Suspicious Morgan- Prove me right, or wrong...

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by Arnold Coindexter, Dec 28, 2018.

  1. bear32211

    bear32211 Always Learning

    The Stars on the obverse are terrible. They look like they're made of playdough. Especially number 3 right side below the "M".:spitoutdummy:
     
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  3. John Skelton

    John Skelton Morgan man!

    Yeah, the stars did it for me. Hope you didn't pay too much for it. Even so, I'd keep it as a good example of what a fake looks like.
     
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  4. JeffC

    JeffC Go explore something and think a happy thought!

    I'm no expert either so I needed to look a bit closer than most of you. I saw that the serifs in the word "UNUM" are unusually think as compared to a geniune one.
     
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  5. juris klavins

    juris klavins Well-Known Member

    ...and Squiggy's sideburn :rolleyes:
     
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  6. Ericred

    Ericred Active Member

    Given the overall look of the eagle, cleaned or dipped, I think I'm not experienced
     
  7. Mountain Man

    Mountain Man Supporter! Supporter

    It is real, but not minted in CC. May Canton City?
     
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  8. Maxfli

    Maxfli Well-Known Member

    The thing I noticed instantly was no bag marks.

    They may exist, but I've ever seen a Morgan without bag marks.
     
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  9. Jaelus

    Jaelus The Hungarian Antiquarian Supporter

  10. Michael K

    Michael K Well-Known Member

    This is what I noticed what Maxfli said. It's a raw 1878-CC Morgan,
    and yet the reverse fields are COMPLETELY unblemished. As if it was minted a week ago, which it probably was. And it has that dead no luster look.
     
  11. Dave Waterstraat

    Dave Waterstraat Well-Known Member

    Heavy nailed it, '78-CC was never struck with a reverse of '79 die. (Slanted arrow)
     
  12. JeffC

    JeffC Go explore something and think a happy thought!

    Another reason why I like reading CoinTalk: the type of information you get! Thanks.
     
    Dave Waterstraat likes this.
  13. Dynoking

    Dynoking Well-Known Member

    What makes you think it’s fake?
     
  14. Jaelus

    Jaelus The Hungarian Antiquarian Supporter

    Casting artifacts on the obverse around 12 o'clock caught my eye almost immediately, but the general look itself doesn't hold up to scrutiny.
     
  15. Ana Silverbell

    Ana Silverbell Well-Known Member

    The obverse is similar to the 1878 P VAM 83: the nostril was polished causing an opening in the nostril; the 1 in the date is higher and doubled, first 8 and 7 doubled, etc.)

    I have never seen a VAM 83 nostril on an 1878 CC. Would love to find one but I'll pass on this one.
     
  16. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    Obviously fake. Surfaces and stars the first clue. Hair and eagle detail the second. Too many more to list
     
  17. Southernman189

    Southernman189 Well-Known Member

    drop it on a marble or counter top that is not wood and listen to the sound. It most likely will have a Thud sound and not the familiar ring of silver
     
  18. Oldhoopster

    Oldhoopster Member of the ANA since 1982

    NO NO NO!!!! For any new collectors reading this thread, DO NOT follow this advice. Dropping a coin on a hard surface can damage it, and a damaged coin has a lower value. And never use a test that requires removing some metal for an acid test

    BTW: some Chinese fakes are silver, so this isn't a foolproof test
     
  19. halfcent1793

    halfcent1793 Well-Known Member

    Seriously fake.
     
  20. Southernman189

    Southernman189 Well-Known Member

    if it's suspected fake the damage wouldn't matter after a simple 6 inch drop. Not like it's 8 feet to the counter.
     
  21. Bob Evancho

    Bob Evancho Well-Known Member

    If I don't have the coin in hand to compare die varieties and die characteristics from the VAM Book or VAMWorld.com, I look for other tell tale signs of fake coins from books on counterfeit and altered coins. I rely heavily on VAMWorld.com to determine authenticity of any Silver Dollar. I recall TPG services authenticating counterfeit Micro O Dollars. So the Big Boys make mistakes also. Although SEGS is criticized by most as a grading service, I have confidence in them to be very accurate on VAM varieties and errors. If I want to protect a coin, SEGS has, in my opinion, the strongest capsule in the grading industry. Buy the book before you buy the coin or study VAMWorld.com for die characteristics. Oh, that coin is fake. Doesn't match any know die variety.
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2019
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