Trade Dollar Question

Hello Cointalk, this is my first post. I have been reading for a while though.

I just bought a nice 1882 CC MS64 DMPL Morgan from my local coin shop. Part of the deal I made for the Morgan included an 1876 S chopped trade dollar. I fell in love with the trade dollar and had to have it, even though it wasn't in a slab, so I took the gamble. It has both type 2 obverse and reverse, as well as the tiny "s" mint mark. I weighed it on my cheap kitchen scale which doesnt show anything but whole numbers, and the weight was 29 grams, including the 2x2 that the dollar is in.

I have been reading about how to identify fakes, and I wanted to get yalls opinion on its authenticity and possibly its grade. Hopefully these pictures work. I didn't have time to take out the DSLR and take good pictures tonight, but I can later if needed. I do plan to send the coin in to PCGS, but my dealer isnt sending his next shipment until the end of July. Thanks.

 

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I wouldn't buy a trade dollar unless it was graded and slabbed due to the large number of fakes.

@Mainebill is good with these.

 

Weight is realistic given that it's in a 2x2. It's supposed to weigh 27.2g, but I can believe the 2x2 and staples weigh more than 1.3g, which would cause your scale to read 29.

This should help you: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/how-do-you-spot-fake-trade-dollars-anyway.63695/

 

Thanks Paul. That thread was a huge help. I read through it, and comparing my coin to every thing I read, it seems like a legit coin. However, I thought it might help put my mind at ease to get some opinions while I wait to send it off to be authenticated.

 

I don't see anything which scares the hack out of me in these images, and those look like legit chops which tend to point in favor of originality. It's not surprising to see a near-Uncirculated Trade Dollar with chops; in many cases these were used for purchases between merchants and tended to be exchanged in quantity without much handling.

 

That makes perfect sense why it has chop marks and looks close to uncirculated.

 

It looks good to me , the place to check is between the reeding for what I call lands , it's a slight secondary mark made by the reeding collars as most fakes are smooth and irregular . Also check for irregular reeding as the reeding on a good trade is pretty even . You can see what lands look like on a Morgan dollar with a decent loupe .

 

I'll pull it out of the 2x2 and take a look at the reeding.

Can anyone tell by the pictures if the mint mark is the micro "s", minute "s", or the medium "s"? I read about them on the PCGS website, and from what I understand, it seems to be the micro or minute.

 

Now THAT was great advice @rzage !!
I've never heard them referred to as lands ( or anything else for that matter) but I know exactly what you are referring to, being a Morgan junkie and all.

 

Looks right to me. I trust the discoloration on the right obverse is toning, and not corrosion or rust?

 

Thanks. That's correct, its toning.

 

Your coin is genuine. Whenever you weigh a coin IT SHOULD BE "raw" as 29 grams tells us nothing. Nice high grade coin w/chops and very desirable to many collectors as such!

On Friday I read on the Numismatic News website that an authenticator and long time Trade dollar researcher has released a photos of a "new" reverse hub used on these coins that he discovered about twenty years ago.

By the way, your coin is not a Type 2. It is the "micro S" variety with Type 2M Obverse and Reverse! Most numismatists/dealers/and auction houses who do not read the Gobrecht Journal are ignorant of this division of the Type two Trade dollars that was made in 1995!

 

Unfortunately, the Types given in the thread above are incorrect and based on pre 1995 information as published in several reference books. I'm going to finish reading the link later. My guess is that @ksparrow will give us many important ways of detecting the counterfeits.

 

Thanks Insider. Great info there. I am really interested now in knowing the exact Type that I have.

One more question, PCGS or NGC? Which one would I have a better chance with getting an actual grade, not details?

 

To the best of my knowledge both top grading companies "Detail" grade Trade dollars and consider chops damage. No clue how ANACS handles Chops. ICG has slabbed chopped Trade dollars as both "Details" and straight graded w/"Chopmarked" on the label.

If CT members know more, they'll post; otherwise you can call the grading services.

 

PCGS will straight grade a chopped Trade dollar, as long as there's no other damage. There's even a chop marked Trade dollar set registry. I don't know how NGC, ANACS, or ICG handle chop marks.

 

Good to know. I will stick with PCGS. Very interesting about the registry set. Knowing about that is NOT good for my bank account!

Hopefully this one will get a high grade and a non details slab.

 

I'd need better pictures to tell for sure, but I'm seeing at least an AU in your future. I can't tell if it's been cleaned or anything, but, if not, I'm pretty sure it will straight grade.

 

I'll break out the good camera and try my hand at coin photography. Hopefully I can get a good picure or two.

 

Make sure to take it out of the holder first. There are some threads on here about coin photography you might find useful, as well.