Lincoln Cent Experts, get your diagnostic skills out...time to show them off!

Okay. Here's what I know:

These three coins are in an album I am supposed to photo/process for an upcoming auction. I'm not sure if my boss owns them or if they are being consigned, as I just got handed the album and was too busy checking out the coins inside to ask all the normal questions. So, I thought I'd post the photos here and let you all have a bash at them...

Each coin has been photographed under "normal" lighting conditions (to show their color as they look in hand) and then under the LED ring to show details for diagnostics.

So...here are the coins...time to show off your skills. Which are genuine, which are counterfeit/altered?

1909 S VDB




1922 "No D"




1955 Double Die Obverse


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1909 S VDB - Real
1922 No D - Fake
1955 Doubled Die - REAL!

 

All 3 look genuine to me but I don't either because I don't trust my judgement enough to buy a raw example.

 

Why do you think the '22 is fake? I noticed the color under the date but second 2 looks good as does the motto being weak except for Trust which is generally strong on a '22 no D. Did I miss a give away or is that color under the date actually where the D was removed?

 

09S real
22D real

1955 - I don't even know the diagnostics, but the toning looks fishy. The marks on the rim are deep, like it may have been held in something to cast the deception. It could be real- full diagnostics could tell - but I wouldn't buy it.

 

Side note: the 1955 definitely appears cleaned/polished in hand, if people couldn't already tell from the color.

 

MKent you have a great observation. Maybe you are right. IMO, He asked a simple question. Which is genuine and which is altered. After reading so many different articles over the years concerning these 3 Cents the 1922 no "D" mintmark would be the easiest to alter. Even though the 2nd 2 is a bit stronger than the first one, that maybe could be altered also. Let's see if I get it right

 

09 is fake and I would not buy any of those RAW

 

My only opinion is about the '22 Plain.
Fake.
As I understand it the second "2" is supposed to be weaker than the first.
Not so in this case.

 

the 1909 S vdb is real and appears to be die pair 4. (square serifs, die chip in upper loop, vdb with matching diagnostics) now to be fair it is a bit beat up

the 1922 (real but cleaned) plain appears to be real but cleaned - the second 2 is stronger than the first while the 192 are slightly mushy, all the letters in TRUST are bold while the WE is slightly mushy, the L in liberty is merged with the rim, the reverse is bold...all that being said I would still want a loupe in hand to make sure.

1955- (probably real) the diagnostics are certainly there, doubled eyelid, nose, lip, chin, bowtie, those are something most forgers fail to duplicate when the go create a 55....that being said, the coin might be genuine, but the toning is all wrong, it looks to have been cleaned or whizzed and then retoned....this one would have to, have to, be certified to even consider touching.

 

I love the variety of responses I'm getting on these coins. Keep them coming!

(Let me also state that I am not 100% sure any of these are real/fake.)

IMO - the 1909 S VDB is questionable. The date and mintmark look fine to me, but it's the VDB on the reverse that seems extraordinarily weak compared to the rest of the details on the reverse. I'd lean 60% towards a genuine 1909 S, but with an added VDB.

IMO - the 1922 could be real, but looks (as a few have already said) pretty rough. Who knows what's going on under everything that's happened to this coin... That being said, I'm probably leaning 60% toward a genuine 1922 Plain for the diagnostics mentioned by @bqcoins

IMO - the 1955 looks much better than an earlier counterfeit I've seen, but has been harshly cleaned/polished. Was it done by someone who thought it was acceptable? By someone who didn't know any better? Or, by someone who was trying to cover up whether it was counterfeit? I'm still on the fence about this coin, but maybe 70% leaning towards a genuine DDO, but harshly cleaned.

Still looking for as many opinions as possible, especially from a few LC experts who haven't chimed in yet.

 

I'm going to say they're all good. The 1922 has weak obverse, strong reverse, which is the main diagnostic for die pair 2. The 1909-S has valid diagnostics for a genuine coin, starting with the mint mark style and placement, although I'd want to look at the initials more closely. The 1955 DD is badly polished, but the doubling doesn't lack any detail you'd see missing in a fake.

 

Well excuse me! You saying that I and the other guys that have responded are not experts? I'm outraged! Just kidding I did my best on the knowledge that I have concerning the 3 Cents. But I thought you knew the answer from the beginning and now I read you are not 100% sure if they are real/fake. Bummer

 

Ha ha I KNEW someone would say that, even as I was typing. Obviously I appreciate your comments, sir...ha ha

 

I may not be an expert but I enjoy to meet with them! Fred Weinberg and me

 

I call the 1909 S VDB as good because quite a number of them have weak VDBs on the reverse to the point where some of the periods are completely not struck. When looking for an added VDB you look for spacing and also wear, since the spacing is correct and the wear is consistent and the bottom of the coin I would just call it weakly struck

 

I believe the '55 to be the only real one. The '09 and the ' 22 both are cast copies. For those 2 coins to show that much wear the rim should show it too. The rims of both are very clean. Especially the '09

 

I think they are all real. The 22 D is the 2nd die IMO. I hope I am right.

 

"Note the arrow pointing to the die chip inside the upper loop of the S. ALL genuine s vdbs will have this. There is a notch in the upper serif and the mintmark is of an even width at top and bottom, with perfectly parallel serifs.The upper serif is even with the lower curve of the S and the lower serif is even with the upper curve of the S."

Ref:https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-1909-s-vdb.232533/

Not a match. The serifs aren't parallel for one.

 

Under a loupe, the die chip is there. I'll see if I have time to get a closeup.