Counterfeit 1848 Half Dollar

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by ToughCOINS, Dec 20, 2022.

  1. ToughCOINS

    ToughCOINS Dealer Member Moderator

    Here's a counterfeit 1848 half dollar which immediately looked suspect, but took about 30 seconds to convince myself it was fake for sure.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Reported to both the seller and to eBay.
     
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  3. LakeEffect

    LakeEffect Average Circulated

    Coloration looks weird, date looks weird, pimple on Liberty's cheek, what else?
    (not a series I know much about)
     
  4. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    Now that scares the pants off me..... I would have been a buyer too. I felt pretty good about my counterfeit detection ability on series that I collect.... Until today.
     
  5. longshot

    longshot Enthusiast Supporter

    Good catch. My first thought is Liberty's left arm looks puffy.
     
    Mr.Q likes this.
  6. Heavymetal

    Heavymetal Supporter! Supporter

    Although I’m not familiar with the series, the toning looks strange
    I kinda stick to graded for anything over $200
    Scary
     
  7. Rheingold

    Rheingold Well-Known Member

    At First glance obviously an nice example, but looking closer o_O:sorry:
     
  8. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    Here is an MS-65 graded piece from PCGS Coinfacts. Yes, this fake is scary.

    1848 half Dollar 65 Coinfacts.jpg
     
    Mainebill likes this.
  9. Michael K

    Michael K Well-Known Member

    What does the OP coin weigh?
     
  10. ToughCOINS

    ToughCOINS Dealer Member Moderator

    Sorry, the OP doesn't have the coin, but the seller messaged back saying "the weight is correct" and that the coin "passed the magnet test".
     
    Michael K likes this.
  11. wxcoin

    wxcoin Getting no respect since I was a baby

    After looking at the OP coin and the certified one there are so many things wrong with the fake; denticles, hair, fingers, neckline, ... That's before comparing reverses.
     
  12. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    Well…. Lady Liberty certainly had a Botox lip treatment on the fake… But at first blush, I would have carried that one home.
     
  13. Jack D. Young

    Jack D. Young Well-Known Member

    There are a bunch of varieties for the date...
     
  14. physics-fan3.14

    physics-fan3.14 You got any more of them.... prooflikes?

    For those of us less familiar with this series, can you point out a couple of the most obvious places to look to identify this fake?
     
    LakeEffect likes this.
  15. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    The lettering on thexreverse the biggest tell. Too fat too mushy and conjoined. He’d face is off too. Those the first tells
     
    Mr.Q likes this.
  16. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    The filled in 4 of the date. The lack of fine definition on the drapery folds also east tells. At a quick glance to an untrained eye it looks good. On some close study it looks really bad
     
  17. physics-fan3.14

    physics-fan3.14 You got any more of them.... prooflikes?

    Well, that's just the thing that's throwing me. Normally, mushy lettering is one of my first tells. But, this lettering seems crisper than your typical fake. Comparing it to the genuine piece John Milton posted, the lettering doesn't really seem that off - nothing I can't account for with die wear, or a different die pairing.
     
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  18. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    Yeah. It’s I feel a better fake. But the overall feel from someone who’s handled and studied a lot of seated coinage is it doesn’t look right. It’s subtle but off. The date in particular
     
    Mr.Q likes this.
  19. Hommer

    Hommer Curator of Semi Precious Coinage

    I don't think it is scary, it is obviously fake but not scary. Way too much eye liner and hairspray.
     
  20. physics-fan3.14

    physics-fan3.14 You got any more of them.... prooflikes?

    As someone who hasn't handled much seated coinage, I appreciate y'all's expertise. That's why I'm asking questions!
     
  21. KBBPLL

    KBBPLL Well-Known Member

    The hair looked really cheesy to me. Overall the whole coin has a cartoon-y look. But the title told me it was fake, so...
     
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