious metals continue to escalate and a major tool used by fraudsters is the utilization of Facebook pop-up ads to scam unsuspecting victims, according to the non-profit Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF). “ACEF and its working group, the Anti-Counterfeiting Task […]

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Three Numismatic Groups Admonish Facebook About Ads Offering Counterfeits

Three major numismatic organizations that sent a letter to Facebook executives to complain that the social media platform “has become the predominant choice of some fraudsters” are disappointed with the lack of a response by Facebook and the continuing appearance of pop-up advertisements selling counterfeit coins. No response has been received in the month since […]

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A Collectible Counterfeit? The Story of Henning Nickels

By Tyler Rossi for CoinWeek ….. A few years ago, I decided to start coin roll hunting, and with $25 I opened an account at the nearest bank that had a coin counting machine. After becoming friendly with the tellers, I began buying boxes of coins, pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters to search. While I […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1875-S Trade Dollar

Counterfeit 1875-S Trade Dollar By Max Spiegel, NGC…. One of the most extensively counterfeited United States issues is the Trade Dollar. Recently, one was submitted to NGC that exhibited a number of the telltale signs of a fake. Trade Dollars are one of the most extensively counterfeited United States issues, and fakes are received frequently […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1889-CC Morgan Dollar with Joined Halves

This Counterfeit Coin forgery required the joining of two coins to mimic a rare year and mintmark combination Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …….. NGC graders identify counterfeit coins with added or altered mint marks each and every day. These alterations are seen so often that we devoted an entire article to them last year, which […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1924 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle

Counterfeit 1924 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle   By Max Spiegel – Researcher, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …….. Semiprooflike appearance, thick lettering and raised lumps helped NGC graders identify a counterfeit 1924 Saint-Gaudens $20 Double Eagle. The 1924 Double Eagle is by far the most common date in the Saint-Gaudens series. NGC has graded more than 300,000 […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: Spark-Erosion 1874 Three Cent Nickel Die Trial

Posted by Max Spiegel for NGC …….. Three Cent nickels were struck in 75% copper and 25% nickel with a silver-gray color, but the coin submitted to NGC appeared to be made entirely out of copper. Numismatic Conservation Services® (NCS®), a professional coin conservation company affiliated with NGC, recently received a coin that the submitter […]

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Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation Assists in Seizure of 40,000+ Fakes

If genuine, the intercepted counterfeits would have a retail value of about $2 million   Representatives of the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) and its Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF) on the request of the Secret Service provided on-site numismatic expertise to federal law enforcement agents in the Los Angeles area who seized more than 40,000 fake […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1875 Indian Head Cent

Counterfeit 1875 Indian Head Cent Indian Head Cent By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) ……   Many Chinese counterfeits are made from dies that are not directly copied from genuine examples, therefore many of the details are incorrect. Cents have long been the target of counterfeiters because of the numerous key dates and […]

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Counterfeit World Coins: South Korea 1959 50 Hwan

There is a danger in complacency   By Jay Turner for PCGS …… Just because something is common, not very expensive, or of modern production doesn’t mean that it will not be a target for counterfeiters looking to profit from people’s complacency concerning the authenticity of such coins. Recently in a submission of modern coins […]

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Live or Memorex- a Dark Side Struck Counterfeit 1797 Large Cent

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Continuing on the theme of deceptive struck counterfeits, this is likely my most ambitious research article since my CoinWeek piece on the counterfeit 1798 “S-158” large cents, the coin and variety that lead a group of fellow enthusiasts and myself down the path of hunting for […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: Repaired 1836 Gobrecht Dollar + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Probably one of the most significant “finds” we as a group have made is this Gobrecht dollar, and it is certainly the earliest we have seen, as the holed source coin sold in a 2008 auction. This article is intended as another installment disclosing discovered current […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: US Gold 1911-D Quarter Eagle

Counterfeit 1911-D Quarter Eagle By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Researcher, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… The 1911-D is the key Indian Head quarter eagle. Read about two unusual alterations and how NGC experts discovered these two type of counterfeits. Chased Mintmark There are a number of methods used by counterfeiters to add a mintmark to a […]

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An Update on the (Counterfeit) Elephant in the Room

  Counterfeit Coins by Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… It’s been a while since my last article on the subject of deceptive counterfeits for this venue (it is always awesome to have an article included in CoinWeek!). For this installment, I have updated the research article I published in C4’s Colonial Newsletter […]

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Outlandish Alteration of a Chinese Dollar

By Jay Turner for PCGS …… With vintage Chinese coins, I have come to see unimaginably fantastic forgeries and alterations. Yet one alteration goes above and beyond. In a submission from the PCGS Asia office in Hong Kong, a coin was submitted as a Chinese Manchuria Year 33 (1907) Dollar, yet the entire coin had […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – The 1924-S Standing Liberty Quarter

Counterfeit 1924-S Standing Liberty Quarter Counterfeit Coins By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) ….. As we’ve said in previous Counterfeit Coin Detection columns, no US coinage issue is immune from counterfeiting. Classic rarities and key dates, like the 1804 dollar and the 1916-D dime, are frequent targets of counterfeiting, but so too are more common coins. […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: Spark Erosion 1858 Flying Eagle Cent

Spark erosion counterfeit coins aren’t made very frequently anymore because they are easy to spot once you learn how. Spark-Erosion Counterfeit 1858 Flying Eagle Cent By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… This 1858 Small Letters Flying Eagle Cent was recently submitted to NGC for certification. It was immediately recognized as an older style of spark […]

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Counterfeit Coins – A Mystery 1872-S “Half Dollar” and 1-Page Attribution Guide

Counterfeit Coins By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… One of the “coins” left out of my previous CoinWeek article on damaged source coins (for use in creating counterfeit dies) is this “mystery” 1872-S half dollar. Many of our documented source and counterfeit examples were discovered in one of the large internet sales […]

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From the Brink to the Dark Side: Early American Copper Struck Counterfeits & Damaged Source Coins

Struck Counterfeits By Jack D. Young for Early American Coppers (EAC) …… As introduction, a member of Early American Coppers (EAC) posted on the club’s Facebook page “Dark Side”, a fake 1796 “S-85” that he astutely identified from a recent internet listing, and as follow-up to that discussion I was able to post images of […]

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Deceptively Fake New Zealand Crowns – How to Identify the Real One

By Paradime Coins …… There is no doubt that eBay is a force in Numismatics. Sometimes a positive one, as when a someone snipes the last-needed Overton variety to complete one of the only variety Bust half collections, and sometimes a negative one, as when an unbeknownst collector buys a fake coin. Though at Paradimecoins.com, […]

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Modern Coin Counterfeit Detection – 2012 Year of the Dragon Silver 10 Yuan

Modern Counterfeit 2012 China Dragon 10 Yuan This particular counterfeit has reflective areas not seen on the authentic coin due to the die not being sufficiently frosted. Counterfeit Detection By the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC)…….. The problem of counterfeiting in China is very real, and it is believed that most of the new fakes seen […]

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Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation Warns Feds About Online “Coin” Seller

Promptly acting on a tip from a concerned collector, the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation’s (ACEF) Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF) has notified law enforcement agencies and online shopping platform Amazon.com about a seller who is in apparent violation of federal laws involving reproductions of rare coins. The seller using the name SeTing offered nine reproductions of coins […]

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Counterfeit Detection: 1963-D Roosevelt Dime with Altered Bands

Careful examination of this 1963-D Roosevelt Dime reveals an alteration to the torch Altered Roosevelt Dime By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… Coins are altered in a variety of ways for a number of different reasons. Some alterations may be unintentional, such as corrosion or altered color due to improper storage. Other alterations—altered dates or added […]

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Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation Helps Rid Marketplace of $1+ Million of Fakes in 2020

Funded only by donations, the nonprofit Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) worked with law enforcement agencies in 2020 to protect collectors, dealers, and the general public by helping remove from the marketplace over $1 million of counterfeit rare coins and precious metals items, according to a year-end update from the foundation. Among the cases, ACEF and […]

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NGC Experts Join Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation Team to Fight Fakes

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation now ACEF’s official authentication service   Authentication experts from Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) are now assisting the nonprofit Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) in the ongoing fight against rare coin and bullion-related fakes in the marketplace. “NGC is now the official authentication service for the foundation and its Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force. ACEF assists […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: A Morgan Dollar “Super-Fake” Revealed

Counterfeit 1884-S Morgan Dollar Counterfeit Coins Review By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Lest you think spotting fakes is easy, take a look at this 1884-S Morgan Dollar. Each month in this column, we discuss some of the fundamentals of counterfeit detection, using counterfeit coins as illustrations. To date, the examples shown have not been […]

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Counterfeit Detection – Die Struck Counterfeit 1916-D Mercury Dime

1916-D Counterfeit Mercury Dime By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… Skillful identification of counterfeit coins is essential to the hobby. Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) recently received a die struck copy of an important coin that bore tooling marks, a telltale sign of counterfeit efforts. Read on for more details. It is very easy for authenticators to […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1842-O Seated Liberty Dime

Counterfeit 1842-O Seated Liberty Dime Counterfeit Coins By Max Spiegel, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) ……. The design details on this Seated Liberty Dime counterfeit coin are soft, especially at Liberty’s head, the Phrygian cap and the shield on the obverse. The Seated Liberty Dime has grown in popularity with collectors over the last couple of decades […]

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Counterfeit Coins Detection: Check the Mintmark on the 1914-S Lincoln Cent

Counterfeit 1914-S Lincoln Cent By Max Spiegel, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… NGC graders identified a recently submitted fake 1914-S cent as a slightly above-average copy for counterfeit coins. The 1914-D Lincoln Cent is well-known as one of the keys to the series, but its San Francisco counterpart is a scarce issue in its own […]

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Altered Coin Detection: Cameo 1960 Franklin Half Dollar

Altered Cameo 1960 Franklin Half By Max Spiegel, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation(NGC) ……. A white “frost” was applied to this Franklin Half Dollar to give its elements a cameo appearance. There are a number of ways that nefarious individuals altered coins in an attempt to trick unsuspecting buyers into thinking that the coin is better than it […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coins: A Second “Family” of Struck Fake Draped Bust Dollars

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… As I noted in my past CoinWeek article on the 1795 “off-center” Bust dollar fakes, my discussion at the 2019 Dayton EAC Convention on counterfeits included three “families” of fakes: the 1804 “C-6” half cent set; the 1833 “N-5” large cent set; and the 1795 “off-center” […]

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The Continuing Threat of Counterfeits: A Problem for Numismatics and the NBA

By Michael Fuljenz – Universal Coin & Bullion …… Counterfeit products – including fakes of rare and circulating U.S. coins and precious metal bullion coins– have been a continuing and are a still-growing problem. In the past few years, I have examined several customers’ coin collections and sadly detected one or more counterfeit coins in each. In one instance, […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1937-D 3-Legged Buffalo Nickel

Evidence of heavy polishing where the fourth leg should be – 1937-D Buffalo Nickel By Max Spiegel, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… The 1937-D 3 Legged Buffalo Nickel is undoubtedly the most famous key date in the Buffalo Nickel series. Most collectors consider it to be a distinct issue although it is more accurately described […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1903-S Added S Morgan Dollar

A prominent area of discoloration around the mintmark is a sign that this Morgan Dollar is a counterfeit. Morgan Dollar Counterfeit By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… The vast majority of the more than 1.2 million Morgan dollars struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1903 entered circulation, either immediately or as they were trickled out […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1854-O Arrows Seated Liberty Half Dollar

Counterfeit 1854-O Arrows Seated Liberty Half Dollar Counterfeit Coins Profiled by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ………. Numerous issues, such as depressions, raised lines, porosity and die damage, presented plenty of evidence to prove this coin not genuine. The Coinage Act of 1853 reduced the weight of the silver half dime, dime, quarter and half dollar as […]

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PCGS Announces NFC Technology Included in All Coin, Currency Holders

Professional Coin Grading Service leads numismatic hobby with a massive leap forward in anti-counterfeiting technology   Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) has announced that it will begin embedding Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in all its encapsulated coins, medals, tokens, and banknotes in October 2020. This revolutionary advancement launches after an initial limited rollout earlier […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Australian Gold Sovereign of 1917 from the Perth Mint

by Max Spiegel, NGC …. NGC graders recently identified a fake 1917 gold sovereign with the “P” mintmark of the Perth Mint in Australia. The British sovereign is one of the world’s most famous gold coins. Named after an English gold coin struck until 1604, the modern gold sovereign has been issued by the United Kingdom […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1893-O Morgan Silver Dollar

Posted by Ben Wengel, NGC Grader ……. A recent 1893-O Morgan Dollar submission was confirmed a counterfeit when NGC graders identified one telltale sign. Recently, a well made die struck counterfeit Morgan dollar dated 1893-O was found in a bulk deal while at NGC. While the piece was well made, it had one telltale diagnostic that made […]

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Collectible or Not? A Study of Ancient Coin Fourées

By Tyler Rossi for CoinWeek ….. Seemingly in accordance with human nature, people began producing counterfeits immediately after the first coins in the world were struck. The drive to create forgeries is perhaps older than recorded history and unfortunately finds a ready home within coinage and numismatics. As collectors, we are naturally wary of modern […]

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World Coin Counterfeit Detection – 1928 South African Gold Sovereign

Counterfeit 1928 South Africa Gold Sovereign By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …….. A group of four 1928 South African Sovereigns was recently submitted to NGC all struck from the same world coin counterfeit dies. The gold sovereign is a coinage issue of Great Britain historically equal to one pound sterling. It was first struck from […]

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Anti-Counterfeiting: Attempt Made to Sell Fake $300,000 Gold Coin

Seller a suspect in another counterfeits case   Acting on a tip from the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF), federal and local California law enforcement agents now are investigating the attempted sale of $400,000 worth of counterfeit coins – including a fake example of the historic 1879 Coiled Hair gold $4 “Stella” that brought $300,000 at […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Altered 1856 Flying Eagle Cent

Altered Date 1856 Flying Eagle Cent 1856 Flying Eagle cents. By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… Date alterations are the most common type of counterfeit seen . By 1856 the half cent and large cent denominations had become extremely unpopular. They hardly circulated since their large sizes were simply too cumbersome to be useful in commerce. […]

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Counterfeit Mintmarks? Watch Out for Embossed Mintmarks

By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for PCGS …… The presence or lack of a particular mintmark can make or break the difference in the price of a coin. Consider, for example, the values of coins from so many popular series minted during the late 19th and 20th centuries. A 1916 Mercury Dime without a mintmark? It’s worth […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1912 Indian Head $10 Gold Eagle Coin

Counterfeit Coin Detection by Max Spiegel, NGC …..   The raised spikes at the rim of this 1912 $10 Indian Head Eagle are one detail collectors can use for counterfeit coin detection.   It is no surprise that United States gold coins have long been the target of counterfeiters. A wave of deceptive forgeries appeared […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1915-S Panama-Pacific Half Dollar

By Max Spiegel, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) ……… Tool marks, soft design details and dull surfaces help NGC graders identify a counterfeit coins, in this case a  1915-S Panama-Pacific Half Dollar. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Panama-Pacific Exposition, which was held in San Francisco in 1915 to celebrate the opening of the Panama […]

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Counterfeiting Battles Continued in May: ACEF

Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation is working with fraud victims and federal law enforcement agencies   A fraudulent advertisement for bullion coins on Facebook, fake encapsulation holders and requests for expert help from federal agencies kept the nonprofit Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) busy during May 2020. “Among the cases we’re investigating is the sale of 10 fake […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coins: Another “All in the Family” Half Cent – 1835/1826

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Continuing the theme from my previous CoinWeek article on the “family” of 1804 “C-6” struck counterfeits with another improbable die combination in the half cent series, the obverse of 1835/reverse of 1826! I decided to start this installment off with one of the most recent examples […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1924-S Buffalo Nickel

Counterfeit Buffalo Nickel By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… The 1924-S Buffalo Nickel is a prime target for counterfeiters. In particular, sharp-eyed graders will pay close attention to additions or other alterations made to the mintmark. Prominent sculptor James Earle Fraser created an iconic design deeply rooted in Western Americana for the Buffalo […]

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MintID Announces World’s 1st NFC-Protected Precious Metal Products

MintID was created to solve the problem of counterfeiting in the precious metals space. But until now, investors have been plagued with the uncertainty of whether or not the products they own are actually genuine. By embedding AES-128-bit encrypted and tamper-proof NFC chips directly at the source, customers can authenticate their investments in real time […]

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Counterfeit Gold Coin Detection – Liberty Half Eagles

Counterfeit gold Coins -1907 Liberty Half Eagle Counterfeits Gold Coins  By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… These counterfeit gold coins were found unexpectedly among a group of US coins freshly returned from Europe. It’s well known to collectors that most 19th and 20th Century US gold coins available to collectors today have “come back” from Europe. […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Altered 1893-S Morgan Dollar

Counterfeit Coin Detection – A Genuine 1893-S Morgan Dollar Counterfeit Coin Detection By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ….. What’s the first place to look for Counterfeit Coin Detection when authenticating key date US coins? This month’s counterfeit detection feature answers that question by examining an altered 1893-S Morgan Dollar. When verifying the authenticity of a rare date […]

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Counterfeit Precious Metals Websites Erupt With Volatility of Market

The March 24, 2020 consumer/investor advisory statement below is from Doug Davis, Director of the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force of the non-profit Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF). Mr. Davis is a former Texas police chief. * * * The 11-year low in silver and the uncertainty of the economy during the COVID-19 crisis has triggered the rush […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1896-S Barber Quarter

Counterfeit 1896-S Barber Quarter By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …..   The distinctive reed marks on Liberty’s neck help make this fake more recognizable. The Barber Quarter series has several low mintage key dates: the 1896-S, 1901-S and 1913-S are scarce in all grades and rare in higher grades. Of the three the […]

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NGC Counterfeit Detection: 1921 Peace Dollar

Among other problems, this fake is too thick to be a genuine example of this key date   By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… In 1921, the United States was still reeling from the effects of World War I. Over 116,000 American serviceman lost their lives in what was then called The Great War. Due to […]

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Anti-Counterfeiting Seminar Produces Fast, Positive Results

A seminar for law enforcement officials conducted by the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) during the recent February 2020 Long Beach Coin, Currency, Stamp & Sports Collectibles Expo already has produced positive results in the fight against fakes in the numismatic marketplace. The seminar’s objective was to bring together representatives of federal and local agencies that […]

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The 1920 Wilson Dollar: A Counterfeited Rarity

An elusive medal represents a challenge for collectors of higher grades   By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… The Wilson dollar was struck to commemorate the opening of the Manila Mint on July 6, 1920, which was the first and only US mint established outside the continental United States. The obverse is a well-executed bust of […]

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Customs and Border Protection Seizes $900K Worth of Counterfeit US $1 Bills

By United States Customs and Border Protection …… U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the International Falls Port of Entry seized $900,000 in counterfeit United States currency Friday that was discovered in a commercial rail shipment originating from China. “CBP officers strive every day to protect the United States from a variety of […]

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ACEF Helps Feds Crack Counterfeit Coins Case

Counterfeit Coins Importer Sentenced to 10½ Years in Prison Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation alerted and assisted investigators in the case A federal court judge in Camden, New Jersey has sentenced admitted counterfeit coins importer, Johnathan A. Kirschner, 35, of Moorestown, New Jersey, to 10½ years in prison. After being alerted by members of the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational […]

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Easily Report Suspected Fakes With Online Help From Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation

See it? Report it! The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) now provides collectors, dealers, the general public and victims of suspected fraud with a convenient and secure way to report information about counterfeit coins, bars, holders, rounds, mint products, paper money or other suspicious counterfeit related activities. “See it? Report it! If you have information about […]

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Newly Identified Contemporary Counterfeit 1894-O Morgan Dollar

NGC’s discovery is the first reported counterfeit Morgan Dollar of this date Counterfeit Morgan Dollar Posted by Ben Wengel, NGC Grader and Attributor Recently, an 1894-O Morgan Dollar was examined in an invoice at NGC that was proven to be an unreported contemporary morgan dollar. Despite being a well-circulated piece, there were several distinct problems […]

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Over $11 Million in Counterfeit U.S. $100 Bills Seized in Taiwan

By Hubert Walker for CoinWeek …. In many places around the world, United States Federal Reserve Notes are accepted as an official currency and legal tender. In many other places, they exist in a quasi-legal limbo, often circulating on the grey and black markets. And no matter where the notes are found or how they […]

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Numismatic Crime – Help the Hobby Fight Counterfeit Coins and Other Alerts

By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Law Enforcement Education The Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) and the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) are currently looking for counterfeit examples of the following: Silver and Gold Eagles Boxed Silver and Gold Eagles (Unc, Proof, Boxes, and Certificates) US Mint product counterfeits […]

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Counterfeit Coins Detection – Altered Date 1815 Half Dollar

The altered date on this half dollar imitates a true numismatic rarity. By  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… In the early part of the 19th century, the fledgling United States was in a crisis. US merchant ships were being blocked from conducting trade with mainland Europe by the British Royal Navy. This lead to serious economic woes […]

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Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation Joins Forces with CrimeDex

The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) has been granted membership into CrimeDex, the world’s largest criminal investigation network composed of more than 4,000 law enforcement agencies, financial institutions and criminal investigators across the United States and around the globe. “The CrimeDex platform allows members to send out alerts, develop leads, and track criminal trends and patterns,” […]

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A Neat Knick-Knack – Counterfeit 1842 Dahlonega Gold Half Eagle

Dahlonega Gold Counterfeit By Doug Winter – RareGoldcoins.com CoinWeek Content Partner ……… As you become a more passionate collector, “oddball” items become more appealing. I refer to these as knick-knacks and, as you can guess, this is a pretty broad term. For the coin collector, knick-knacks become more appealing as they become more relevant to […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coins: A Family of Struck Fake Draped Bust Dollars

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… In a discussion at the 2019 Dayton EAC Convention on counterfeits, we talked of three “families” of fakes: the 1804 “C-6” half cent set, the 1833 “N-5” large cent set, and the 1795 “off-center bust” dollar set. The 1795 off-center bust, known as variety B-14 or […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coins: A Family of Struck Fake Large Cents

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… After writing the previous “family” article about rather deceptive struck counterfeit half cents based on the genuine 1804 “C-6” variety, I felt it timely to document another member of the family: counterfeit large cents based on the 1833 “N-5”. Just a note, I consider this type […]

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Don’t Be Rushed In New Gold Rush: Make Wise Choices, Veteran Bullion Dealers Caution

 
The consumer/investor advisory below is distributed on behalf of the Accredited Precious Metals Dealer division of the nonprofit Professional Numismatists Guild. 
 
(Temecula, California) Sept. 9, 2019 – Investors wanting to enter the gold and silver markets or add to existing portfolios should be wary of potential counterfeits, plated “gold coins” or overpaying for any purchases

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Struck Counterfeit Coins: A Family of Struck Fake Half Cents

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… A recent internet listing for an 1804 “C-6” half cent was the motivation to pull this information together for presentation. I actually sent a note to the seller about the listed example (which he replied is genuine and came from a respected US auction house) as […]

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New Influx of Fake Gold Bullion Unsettling Investors Around the World

Increasing sophistication of bullion forgeries a concern for the United States Mint as well   By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for CoinWeek ….. While the numismatic world combats a growing number of sophisticated counterfeit coins from Asia, another major challenge has arisen for those who deal in gold bars. As Reuters has recently reported, there has been […]

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Former Police Chief Doug Davis Named Anti-Counterfeiting Director of the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation

Current Anti-Counterfeiting Director Beth Deisher will step down in September after successful anti-counterfeiting work Doug Davis, founder of the Numismatic Crime Information Center (www.NumismaticCrimes.org) and a former Police Chief of the Dallas suburb of Pantego, Texas, has been selected by the nonprofit Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF www.ACEF online.org) to be its next Director of Anti-Counterfeiting. Davis has more […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1861-D Gold Dollar – Added Mintmark

Genuine 1861-D gold dollar   By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… NGC graders were surprised to see an 1861-D gold dollar with an added mintmark. There are a few key dates where you frequently encounter added mintmarks. The 1916-D Mercury dime is easily the most common, but other coins such as the 1909-S […]

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Minnestoa Dealer Sentenced to 30 Months Federal Prison for Selling Counterfeit Coins

Fraud scheme carried out in multiple states, some victims still may be unidentified   By Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) …… Minnesota coin dealer Barry Ron Skog, 68, was sentenced July 9 to 30 months in federal prison for carrying out a counterfeit coin fraud scheme in multiple states. In addition, Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright, U.S. […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coins: 1849 Liberty Seated Dollar + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Continuing with the theme of silver denominations of recently made deceptive struck counterfeits, this research article features the 1849 Liberty Seated dollar and is the 20th written in the series! Documented examples initially only included TPG certified ones until late 2017 when a raw example surfaced […]

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Useful tips on avoiding fakes topic of ANA presentation by Michael Fuljenz

(Rosemont, Illinois) July 3, 2019 — Former American Numismatic Association authenticator, grader, and instructor, Dr. Michael Fuljenz, will give expert advice about counterfeits in the marketplace during his Money Talks seminar at the ANA 2019 Chicago World’s Fair of Money

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Altered Date 1856 Flying Eagle Cent

Genuine 1856 Flying Eagle Cent The Flying Eagle Cent By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ….. NGC graders find an altered-date 1856 Flying Eagle cent and explain what to avoid. The 1856 Flying Eagle cent is an important and highly collectible issue because of its status as the first Small Cent. Large Cents, which […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1900-S $5 Half Eagle

This Middle Eastern counterfeit coin lacks the details of a genuine 1900-S Half Eagle. Counterfeit Coin Detection By  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… When we think of Counterfeit Coin Detection in the coin market today, we imagine deceitful people attempting to pass off a fake as genuine to a dealer or collector based on its numismatic […]

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Counterfeit Coins Detection – Fake $5 Indian Lacks Details

Counterfeit Coins – Reverse of a Denver Mint Indian Half Eagle By  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… The missing details on this $5 Indian reveal it to be in the category of counterfeit coins. One common technique used by authenticators  on the lookout for counterfeit coins is to assess a coin’s level of detail. This can […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coins: 1854 Huge O Liberty Seated Quarter + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… A follow up to the 1927-S Liberty Standing Quarter article in this continuing series on deceptive struck counterfeits, this research article on another “quarter” features the 1854 Huge O Liberty Seated variety. Documented examples to date include two TPG-reviewed specimens, with the presumed genuine repaired source […]

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Gold & Silver PAC News – April/May 2019: Online Sales Tax Collection

By John Villavicencio for the Gold & Silver PAC ……   Gold & Silver News From the Political Coordinator   April showers bring… taxes The tax filing deadline for 2018 has come and gone, but what do you need to know for your 2019 taxes? If you sell on eBay or do business in California, keep […]

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PNG Clarifies Bylaws, Code of Ethics Regarding Counterfeits

Recently adopted anti-counterfeiting language in the Bylaws of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) has been revised to clarify the organization’s commitment to fighting against modern fakes entering the marketplace. PNG leaders also have now amended anti-counterfeiting language in their Code of Ethics. “A few people mistakenly thought our recent Code of Ethics change meant that […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Fake $5 Indian Half Eagle with “Stock Reverse”

Counterfeit 1915-S $5 Indian Gold Half Eagle / stock reverse By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… NGC receives countless fakes struck from stock dies. Many counterfeit coins, especially gold coins, were struck from stock dies, which were reused on multiple issues. A counterfeiter saved time and money by using one die, such as […]

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PNG Strengthens Anti-Counterfeiting Bylaws, Welcomes 10 New Members

As part of the organization’s anti-counterfeiting efforts, the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) has added additional conduct restrictions to its Code of Ethics regarding involvement with fakes. Four words, indicated here in italics, have been added and are now part of section seven of PNG’s By laws: “To refrain from knowingly participating in, abetting or dealing […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 2014-W Proof Gold Eagle

Counterfeit 2014-W Proof Gold Eagle by Paul Sandler, NGC Grader/Researcher Look closely at these modern coins before you buy. A careful examination of the details can reveal a counterfeit. NGC recently received a coin that was purportedly a 2014-W Proof Gold Eagle. Many collectors might assume that modern coins are not counterfeited and they, therefore, […]

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Early American Coins: The Bar Cent and Counterfeits

By Lianna Spurrier for CoinWeek ….. The bar cent has a remarkably simple design: A USA monogram on the obverse and 13 bars on the reverse. In fact, they could easily be dismissed as tokens, but this simple design holds quite a bit of history – and value. Creation The early United States was at […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1878 Shield Nickel – The Kissing Thief

Counterfeit coin – 1878 Shield Nickel This proof 1878 Shield Nickel looks pretty at first glance, but a more careful evaluation reveals that it’s a fake. The old saying, “When a thief kisses you, count your teeth,” can be applied to the world of business in many useful ways. And when it comes to counterfeit […]

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Registration Now Open for ANA Summer Seminar

Registration for the 2019 Summer Seminar is open! Sign up early for discounts and a guaranteed spot The two one-week sessions will be held June 15-27 in Colorado Springs on the campus of Colorado College (adjacent to the ANA). ANA members who register by March 29 will save $50 per session on the cost of […]

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Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Counterfeit Coins, Committing Mail Fraud

Barry Ron Skog, 68, of Burnsville, Minnesota, pleaded guilty February 21 to one count of selling counterfeit coins and one count of mail fraud in the United States District Court of Minnesota in St. Paul. Skog faces a potential maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment on the count of selling counterfeit coins and a potential […]

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Nominate an Anti-Counterfeiting Crusader for Prestigious Honor

Do you know someone who has actively helped in the fight against counterfeit coins, banknotes and/or fake third-party encapsulation holders the past year? The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) is seeking nominees for its third annual Alan Kreuzer Memorial Award. “This award is a prestigious honor to recognize the vigorous the vigorous anti-counterfeiting efforts of collectors, […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – The 1928 Peace Dollar, Part 2

An extra ray of light is one of the indicators this piece isn’t genuine By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Part 1 The 1928 Peace Dollar had the lowest mintage of the series, with only 360,649 pieces struck. That extremely limited mintage has made this issue the most sought-after of the entire Peace Dollar series. […]

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Sentencing Date Changed for Importer of Counterfeit Coins, Holders

April 25 is the new date for Kirschner’s sentencing hearing   U.S. District Court Judge Robert B. Kugler had been scheduled to sentence Jonathan A. Kirschner on February 5 for his admitted crimes of falsely impersonating an agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and of unlawfully importing counterfeit coins and […]

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Fact or Myth: Josh Tatum and Racketeer Nickels

By Lianna Spurrier for CoinWeek ….. The Liberty head or “V” nickel was released in 1883. The denomination was marked by a large “V” on the reverse; the word “cents” was nowhere to be found. The three cent piece of the time was labeled in the same way, with a large Roman numeral three and […]

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Counterfeit Gold Coin Detection – 1907-S $10 Gold Eagle with Arabic Punch

Counterfeit 1907-S Gold $10 Eagle By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ….. NGC recently received a counterfeit gold coin submission of a 1907-S Eagle that had an Arabic punch. Most collectors associate chopmarks with the short-lived Trade Dollar series, which circulated extensively throughout Southeast Asia. Many merchants chopmarked the coins to show that the […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1927-S Standing Liberty Quarter + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… A continuation of the series on the latest deceptive struck counterfeits, this is the second research article on silver “coins” and the most recent type yet. The timeline for this one shows the presumed genuine source example sold on the internet back in August of 2012, […]

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Rhode Island Man Charged With Manufacturing Counterfeit Money

By United States Attorney’s Office, District of Rhode Island …… A Pawtucket, Rhode Island man, previously convicted and incarcerated for producing counterfeit casino coins, was arrested at his Pawtucket residence on Friday, December 8 and made an initial appearance before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond on charges that he allegedly possessed equipment […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1913 Great Britain Gold Sovereign

By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ….. These two counterfeits share some of the same imperfections. The British gold Sovereign is one of the most popular and enduring coins around. It has been struck from 1817 to present, and well over 1.1 billion were struck over those two centuries. During those years, the coins were struck at […]

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PNG Steps up Fight Against Fakes With Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation

New nonprofit entity created to accept donations for important 2019 work by Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force The Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF) accomplished major victories combatting fakes and educating the public about counterfeits in the marketplace in 2018, according to ACTF Coordinator Beth Deisher. She envisions continued success in 2019 following the recent major reorganization of the […]

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Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force Moves to Foundation

By Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA) …… The Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA) and the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) have jointly announced an agreement to transfer the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF) and the position of director of anti-counterfeiting from ICTA to the non-profit 501-C-3 foundation. The transfer became effective November 15. The volunteer […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1877 Indian Head Cent

By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ….. A difference in facial expression is among the many clues this coin is fake. Although it had only the second-lowest mintage of the Indian Head Cent series after the 1909-S, the 1877 issue is by far the rarest coin in the series today. The rarity of this issue is even […]

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Counterfeit Detection – the 1895 Morgan Dollar

This 1895 Morgan dollar forgery is a simple case of just too much silver and not enough effort on the details. The 1895 Morgan dollar is well known as one of the series’ premier rarities. While some 12,000 Mint State examples were reportedly struck by the Philadelphia Mint that year, none of those business strike […]

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Counterfeit Detection: Special Edition – Reprocessed Steel Cents

Make sure you don’t get fooled by these steel cents, which are not eligible for NGC certification. In the United States during World War II, numerous changes were made in order to support the war effort. One of the most noticeable changes was the one-year switch of the composition of the Lincoln cent from 95% […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1806 “C-3” Half Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This is the 3rd article in the series reviewing an early half cent (17th in the series on the counterfeit subject) and is one of the three little sisters “varieties” documented so far. This is the only example known to date with two possible versions; one I call the […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1803 “C-3” Half Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This is the 3rd article in the series reviewing an early half cent (17th in the series on the counterfeit subject) and is one of the three little sisters “varieties” documented so far. This is the only example known to date with two possible versions; one I call the […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Authenticating The 1909-S VDB Cent

By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation … …… Altered and counterfeit Coin – 1909-S VDB cents are quite common. Examining several key features can help you avoid counterfeit coins. The 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent is one of the most famous United States coins, both as a genuine coins and as a counterfeit coin. Its status as a […]

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Counterfeit Detection: take a look at Whizzed Coins

Whizzed Indian Head Cent A deceptive surface alteration leaves a genuine coin that can appear more valuable than it actually is. Among the more common surface alterations that NGC graders see in submissions from collectors and dealers alike are coins that have been whizzed. These are genuine coins but they get an NGC Details grade for the […]

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Sir Isaac Newton Really Hated Coin Countefeiters…… Really!

Sir Isaac Newton and Coins By Everett Millman – Gainesvillecoins.com ……. Contemporary scholarship has introduced a number of new mysteries regarding history’s most famous “natural philosopher” (i.e. scientist), Sir Isaac Newton. Some of these new revelations point toward his fascination with alchemy as well as the Holy Scripture. However, one thing about Newton is unequivocal: He […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1880 Shield Nickel

Counterfeit 1880 Shield Nickel Counterfeit Coins By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… Even with only a quick glance, a number of problems with this counterfeit Shield Nickel are obvious. The first nickel five cent pieces were struck in 1866 and there have been relatively few key dates issued in the nearly 150 years […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel

Counterfeit 1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel By Max Spiegel, NGC Numismatic Researcher ……….. Altered Date and Added Mintmark – The 1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel is often altered, but diagnostics can aid in finding the counterfeits. There are some coins that are often faked outright–i.e., with cast or struck counterfeits–and there are other coins that are frequently altered to […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – The Top 10 Most Common Counterfeit US Coins

The World’s Most Commonly Counterfeit US Coins: The 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent. Counterfeit Coin Detection By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …. A list of the counterfeit US coins most often seen by NGC. NGC has graded more than 33 million coins since it was founded in 1987. Although most of the coins it […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1942/41 Mercury Dime Overdate

Counterfeit Coin Detection By Paul Sandler, NGC Grader/Researcher…… Altered dates and outright counterfeits are the two most common types of fake 1942/41 Mercury Dimes you will encounter in Counterfeit Coin Detection. The 1942/41 Mercury Dime from the Philadelphia Mint is one of the most well-known overdates on any US coin. Although the variety was first discovered […]

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Special ACTF Exhibit of Counterfeit Coins, Bars at ANA Word’s Fair of Money

Counterfeit Morgan dollar as well as counterfeit PCGS inserts and components of fake PCGS holder are among seized items sized by Homeland Special Investigates division of Homeland Security. Homeland Security loans Counterfeit items to illustrate deceptiveness, diversity The Industry Council for Tangible Assets Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force will exhibit a five-case display of counterfeit coins, precious […]

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Bad Money – Ancient Counterfeiters and Their Fake Coins

CoinWeek Ancient Coin Series on Ancient Counterfeiters by Mike Markowitz …. Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur “The world wants to be deceived, so let it be deceived.” — attributed to Petronius, 1st-century Roman satirist AROUND 650 BCE, on the eastern shore of the Aegean Sea, coinage was invented. Very soon afterward, Ancient Counterfeiters and their counterfeit […]

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Counterfeit Banknotes – The Story of Czeslaw Bojarski

Counterfeit Banknotes – By Ethan Bickford, PMG Researcher …….. One of the most successful makers of counterfeit banknotes of the 20th century was Czeslaw Bojarski and he preferred to work alone. We have many prefabricated images in our heads of counterfeit banknotes operations; massive mafia printing operations in some dingy cellar in the city, massive […]

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How to Avoid Becoming the Victim of a Fake Gold Coin

by Tony Davis – Atlanta Gold & Coin Buyers ………. We met yesterday with an individual that was interested in selling a Canadian gold maple leaf coin.  Canadian gold maple leafs are among the most common coins that we purchase, so we didn’t expect this transaction to be much different than any other.  However, we […]

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Seller of Counterfeit NGC Holders Brought to Justice

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) reports that a seller of counterfeit coins in counterfeit NGC holders has pleaded guilty to importing counterfeit coins and bars into the United States. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. NGC first became aware that Jonathan Kirschner of Moorestown, New Jersey, was selling counterfeit NGC holders […]

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Silver, Gold American Eagles Most Counterfeited Bullion Coins: ICTA

By Industry Council for Tangible Assets ……   Since 1986 when the United States Mint first introduced silver and gold American Eagle bullion coins, they have been top sellers in the United States as well as around the world. A new survey conducted by the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF) indicates the popular U.S. bullion coins […]

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Counterfeit Detection – 1937 Texas Half Dollar Commemorative Coin

Counterfeit Detection – Besides the metal content, there are a lot of other problems with this classic commemorative By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… A classic silver commemorative, the Texas Independence Centennial Half Dollar was produced from 1934 to 1938 in 13 date and mintmark combinations. The obverse features the Lone Star motif that the state […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1891 Double Eagle US Gold Coin

Counterfeit 1891 Double Eagle By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation…. NGC graders identified an 1891-S Double Eagle with a removed mintmark. Because most alterations involve added, not removed, mintmarks, this coin might easily fool unsuspecting collectors. The California Gold Rush created an immediate need for a mint to turn the recovered gold dust and […]

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Gold & Silver Political Action Committee May 2018 e-Newsletter

By John Villavicencio for the Gold & Silver Political Action Committee…… Gold & Silver Political Action Committee News Update on Candidate Steve Bieda Last month the Gold & Silver Political Action Committee reported that we were supporting Steve Bieda (D) in his race for Michigan State Senator. In the fast-moving world of politics, the only thing certain […]

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Gold & Silver PAC May 2018 e-Newsletter

By John Villavicencio for the Gold & Silver PAC …… Gold & Silver News From the Political Coordinator Update on Candidate Steve Bieda Last month we reported that we were supporting Steve Bieda (D) in his race for Michigan State Senator. In the fast-moving world of politics, the only thing certain is change. Steve withdrew from […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1850 JB Costa Rica Gold Escudo

 A missing skirt is among the clues that this coin isn’t real. Only 6,167 Costa Rican gold escudos were struck in 1850, making it a scarce coin today and one where we see counterfeit examples. Because demand far outstrips supply, examples of this coin are worth much more than melt value. Unfortunately, that makes these […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – A Fake 1861 Type 2 US Gold Quarter Eagle

Counterfeit coin – 1861 Type 2 Quarter Eagle By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) ……   Raised lumps of metal and lack of detail are red flags on this counterfeit coin – 1861 Type 2 Quarter Eagle. NGC graders recently evaluated a submission of US gold pieces that included a counterfeit coin – […]

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Counterfeit Coins and the Effects on Numismatics

By Harvey Stack – Founder, Stack’s Bowers…. Editors Note: Links to the next two Articles…. Part2     Part 3 Counterfeiting, or making something false, has occurred since goods were exchanged for services or other items. If a bag that was supposed to contain wheat was instead full of another grain or even sand, that was […]

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Counterfeit Coins and the Effects on Numismatics

By Harvey Stack – Founder, Stack’s Bowers ……   Editors Note: Links to the next two Articles…. Part2     Part 3 Counterfeiting, or making something false, has occurred since goods were exchanged for services or other items. If a bag that was supposed to contain wheat was instead full of another grain or even sand, […]

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US Coin Counterfeit Detection – 1876-CC 20 Cent Piece

This counterfeit of an unusual denomination shows plenty of clues that it isn’t worth a fortune By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… The 20 cent piece was an American coin produced only from 1875 to 1878. Like the Seated Liberty quarter, it was struck in .900 fine silver, featured the Seated Liberty obverse and was nearly […]

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Greg Allen New Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force Steering Committee Chair: ICTA

World Mint Work Group joining anti-counterfeiting effort By Industry Council for Tangible Assets ……   Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA) Chairman Philip N. Diehl has announced the appointment of Greg Allen as chair of the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF) Steering Committee. ACTF Steering Committee members serve as leaders of more than a dozen Work […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1805 “C-4” Half Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

This is the second article in the counterfeit coin series reviewing an early half cent (15th in the series on struck counterfeits), and is one of the three little sisters “varieties” documented so far. The source example was discussed briefly in my first CoinWeek exclusive article (“From the Brink to the ‘Dark-Side’“, published May 8, […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1903-S Counterfeit Morgan Dollar

1903-S Counterfeit  Morgan Silver Dollar By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ….. The raised lumps and lines on this 1903-S  are signs of counterfeit Morgan Dollar production. The Morgan Dollar is one of the most popular coins with collectors, and it’s not hard to see why. Silver dollars have a certain nostalgic appeal and an uncirculated […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1903-S Counterfeit Morgan Dollar

1903-S Counterfeit  Morgan Silver Dollar By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……   The raised lumps and lines on this 1903-S are signs of counterfeit Morgan Dollar production.   The Morgan Dollar is one of the most popular coins with collectors, and it’s not hard to see why. Silver dollars have a certain nostalgic appeal and […]

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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – Contemporary Counterfeit Coins From the Reign of Queen Isabel II

By Patrick O’Connor – Aurora Raritires LLC …… During a recent discussion, the subject of counterfeit coins arose – specifically, the odd circumstance whereby prices for certain counterfeit coins have occasionally exceeded the prices for genuine examples. As the subject of fake coins has been a growing concern among collectors, this seemed an ideal opportunity […]

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NGC Teams With ANA, PNG, ICTA and NCIC to Fight Counterfeit Coins

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) is proud to be working withthe American Numismatic Association (ANA), the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG), the Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA), and the Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) to combat counterfeit coins. Last year, NGC launched a comprehensive Counterfeit Coins Detection portal, which can be accessed for free at NGCcoin.com/counterfeit. […]

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NGC Teams With ANA, PNG, ICTA and NCIC to Fight Counterfeit Coins

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) is proud to be working withthe American Numismatic Association (ANA), the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG), the Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA), and the Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) to combat counterfeit coins. Last year, NGC launched a comprehensive Counterfeit Coins Detection portal, which can be accessed for free at NGCcoin.com/counterfeit. […]

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ICTA Appoints Seven to Non-Profit Foundation Board

By Industry Council for Tangible Assets …… The Board of Directors of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA) has appointed six industry figures to guide the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF), the non-profit organization recently formed to receive contributions to support the work of its Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force. Scott Spitzer [above], chief executive officer of […]

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CoinWeek News Wire for March 2, 2018: Elon Musk Cryptoking? Gold Underfoot…

By Coinweek Coin News Wire …. Coin News Wire for March 2, 2018 Current Events 1.) New Jim Thorpe one-dollar coins selling out fast The people of Jim Thorpe were lining up to get the newest coin from the US Mint. The Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank has already sold out of a 3,000-coin shipment it received […]

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CoinWeek News Wire for Feb. 9, 2018: Germans Love Cash, Inside Jobs, Crypto Crash…

By Coinweek Coin News Wire …. Coin News Wire for February 9, 2018 Brain Food 1.) Digital != crypto != virtual I suspect that the Telegraph’s confusion may have arisen because of the tendency amongst management consultants (and others) to conflate the two entirely different kinds of electronic money: a cryptocurrency and a digital currency are […]

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NGC Helps Collectors and Dealers Identify Top World Counterfeit Coins

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) has expanded its online Counterfeit Coins Detection resource to include detailed descriptions of the world coins most commonly targeted by counterfeiters. Number one on the list is a Russian gold coin: the Russia 1897AT 15 Roubles. Despite a mintage of 12 million pieces, counterfeits are frequently seen by NGC graders. Transfer-die […]

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Counterfeit Detection – Oregon Trail Commemorative Silver Half Dollar

Counterfeit Oregon Trail commemorative silver half dollar  – A closer look reveals plenty of problems on this coin’s surfaces By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… The Oregon Trail commemorative silver half dollar has an iconic design that has made it one of the most popular of all silver commemorative types. The type had an overall mintage […]

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CoinWeek News Wire for January 26, 2018: Buy the Book Before your Buy the Bitcoin….

By Coinweek Coin News Wire …. Coin News Wire for January 26, 2018 Brain Food 1.) This is the reason why only dead people can be featured on American currency In 1866, Congress issued an act stating that no living person can be portrayed on American currency. Our Founding Fathers believed it was unpatriotic for living […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1802 Draped Bust Silver Dollar

Counterfeit 1802 Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle Reverse Silver Dollar By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……   This spurious 1802 dollar is a good example of a typical counterfeit coin – Bust Dollar seen by NGC graders. The Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle Reverse silver dollar was introduced in 1798 as an update to the […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Fake 1885-CC Morgan Dollar in Fake GSA Holder

Counterfeit Coin –  1885-CC Morgan Dollar By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… At first glance, the counterfeit coin GSA holder looks similar to a genuine one. The fake 1885-CC Morgan Dollar, however, is far more obvious. Recent reports have identified counterfeit coin GSA holders with counterfeit Carson City Morgan Dollars inside. Last month […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1806 “C-1” Half Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) ……   This is the 14th article in the continuing summary of deceptive struck counterfeits documented to date; it is the first in the series reviewing an early half cent, and is one of the three little sisters “variety” documented so far. This is also the earliest […]

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Coin Grading – A Basic Guide to Detecting Doctored Gold Coins

BY Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com There is no getting around the fact that doctoring of rare United States gold coins is a problem in the market. Doctoring is not new. I’ve heard stories of American collectors and dealers “messing” with coins as far back as a century ago, and I have no doubt that the […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1879 Double Eagle US Gold

Counterfeit 1879 Double Eagle By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… A repeat depression helps NGC graders identify a counterfeit 1879 Double Eagle. Every United States coin features the date it was issued on the obverse side. The mintmark, on the other hand, is virtually always on the reverse, although there are some notable […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1879 Double Eagle US Gold

Counterfeit 1879 Double Eagle By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……   A repeat depression helps NGC graders identify a counterfeit 1879 Double Eagle. Every United States coin features the date it was issued on the obverse side. The mintmark, on the other hand, is virtually always on the reverse, although there are some […]

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Counterfeit Coins Detection: Australia 2012 Year of the Dragon Silver Dollar

Counterfeit Coins of the Australia 2012 Year of the Dragon Silver Dollar By Max Spiegel – a series on Counterfeit Coins –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… The popularity of lunar coins has grown of late, making the coins an excellent target for counterfeiters and resulting in counterfeit coins. Lunar coins have become very popular in […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1904 Gold $20 Double Eagle

Counterfeit Coins –  1904 Double Eagle By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… This counterfeit coin 1904 Double Eagle specimen exhibits relatively sharp design details, and its composition is virtually identical to that of a legitimate specimen. United States gold coins have been extensively counterfeited for decades and counterfeit coins are known for virtually […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1799 “S-189” Large Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This article is intended as a continuing summary of the deceptive struck counterfeits documented to date; it is unique in that only one struck example has been reported, and it is one of the “Kings” of early large cent collecting. The probable source coin is well […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1723 “Silver D:G REX Hibernia”

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This is my third article regarding counterfeit Colonial “coins” and is a rather significant find; it follows the same process for the recent deceptive struck early coppers believed to be Chinese in manufacture. This latest one appears to be from an earlier time, prior to the […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1920 Pilgrim Tercentenary Commemorative

Counterfeit coin – 1920 Pilgrim Tercentenary Half Dollar The relatively crude forgery shows extensive loss of detail throughout. By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……   In recent years, the “Classic” Commemorative series has become increasingly popular. These coins were first issued in 1892 to celebrate the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition, with nearly a million Columbian half dollars […]

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World Coin Counterfeit Detection – 1825 Bavaria Coronation Thaler

Counterfeit World Coins – transfer-die forgeries share “repeating depressions.” In numismatics, there is a constant battle against the proliferation of counterfeits including counterfeit world coins. With technology advancing at an exponential rate, the counterfeiters are unfortunately able to more accurately replicate collectible coins. This arms race between counterfeiters and authenticators is making the coin market […]

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Counterfeit Gold Coin Detection: US Gold 1892 Half Eagle

Counterfeit 1892 Half Eagle by Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……………… Many counterfeit gold coin originated in the 1960s and 1970s in the Middle East. The 1892 Half Eagle is a relatively common issue with a mintage of 753,480 pieces. This date can easily be located in circulated grades through MS 62, the grade […]

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CoinWeek News Wire for November 17, 2017: Fountains of Ruin, Blockchain Blues, In Broad Daylight…

By Coinweek ….   CoinWeek News Wire for November 10, 2017 Brain Food 1.) Boise’s Assay Office played an important role for the whole nation Between 1861 and 1866, Idaho Territory produced about $52 million in gold ($728 million in today’s dollars). As the sheer volume of gold to be tested increased, the nearest facility […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Key Date Counterfeit Carson City 1870 Quarter

Counterfeit Carson City 1870 Quarter by Max Spiegel, Numismatic Researcher  – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation The 1870-CC is the key to the Seated Liberty quarter series. Read about the counterfeit that was submitted and how our experts recognized it. One of the most interesting fakes that NGC has received in the past year was an counterfeit […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Key Date Counterfeit Carson City 1870 Quarter

Counterfeit Carson City 1870 Quarter   By Max Spiegel, Numismatic Researcher  – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) ……   The 1870-CC is the key to the Seated Liberty quarter series. Read about the counterfeit that was submitted and how our experts recognized it. One of the most interesting fakes that NGC has received in the past […]

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Counterfeit Gold Found in Royal Canadian Mint Package

By CoinWeek News Staff …. Ottawa jeweler Samuel Tang bought what he thought was a genuine 1 oz, .9999 fine gold wafer from his local branch of the Royal Bank of Canada on October 18. At first glance, he had no reason to suspect anything was amiss; the wafer seemed to feature all the right […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1921-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar

Counterfeit 1921-D Half Dollar by Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……………… The numerous abrasions were copied from a genuine specimen and will appear on all other counterfeits made from this pair of dies. The 1921-D boasts the lowest mintage in the Walking Liberty half dollar series with just 208,000 pieces struck. In low circulated […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1921-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar

Counterfeit 1921-D Half Dollar By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) ……   The numerous abrasions were copied from a genuine specimen and will appear on all other counterfeits made from this pair of dies. The 1921-D boasts the lowest mintage in the Walking Liberty half dollar series with just 208,000 pieces struck. In […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: “1785” Bar Copper + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This is only my second article regarding counterfeit Colonial “coins”, following one published here on CoinWeek concerning struck fake Massachusetts half cents, and the same process of other recent (within the last several years) deceptive struck early coppers believed to be Chinese in manufacture. This new […]

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Congressmen Press U.S Mint for Action on Counterfeit Gold, Silver Coins

By Money Metals Exchange ……   Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Alex Mooney (R-WV2) and Frank Lucas (R-OK3) delivered a formal letter to the United States Mint and Secret Service on Friday, urging aggressive action on the growing problem of high-quality counterfeits of U.S. precious metals coins entering the country from China and […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1796 “S-93” Large Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This latest installment in the continuing summary of deceptive struck counterfeits documented to date centers around this 1796 “S-93” Large Cent; as in previous articles in this series, I have included a one-page attribution guide to aid in the identification of any that are still out […]

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Counterfeit Gold Coin Detection – 1862-S Liberty Head Quarter Eagle

The lack of details in Liberty’s hair is one key that this is a Counterfeit Gold Coin By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Researcher, NGC …… Nineteenth-century United States gold is a very heavily counterfeited area of numismatics. In fact, high-quality fakes have been around since the 1960s. Due to this extensive counterfeiting, NGC graders often […]

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Enhance Your Counterfeit Detection Skills with Cutting Edge Classes

  Authorities recently charged a man with selling counterfeit coins in fake Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) slabs to pawn shops in the Minneapolis area. It’s important to remember this type of illegal activity is happening throughout the country and collectors should take the necessary steps to protect their investments. […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – The 1972 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent

GENUINE 1972 Double Die Lincoln Cent – courtesy of Heritage Auctions. By Max Spiegel, Numismatic Researcher, NGC…. NGC recently received a fake 1972 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent, which is not something that we see often. There are a handful of varieties that are regularly seen faked, including the Philadelphia and Denver 1942/41 Mercury Dimes, the […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – The 1972 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent

GENUINE 1972 Double Die Lincoln Cent – courtesy of Heritage Auctions. By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Researcher, NGC ……   NGC recently received a fake 1972 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent, which isn’t something that we see often. There are a handful of varieties that are regularly seen faked, including the Philadelphia and Denver 1942/41 Mercury […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1797 “S-136” Large Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This latest installment in the continuing summary of the deceptive struck counterfeits documented to date concerns the 1797 “S-136” Large Cent. As with previous articles in this series I have included a one-page attribution guide to aid in the identification of any that are still out […]

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Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force Reorganizes Research, Adds Three Work Groups

By Industry Council for Tangible Assets …..   The Industry Council for Tangible Assets’ (ICTA) Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF) has reorganized one of its original work groups and added three new groups since its early August meeting prior to the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Denver. Additionally, new members have joined the Steering Committee […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1882 $3 US Gold Coin

Counterfeit 1882 $3 US Gold By Max Spiegel, Numismatic Researcher, NGC…. On the “Omega” $3 US Gold coins, the counterfeiter’s signature can be seen within the loop of the R in LIBERTY. Three dollar gold pieces are often overlooked by collectors despite having an unusual denomination and a plethora of low mintage issues. Minted from […]

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Counterfeit Coins Detection: California Fractional Gold

  Period Three back-dated BG-1301A listed in California Pioneer Fractional Gold by Max Spiegel, NGC Numismatic Researcher A few helpful tips can make sure you never get fooled by these sometimes deceptive fantasy pieces. California Fractional Gold is an interesting and historically significant series that includes more than 500 varieties. During the California Gold Rush […]

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Counterfeit Coins Detection: California Fractional Gold

A few helpful tips can make sure you never get fooled by these sometimes deceptive fantasy pieces Period Three back-dated BG-1301A listed in California Pioneer Fractional Gold By Max Spiegel, NGC Numismatic Researcher ……   California Fractional Gold is an interesting and historically significant series that includes more than 500 varieties. During the California Gold […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1795 “S-76b” Large Cent

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This installment starts with a 2012 internet-listed example deemed a counterfeit and removed from that venue; it was further discussed in the Coin Community Forum and labeled a “Chinese” 1795 large cent. Since I was already full in chasing these latest struck fakes, I decided to […]

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Minnesota man charged with felony for selling counterfeit coins

A 28-year-old man from Waite Park, Minnesota, on September 25 is expected to respond to a felony charge for theft-by-swindle stemming from selling counterfeit coins to three pawn shops in the greater Minneapolis area.
Eric Michael Johnson, identified in a complaint filed July 31 in Minnesota’s 7th Judicial District Court located in Stearns County, could face a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and/or a fine of $10,000

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Minnesota Man Charged with Felony for Selling Counterfeit Coins

By Industry Council for Tangible Assets …..   A 28-year-old man from Waite Park, Minnesota, on September 25 is expected to respond to a felony charge for theft-by-swindle stemming from selling counterfeit coins to three pawn shops in the greater Minneapolis area. Eric Michael Johnson, identified in a complaint filed July 31 in Minnesota’s Seventh […]

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Minnesota man charged with felony for selling counterfeit coins

A 28-year-old man from Waite Park, Minnesota, on September 25 is expected to respond to a felony charge for theft-by-swindle stemming from selling counterfeit coins to three pawn shops in the greater Minneapolis area.
Eric Michael Johnson, identified in a complaint filed July 31 in Minnesota’s 7th Judicial District Court located in Stearns County, could face a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and/or a fine of $10,000

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1796 “S-85” Large Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) ……   This article is intended as a continuing summary of the deceptive struck counterfeits documented to date, including the damaged “source” coin, the example most likely repaired and used to create the dies to strike the other copies; this source was unknown when we became aware […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1796 “S-85” Large Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This article is intended as a continuing summary of the deceptive struck counterfeits documented to date, including the damaged “source” coin, the example most likely repaired and used to create the dies to strike the other copies; this source was unknown when we became aware of […]

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Longtime Con Man Gets 8 Years in Federal Prison for $3 Million Gold Investment Scheme

By Federal Bureau of Investigation ….   A Beverly Hills man who has a long history of swindling investors and admitted most recently to participating in a scheme involving bogus gold contracts – and giving fake gold bars as “collateral” to victims – has been sentenced to 96 months in federal prison. Mark Ross Weinberg, […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: An Interesting 1798 “S-158 Large Cent” + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This is intended as a summary of the documented counterfeit 1798 “S-158” large cents to date, including several listed sellers. The “source” coin, the example most likely used to create the dies to strike the other copies was unknown when we became aware of the first […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1875-S Trade Dollar

Counterfeit 1875-S Trade Dollar By Max Spiegel, NGC…. One of the most extensively counterfeited United States issues is the Trade Dollar. Recently, one was submitted to NGC that exhibited a number of the telltale signs of a fake. Trade Dollars are one of the most extensively counterfeited United States issues, and fakes are received frequently […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1875-S Trade Dollar

Counterfeit 1875-S Trade Dollar By Max Spiegel, NGC…. One of the most extensively counterfeited United States issues is the Trade Dollar. Recently, one was submitted to NGC that exhibited a number of the telltale signs of a fake. Trade Dollars are one of the most extensively counterfeited United States issues, and fakes are received frequently […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1889-CC Morgan Dollar with Joined Halves

This forgery required the joining of two coins to mimic a rare year and mintmark combination By Max Spiegel – Researcher, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) ……..   NGC graders identify counterfeit coins with added or altered mint marks each and every day. These alterations are seen so often that we devoted an entire article to […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1924 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle

Counterfeit 1924 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle   by Max Spiegel, NGC Numismatic Researcher …….. Semiprooflike appearance, thick lettering and raised lumps helped NGC graders identify a counterfeit 1924 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. The 1924 Double Eagle is by far the most common date in the Saint-Gaudens series. NGC has graded more than 300,000 examples—an astonishing number, particularly […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: Repaired 1836 Gobrecht Dollar + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Probably one of the most significant “finds” we as a group have made is this Gobrecht dollar, and it is certainly the earliest we have seen, as the holed source coin sold in a 2008 auction. This article is intended as another installment disclosing discovered current […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1875 Indian Head Cent

Counterfeit 1875 Indian Head Cent By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……………… Many Chinese counterfeits are made from dies that are not directly copied from genuine examples, therefore many of the details are incorrect. Cents have long been the target of counterfeiters because of the numerous key dates and the popularity of this denomination […]

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Struck Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1787 Massachusetts “4C” Half Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) for CoinWeek …… A comment I have heard in regards to these latest struck fakes is that the counterfeiters do not copy low-grade or common coins; the subject of this latest article begs to differ and I titled my previous Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4) News Letter […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: US Gold 1911-D Quarter Eagle

Counterfeit 1911-D Quarter Eagle by Max Spiegel, NGC Numismatic Researcher The 1911-D is the key Indian Head quarter eagle. Read about two unusual alterations and how NGC experts discovered  these two type of counterfeits. Chased Mintmark There are a number of methods used by counterfeiters to add a mintmark to a coin, but probably the […]

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From the Brink II: An Update on Struck Counterfeits & Damaged Source Coins – 1807 Early Dime & Friends

By Jack D. Young for Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This article is intended as a continuation of the information reported in my previous CoinWeek article in regards to discoveries of damaged and repaired legitimate coins used to create the dies to strike this latest wave of struck “clones”/counterfeits. As previously stated, the research continues […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – The 1924-S Standing Liberty Quarter

Counterfeit 1924-S Standing Liberty Quarter By NGC ….. As we’ve said in previous Counterfeit Coin Detection columns, no US coinage issue is immune from counterfeiting. Classic rarities and key dates, like the 1804 dollar and the 1916-D dime, are frequent targets of counterfeiting, but so too are more common coins. In fact, virtually every classic […]

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Counterfeit Coin of the Week: 1793 S-5 Wreath Cent + 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Continuing on the theme of disclosing discovered current deceptive struck counterfeits and establishing one-page attribution guides for each, the variety for this installment has been the subject of a previous CoinWeek article from the folks at NGC entitled “Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1793 Flowing Hair Large […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: Spark-Erosion 1858 Flying Eagle Cent

Spark-Erosion Counterfeit 1858 Flying Eagle Cent by NGC  ……. Spark erosion counterfeit coins aren’t made very frequently anymore because they are easy to spot once you learn how. This 1858 Flying Eagle Cent submitted to NGC for grading and authentication is a perfect example for study. This 1858 Small Letters Flying Eagle Cent was recently […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: Spark-Erosion 1858 Flying Eagle Cent

Spark erosion counterfeit coins aren’t made very frequently anymore because they are easy to spot once you learn how Spark-Erosion Counterfeit 1858 Flying Eagle Cent By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) ……   This 1858 Small Letters Flying Eagle Cent was recently submitted to NGC for certification. It was immediately recognized as an older style of […]

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Counterfeit Coins – A Mystery 1872-S “Half Dollar” and 1-Page Attribution Guide

By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… One of the “coins” left out of my previous CoinWeek article on damaged source coins (for use in creating counterfeit dies) is this “mystery” 1872-S half dollar. Many of our documented source and counterfeit examples were discovered in one of the large internet sales venues, and […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: A Morgan Dollar “Super-Fake” Revealed

  Counterfeit 1884-S Morgan Dollar By NGC …. Lest you think spotting fakes is easy, take a look at this 1884-S Morgan Dollar. Each month in this column, we discuss some of the fundamentals of counterfeit detection, using counterfeit coins as illustrations. To date, the examples shown have not been deceptive. By that, we mean that […]

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Counterfeit Detection: 1963-D Roosevelt Dime with Altered Bands

Careful examination of this 1963-D Roosevelt Dime reveals an alteration to the torch By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… Coins are altered in a variety of ways for a number of different reasons. Some alterations may be unintentional, such as corrosion or altered color due to improper storage. Other alterations—altered dates or added mintmarks—are attempts to […]

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Counterfeit Detection – Die Struck Counterfeit 1916-D Mercury Dime

1916-D Counterfeit Mercury Dime By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… Skillful identification of counterfeit coins is essential to the hobby. Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) recently received a die struck copy of an important coin that bore tooling marks, a telltale sign of counterfeit efforts. Read on for more details. It is very easy for authenticators to […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1937-D 3-Legged Buffalo Nickel

Evidence of heavy polishing where the fourth leg should be – 1937-D Buffalo Nickel by Max Spiegel, NGC  ……. The 1937-D 3 Legged Buffalo Nickel is undoubtedly the most famous key date in the Buffalo Nickels series. Most collectors consider it to be a distinct issue although it is more accurately described as a late die […]

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From the Brink to the Dark Side: Early American Copper Struck Counterfeits & Damaged Source Coins

By Jack D. Young for Early American Coppers (EAC) …… As introduction, a member of Early American Coppers (EAC) posted on the club’s Facebook page “Dark Side”, a fake 1796 “S-85” that he astutely identified from a recent internet listing, and as follow-up to that discussion I was able to post images of the discovered […]

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Counterfeit Detection: 2017 One Kilo Chinese Silver Panda 300 Yuan

This counterfeit 2017 Chinese Silver Panda 300 Yuan has sharper details than the genuine coin Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) recently received a peculiar-looking 2017 One Kilo Silver 300 Yuan Panda. Although the coin weighed precisely one kilogram (just as it should), the coin was much thicker than other one-kilo Silver Pandas. Unfortunately for the submitter, […]

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Counterfeit Coins Detection: Check the Mintmark on the 1914-S Lincoln Cent

Counterfeit 1914-S Lincoln Cent by Max Spiegel, NGC  ……. NGC graders identified a recently submitted fake 1914-S cent as a slightly above-average copy for counterfeit coins. The 1914-D Lincoln Cent is well known as one of the keys to the series, but its San Francisco counterpart is a scarce issue in its own right, as are […]

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ICTA Names Industry Notables to Task Force Steering Committtee, Forms Work Groups

By Industry Council for Tangible Assets ….. The Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA) has named an 11-member Steering Committee and has formed eight Work Groups to begin the work of its Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF). ICTA created the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force in January and named Beth Deisher as its director. ACTF’s mission is to […]

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Altered Coin Detection: Cameo 1960 Franklin Half Dollar

Altered Cameo 1960 Franklin Half by Max Spiegel, NGC  ……. A white “frost” was applied to this Franklin Half Dollar to give its elements a cameo appearance. There are a number of ways that nefarious individuals altered coins in an attempt to trick unsuspecting buyers into thinking that the coin is better than it really is. […]

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From Crime to Punishment – Counterfeit and Debased Currencies In Colonial and Pre-Federal America

First Read, a CoinWeek continuing series of essays about classic and contemporary works of numismatic literature Essay by Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek…. From Crime to Punishment: Counterfeit & Debased Currencies In Colonial and Pre-Federal America, by Dr. Philip L. Mossman “The Spanish Milled Dollar The Coin of Our Nation’s Founders” These words […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1842-O Seated Liberty Dime

Counterfeit 1842-O Seated Liberty Dime by Max Spiegel, NGC  ……. The design details on this  Seated Liberty Dime counterfeit coin are soft, especially at Liberty’s head, the Phrygian cap and the shield on the obverse. The Seated Liberty Dime has grown in popularity with collectors over the last couple of decades with considerable new research done […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1842-O Seated Liberty Dime

Counterfeit 1842-O Seated Liberty Dime by Max Spiegel, NGC  ……. The design details on this  Seated Liberty Dime counterfeit coin are soft, especially at Liberty’s head, the Phrygian cap and the shield on the obverse. The Seated Liberty Dime has grown in popularity with collectors over the last couple of decades with considerable new research done […]

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Counterfeits – The Battle Begins

The best protection against the threat of counterfeits is to buy coins from a reputable source By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… My term as President of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) will expire in August. I have told many friends and business associates that I still have much that I would […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1854-O Arrows Seated Liberty Half Dollar

Counterfeit 1854-O Arrows Seated Liberty Half Dollar Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……….   Numerous issues, such as depressions, raised lines, porosity and die damage, presented plenty of evidence to prove this coin not genuine. The Coinage Act of 1853 reduced the weight of the silver half dime, dime, quarter and half dollar as part of an […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1854-O Arrows Seated Liberty Half Dollar

Counterfeit 1854-O Arrows Seated Liberty Half Dollar Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ………. Numerous issues, such as depressions, raised lines, porosity and die damage, presented plenty of evidence to prove this coin not genuine. The Coinage Act of 1853 reduced the weight of the silver half dime, dime, quarter and half dollar as part of an effort […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1893-O Morgan Silver Dollar

Posted by Ben Wengel, NGC Grader ……. A recent 1893-O Morgan Dollar submission was confirmed a counterfeit when NGC graders identified one telltale sign. Recently, a well made die struck counterfeit Morgan dollar dated 1893-O was found in a bulk deal while at NGC. While the piece was well made, it had one telltale diagnostic that made […]

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Gold & Silver PAC February 2017 e-Newsletter

By Scott Barman for the Gold & Silver PAC ….. From the Political Coordinator As I was sitting down to talk with an old friend over coffee, he turns to me and says, “I think frankly when it comes to chaos you ain’t seen nothing yet.” This Washington veteran, who began his career as an intern […]

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Consumer Protection News – Anti-Counterfeit Task Force Formed

Beth Deisher Hired as Director By Industry Council for Tangible Assets ….. The Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA) has formed a task force to mobilize law enforcement resources to protect the integrity of U.S. coinage by educating officials on the economic impact and growing threat counterfeit circulating, collectible and bullion coins pose to the […]

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Counterfeit Detection: Altered 1856 Flying Eagle Cent

Altered Date 1856 Flying Eagle Cent By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… Date alterations are the most common type of counterfeit seen on 1856 Flying Eagle cents. By 1856 the half cent and large cent denominations had become extremely unpopular. They hardly circulated since their large sizes were simply too cumbersome to be useful in commerce. […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1912 Indian Head $10 Gold Eagle Coin

By Max Spiegel, NGC ….. The raised spikes at the rim of this 1912 $10 Indian Head Eagle are one detail collectors can use for counterfeit coin detection. It is no surprise that United States gold coins have long been the target of counterfeiters. A wave of deceptive forgeries appeared in the marketplace in the […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1912 Indian Head $10 Gold Eagle Coin

By Max Spiegel, NGC ….. The raised spikes at the rim of this 1912 $10 Indian Head Eagle are one detail collectors can use for counterfeit coin detection. It is no surprise that United States gold coins have long been the target of counterfeiters. A wave of deceptive forgeries appeared in the marketplace in the […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1912 Indian Head $10 Gold Eagle Coin

By Max Spiegel, NGC ….. The raised spikes at the rim of this 1912 $10 Indian Head Eagle are one detail collectors can use for counterfeit coin detection. It is no surprise that United States gold coins have long been the target of counterfeiters. A wave of deceptive forgeries appeared in the marketplace in the […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1912 Indian Head $10 Gold Eagle Coin

By Max Spiegel, NGC ….. The raised spikes at the rim of this 1912 $10 Indian Head Eagle are one detail collectors can use for counterfeit coin detection. It is no surprise that United States gold coins have long been the target of counterfeiters. A wave of deceptive forgeries appeared in the marketplace in the […]

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CoinWeek Ancient Coin Series: Modern Fakes of Ancient Coins

By Mike Markowitz for CoinWeek ….   “To declare that a forged coin is genuine is a mistake, but to declare that a genuine coin is a forgery is a crime.” –Leo Mildenberg (1913 – 2001)[1] FOR CLASSICAL NUMISMATISTS any discussion of fake ancient coins is… a delicate subject. Dealers worry that fear of fakes […]

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CoinWeek Ancient Coin Series: Modern Fakes of Ancient Coins

By Mike Markowitz for CoinWeek …. “To declare that a forged coin is genuine is a mistake, but to declare that a genuine coin is a forgery is a crime.” –Leo Mildenberg (1913 – 2001)[1] FOR CLASSICAL NUMISMATISTS any discussion of fake ancient coins is… a delicate subject. Dealers worry that fear of fakes will […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1793 Flowing Hair Large Cent

Counterfeit large cents – 1793 Flowing Hair Cent – Tooling Marks; Raised Lines By Max Spiegel, NGC ……..   The first coins struck by the United States Mint were the half cents and large cents made in 1793. All half cents from this year bear the left-facing Liberty Cap design, while large cents feature three major […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1915-S Panama-Pacific Half Dollar

By Max Spiegel, NGC ……… Tool marks, soft design details and dull surfaces help NGC graders identify a counterfeit coins, in this case a  1915-S Panama-Pacific Half Dollar. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Panama-Pacific Exposition, which was held in San Francisco in 1915 to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal a year […]

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CoinWeek News Wire for November 11, 2016

By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for November 11, 2016 Current Events 1.) Some Central Florida toll booths not registering $1 coins Central Florida Expressway Authority officials said they weren’t aware of the problem until Channel 9 brought it to their attention… Under the Radar 2.) Commemorative Singapore Botanic Gardens coin unveiled A commemorative coin showcasing iconic features of the Singapore […]

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Trump Quarters Show up in Change Days Before 2016 Election

By CoinWeek News Staff …. People in a handful of cities across the United States have noticed something unusual about the change in their pockets. Quarters that feature the Republican Presidential nominee Donald J. Trump on the obverse have been found in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Amarillo, Texas and New York City. Above his effigy […]

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фальшивые монеты: Fake British Virgin Islands Coins in Circulation

The Government of the British Virgin Islands is advising the public, especially coin collectors, that a ‘coin’ claiming to be issued in the name of the British Virgin Islands, has been offered for sale to coin dealers and the general public. The coins are being sold from the website http://coinsking.ru/ and feature animals from Novosibirsk […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1924-S Buffalo Nickel

By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… The 1924-S is a prime target for counterfeiters. In particular, sharp-eyed graders will pay close attention to additions or other alterations made to the mintmark. Prominent sculptor James Earle Fraser created an iconic design deeply rooted in Western Americana for the Buffalo Nickel, which was struck from 1913 […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: Spark-Erosion 1874 Three Cent Nickel Die Trial

Posted by Max Spiegel for NGC …….. Three Cent nickels were struck in 75% copper and 25% nickel with a silver-gray color, but the coin submitted to NGC appeared to be made entirely out of copper. Numismatic Conservation Services® (NCS®), a professional coin conservation company affiliated with NGC, recently received a coin that the submitter […]

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CoinWeek News Wire for October 21, 2016

By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for October 21, 2016 Brain Food 1.) What is the Average Lifespan of a Coin? Coins are tough little devils. Over the course of a coins’ lifespan, they will be dropped, kicked, stepped on, possibly run over by a vehicle, or involved in some children’s experiment to discover just how […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1920 Pilgrim Tercentenary Commemorative

Counterfeit coin – 1920 Pilgrim Tercentenary Half Dollar The relatively crude forgery shows extensive loss of detail throughout. By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… In recent years, the “Classic” Commemorative series has become increasingly popular. These coins were first issued in 1892 to celebrate the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition, with nearly a million Columbian half dollars sold […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Liberty Half Eagles

Counterfeit 1907 Liberty Half Eagle By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ….. These counterfeit gold coins were found unexpectedly among a group of US coins freshly returned from Europe. It’s well known to collectors that most Nineteenth and Twentieth Century US gold coins available to collectors today have “come back” from Europe. Laws enacted to strengthen the economy […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Altered 1893-S Morgan Dollar

A Genuine 1893-S Morgan Dollar By  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ….. What’s the first place to look when authenticating key date US coins? This month’s counterfeit detection feature answers that question by examining an altered 1893-S Morgan Dollar. When verifying the authenticity of a rare date coin, there’s a very good place to start your examination: […]

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CoinWeek News Wire for August 19, 2016

By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for August 19, 2016 Brain Food 1.) Gold Is Hot This Year. So Are Fakes “If we sit and wait around for the government to take care of it, we’ll all be in real trouble,“ said Terry Hanlon, president of Dillon Gage Metals, a wholesale precious-metals trader… 2.) A […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Altered Date 1815 Half Dollar

By  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… This altered date Counterfeit Coin  imitates a true numismatic rarity. In the early part of the 19th century, the fledgling United States was in a crisis. US merchant ships were being blocked from conducting trade with mainland Europe by the British Royal Navy, leading to serious economic woes for the former […]

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How Big Is the Rare Coin Counterfeiting Problem?

By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……   The issue of counterfeit coins has been around for a very long time For years, the numismatic industry has dealt effectively with the problem of counterfeit rare coins. You can read numismatic journals from the 19th century and realize that collectors were dealing with the problem even […]

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Letters by Legendary Colonial Coin Forger Thomas Wyatt Offered at ANA

Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers are proud to announce that they will be displaying for sale at this week’s American Numismatic Association (ANA) World’s Fair of Money (Booths 263 and 362) an exceptionally important group of six handwritten letters by the notorious forger Thomas Wyatt. The letters, all of which pertain to Wyatt’s creation of […]

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5 Ways You Can Avoid Falling for Counterfeit Coins

By Littleton Coin Company ……….. There’s been a lot of buzz lately in the numismatic world about counterfeit coins – especially those coming from China. Counterfeiting is as old as coins themselves. However, the biggest problem with these newer fraudulent coins is that better technology makes them harder to detect – since they appear more […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1900-S $5 Half Eagle

This Middle Eastern counterfeit coin lacks the details of a genuine 1900-S Half Eagle. By  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… When we think of counterfeiting in the coin market today, we imagine deceitful people attempting to pass off a fake as genuine to a dealer or collector based on its numismatic value. This wasn’t always the […]

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Newly Identified Contemporary Counterfeit 1894-O Morgan Dollar

Posted by Ben Wengel, NGC Grader and Attributor NGC’s discovery is the first reported counterfeit example of this date. Recently, an 1894-O Morgan Dollar was examined in an invoice at NGC that was proven to be an unreported contemporary counterfeit. Despite being a well circulated piece, there were several distinct problems with the coin that […]

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Anti-Counterfeiting: New Techs Fight Fake Coins

By Steven Cochran for Gainesville Coins …… As The Royal Mint begins production of a new 12-sided £1 coin made with their recently-patented anti-counterfeiting measures, it seems like a good time to look at some of the recent technologies being used to fight fake coins. Quitting the Old Quid The Royal Mint’s campaign to invent […]

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Consumer Alert – Use Caution to Avoid Gold, Silver Counterfeits Advises Professional Numismatists Guild

Beware of counterfeit vintage rare coins and fake modern gold and silver bullion items now being offered in the marketplace. Purchase only from reputable dealers, cautions the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG). The PNG is a nonprofit organization composed of many of the country’s top numismatic experts. Counterfeit 2012-dated American Eagle $50 denomination one-ounce gold bullion […]

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Numismatic Crime – NCIC Weekly Bulletin, April 28

News and Alerts Concerning Numismatic Crime for the Month of April By Numismatic Crime Information Center ……   Vehicle Burglarized Below is a list of US coins and paper money stolen from Dick August after leaving a coin show in Westford, Massachusetts on April 24, 2016. Mr. August stopped a short distance from the show […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1861-D Gold Dollar – Added Mintmark

Genuine 1861-D gold dollar By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… NGC graders were surprised to see an 1861-D gold dollar with an added mintmark. There are a few key dates where you frequently encounter added mintmarks. The 1916-D Mercury dime is easily the most common, but other coins such as the 1909-S VDB […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1922 No D Lincoln Cent

Counterfeit 1922 No D Lincoln cent By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……………… The 1922 No D Lincoln cent has long been popular with counterfeiters but rarely do they go to the trouble of making dies. As a well known rarity, the 1922 No D Lincoln cent has been the target of counterfeiters for […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1880 Shield Nickel

Counterfeit 1880 Shield Nickel By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……   Even with only a quick glance, a number of problems with this counterfeit Shield Nickel are obvious. The first nickel five cent pieces were struck in 1866 and there have been relatively few key dates issued in the nearly 150 years since. […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1880 Shield Nickel

Counterfeit 1880 Shield Nickel By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …. Even with only a quick glance, a number of problems with this counterfeit Shield Nickel are obvious. The first nickel five cent pieces were struck in 1866 and there have been relatively few key dates issued in the nearly 150 years since. Several […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dime

Counterfeit 1795 Half Dime Reverse by Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……………… Counterfeit half dimes are not particularly common, but NGC graders recently identified a fake 1795 half dime submission. The minuscule half dime was struck from 1794 to 1873, although many also include the pattern 1792 half disme—the first coin struck under the […]

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Bad Money: Ancient Counterfeiters and Their Coins

CoinWeek Ancient Coin Series by Mike Markowitz…. Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur “The world wants to be deceived, so let it be deceived.” — attributed to Petronius, 1st-century Roman satirist AROUND 650 BCE, on the eastern shore of the Aegean Sea, coinage was invented. Very soon afterward, counterfeit coinage appeared, and it has been with […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1861 Type 2 US Gold Quarter Eagle

Counterfeit 1861 Type 2 Quarter Eagle By Max Spiegel, NGC ……… Raised lumps of metal and lack of detail are red flags on this 1861 Type 2 Quarter Eagle. NGC graders recently evaluated a submission of US gold pieces that included a counterfeit 1861 Type 2 Quarter Eagle with several diagnostics frequently seen on a variety […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1883 Seated Liberty Half Dollar

Counterfeit coin – 1883 Seated Half Dollar By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… A counterfeit 1883 half dollar features a large number of raised lumps in the fields and throughout the design elements. The United States Mint shifted its attention from half dollars to the Morgan Dollar after its launch in 1878. As […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1883 Seated Liberty Half Dollar

Counterfeit coin – 1883 Seated Half Dollar By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… A counterfeit 1883 half dollar features a large number of raised lumps in the fields and throughout the design elements. The United States Mint shifted its attention from half dollars to the Morgan Dollar after its launch in 1878. As […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1883 Seated Liberty Half Dollar

Counterfeit coin – 1883 Seated Half Dollar By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… A counterfeit 1883 half dollar features a large number of raised lumps in the fields and throughout the design elements. The United States Mint shifted its attention from half dollars to the Morgan Dollar after its launch in 1878. As […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1904 Gold $20 Double Eagle

Counterfeit 1904 Double Eagle By Max Spiegel –  Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… This counterfeit 1904 Double Eagle specimen exhibits relatively sharp design details, and its composition is virtually identical to that of a legitimate specimen. United States gold coins have been extensively counterfeited for decades and fakes are known for virtually all dates, even the […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – Key Date 1870-CC Quarter

Counterfeit 1870-CC Quarter by Max Spiegel, Numismatic Researcher  – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation The 1870-CC is the key to the Seated Liberty quarter series. Read about the counterfeit that was submitted and how our experts recognized it. One of the most interesting fakes that NGC has received in the past year was an 1870-CC quarter. The […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – The 1972 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent

GENUINE 1972 Double Die Cent – courtesy of Heritage Auctions. By Max Spiegel, Numismatic Researcher, NGC…. NGC recently received a fake 1972 Doubled Die Cent, which is not something that we see often. There are a handful of varieties that are regularly seen faked, including the Philadelphia and Denver 1942/41 Mercury Dimes, the 1955 Doubled […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1875-S Trade Dollar

Counterfeit 1875-S Trade Dollar By Max Spiegel, NGC….   One of the most extensively counterfeited United States issues is the Trade Dollar. Recently, one was submitted to NGC that exhibited a number of the telltale signs of a fake. Trade Dollars are one of the most extensively counterfeited United States issues, and fakes are received […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection – 1937-D 3-Legged Buffalo Nickel

Evidence of heavy polishing where the fourth leg should be – 1937-D Buffalo Nickel by Max Spiegel, NGC  ……. The 1937-D 3-Legged Nickel is undoubtedly the most famous key date in the Buffalo Nickels series. Most collectors consider it to be a distinct issue although it is more accurately described as a late die state and […]

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Counterfeit Coins Detection: 1914-S Lincoln Cent

Counterfeit 1914-S Lincoln Cent by Max Spiegel, NGC  ……. NGC graders identified a recently submitted fake 1914-S cent as a slightly above-average copy. The 1914-D Lincoln Cent is well known as one of the keys to the series, but its San Francisco counterpart is a scarce issue in its own right, as are all S-Mint Lincoln […]

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Raleigh Money Expo Show Report – 2015

By Charles Morgan for Coinweek…. On Saturday, I joined CoinWeek Assistant Editor Hubert Walker to attend the 42nd Annual Raleigh Money Expo. The Raleigh Money Expo is held each year at the Exposition Center at the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, North Carolina. This year, the show’s 106 dealers operated 164 tables. Over the course of […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1793 Flowing Hair Cent

by Max Spiegel, NGC …….. Tool marks and raised lines identify a counterfeit 1793 Flowing Hair Cent. The first coins struck by the United States Mint were the half cents and large cents made in 1793. All half cents from this year bear the left-facing Liberty Cap design, while large cents feature three major design types: […]

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Damnatio ad Bestias, or: What Happened to Roman Counterfeiters?

By Gorny & Mosch…. As part of Auction 231 comprising “Ancient Art”, Gorny & Mosch presents an object that is a splendid illustration of the history of Roman law. A Terra Sigillata bowl from the 2nd to the 3rd centuries CE depicts a damnatio ad bestias. This type of execution was likewise applied to Roman […]

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CoinWeek Video: Mercury Dimes Counterfeit Detection with Bill Fivaz (9:57).

Cherrypicker’s Guide editor and renowned coin expert Bill Fivaz gave an informative class on counterfeit detection in the popular Mercury dime series at the January 2015 FUN Show in Orlando, Florida. This video segment highlights many of Bill’s valuable insights. Copyright © CoinWeek April 2015 COINWeek is the most advanced independent on-line media source for print and video […]

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Counterfeit Coins Are the Future

by Steve Caruso for CoinWeek…. Counterfeits are the future. I admit that coming from me, such a message seems a bit curious… if grim. However, the sad truth is that counterfeits will play a bigger and much more sophisticated part of our hobby’s future whether we wish to face it in time or not. What […]

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A 32-Year History in Two-and-a-Half Pages: The Case of the Chinese Panda

By Ron Drzewucki – www.moderncoinwholesale.com….   Bullion collectors today enjoy a smorgasbord of products from a variety of nations. After the Krugerrand proved there was an international market for such items, many of the world’s economic powerhouses followed suit, starting in the late 1970s. One of the first to do so was China–or, more precisely, […]

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Counterfeit Coin Detection: 1924-S Buffalo Nickel

by Max Spiegel – Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ……… The 1924-S is a prime target for counterfeiters. In particular, sharp-eyed graders will pay close attention to additions or other alterations made to the mintmark. Prominent sculptor James Earle Fraser created an iconic design deeply rooted in Western Americana for the Buffalo Nickel, which was struck from 1913 […]

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Why eBay Discontinued Coin Authentication. VIDEO: 3:40

Robert Gurney, Swamperbob Associates Interviewer: David Lisot, CoinWeek.com…….. In March of 2014, eBay discontinued its coin authentication program. Robert Gurney was one of seven eBay authenticators. He shares with CoinWeek ways coin collectors can protect themselves when buying coins on the auction site. Copyright © CoinWeek LLC.  October, 2014 US Mexican Numismatic Association  Second Annual […]

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Spanish Police Arrest Alleged Forgers of €2 Euro Coins

By Hubert Walker for CoinWeek….   Police in Madrid arrested three individuals yesterday on charges of counterfeiting up to 12,000 two-euro coins over five years. The three appeared to be running the counterfeiting operation out of their houses, using equipment readily-available at the average home improvement store. During the arrests, officers found a total of […]

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Seizure of Counterfeit Chinese Euro Coins a First, Says Italian Police

By CoinWeek News Staff…. Sicilian investigators and Italian police seized €556,000 (almost US$693,000) worth of counterfeit one- and two-cent euro coins from a shipping container in the southern port city of Naples on Friday, December 12. According to Palermo prosecutor Calogero Ferrara, the seizure of the counterfeit coins is the largest in the 12-year history […]

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Numismatic Announcements from eBay. VIDEO: 4:32.

Gene Cook, General Manager, Emerging Markets, eBay. Gene Cook has become a familiar face at coin shows. He attended the PNG Member meeting with his team of other eBay people. He talked about some of the new policies by eBay affecting the coin market including their replica coin and paper money policy, their counterfeit review […]

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