Is this coin fake?

@jwitten My two cents:

The way I read all of @BooksB4Coins post (he can defend himself but I an impartial) was as a teacher. Rather than blast the OP, I liked the way he offered questions, suggestions, and guidance so the OP might "think" and learn for himself! Good Job Books!

PS He did point out that this could have been done w/o naming the seller.

 

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If members of this group can't ask others about the authenticity of a coin, then this site has lost about half of its usefulness.

 

But he said "before deciding to not only label it a "fake", but drag the seller's name into this?" He also said "but when that doubt turns into a public accusation of doing something viewed as one of the greatest sins of this hobby, you, with all due respect, better be damn sure you're right."

The OP did neither. The thread title is "IS this coin a fake?"... not "This coin IS a fake". Huge HUGE difference.

 

Oddly enough (until you think about it), coins in acid are usually eaten away completely evenly, and essentially become gradually-smaller-but-detail-accurate versions of themselves. In the case of this coin (understanding the images aren't up to anything like "accurate" opinion), one plausible explanation for originality would be an extended burying in acidic soil which affected places of greater or lesser strike-related hardness at different rates. It's a different thing than an acid soak.

 

The "very big difference", sir, stopped the moment he decided to name names, particularly because there was no benefit to the reader in doing so. I'm sure you've heard of "guilt by association"? Well, please don't tell me that nothing can come from the mere suggestion that someone may be selling a fake, or that a supposed innocent learning experience/discussion trumps common decency.

It seems many on this forum are perfectly happy holding others to different standards than they hold themselves, or haven't the slightest problem doing to others what they would not appreciate one bit if done to them, and that is, in my most humble opinion, a problem. With all due respect, Mr. Witten; if this was a forum you didn't participate on, and it was unnecessarily implied that it was your ebay account selling a possible (but unlikely) fake, something tells me you may feel somewhat differently than you've expressed here. Consider this food for thought.

 

I don't see it that way really. He linked the ebay auction, but did not mention the seller in his post (that I saw at least). Most people would just look at the pictures he posted, and add their input on whether or not they thought it was genuine. I do not think he was calling a certain seller out or anything. Oh well

 

I know, right? Outrage comes to me too easily to waste effort manufacturing it over something like this.

 

Shakespeare comes to mind after reading this thread.

 

Yeah, Merchant of Venice.

 

Lol

 

I wouldn't characterize his comments like that of a "teacher." I never heard a teacher's remarks that overbearing and pretentious

 

Fancy seeing you here... perhaps you could be so kind as to answer the same question posed to the other gentleman: would you, as an ebay seller, be okay with someone implying you're selling, or could be selling, a fake? I'm guessing not, and that if you were on the receiving end, you'd feel my overbearingness and pretentiousness perfectly reasonable.

Beware: Joecoincollect may be selling fakes! (Doesn't quite warm your heart, now does it?)

 

A few days ago someone asked"how do you find Indian Cents?"

Try digging! This one looks like it was in the ground for years...Probably in high acid soil.

 

In today's marketplace, it's quite possible, nearly probable, that any dealer/collector could be "guilty" of unintentionally selling a counterfeit or altered coin. Look at all the fakes that have been slabbed by TPG's over the years. I can't begin to count the number of sellers to whom I've written about counterfeit offerings on ebay in the past ten years. Most were grateful, but many were offended. Those who were offended fell largely into two categories, being either crooks or those who felt I was attacking their veracity. Note that I always took pains to be tactful. Sadly, from my perspective, there are too many folks who fail to look at coins/tokens objectively. I've learned to quickly turn my back on those folks who, rather than study any given coin, seem to regard it as their child or extension of self.

Coin forums are a great place to share and learn. When matters get personal, it gets ugly.

 

Actually, I'm a volunteer teacher and I think his comments were very instructive. Perhaps those who were not fortunate to receive a disciplined, private education might agree with you and cry out.

Anyway, I thought the moderators were the word/thought "police" around here.

 

Perhaps the OP could have just ask for an opinion of the coin without asking if it's fake. I actually don't care to see folks post any active listing. Some people will do this to mess with a seller. Some sellers will have someone do it for them to draw more bids. That's why I don't care for it.

I have a question for the forum. Is it alright to just post the images and not say where they came from? It's probably wrong to post images you don't own but what if you just want information on a coin and don't wish to draw attention to the seller.

 

Good Morning I think that the posting of ANY coin should be allowed on CT even if it is not ours; especially if we wish to learn something from it. It a "copyright" involved?

 

I think it is the duty of a seller to make sure that the item he is selling is genuine. If the problem was limited to cheap IHCs, I wouldn't make it a big deal. But high-end coins are entirely a different matter. eBay sellers routinely get away with stunts that would quickly bring the police to a brick-and-mortar store.

 

Fraud is a felony and should be a capital crime...that will stop most of it!

 

I have linked many fake coin listings on here and if I see another, will do the same, and call it what it is. My hopes are to not only educate others, but to let all sellers know that someone is actually watching what they do.
As for the OP, his question wasn't about the seller, but rather the coin. For all we know, his intent was to justify a purchase. All things considered, if it were a fake, someone would call him out on it, but if real, he just got a bunch of free advertising, and will sell it because of this post.