I know the saying...if its too good to be true, blah blah blah. Found this coin for cheap (which usually means somethins up) Just wondering what you guys think. Thanks!
I assume you're kidding. Its pretty easy to tell now. BTW---to be clear---I did not purchase this item. THanks for the help!
I really think it's real I just hope you didn't shell out over $20 on it. It also looks like it had an old cleaning.
the easiest pick up point for me was that it was struck in a collar so the dentils and rim are even and uniform. Originals would have hand engraved dentils that wouldn't be so perfectly placed and the rim would be less perfect since the coin would have been struck without a collar. there are other obvious issues, but that is what caught my attention first.
P.S. it is a dime since the quarters all said 25 C on the reverse and there were no half dimes minted in 1804, not that those facts are particularly important since this is a fake, but anyway...
compare it to a real one http://coins.heritageauctions.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=390&Lot_No=22128&src=pr#PHOTO
Engravin of the central device on both sides is very crude. Stars too small, letter font on both sides is wrong, date font is wrong, denticals with a rim instewad of just elongated denticals (The dentical with seperate rim did not come into use until 1834.). Are you sure this is supposed to be a dime? The obverse style matches that of a well known fake 1804 dollar.
Because somebody did a good job with the casting model. Even the fields are quite smooth, which is unusual. But the devices definitely show signs of casting.
Thank God you guys are here.....if its selling for 5 bucks somethin wrong. When i looked in the ANA grading book, there were soooo many differences. Well hey, I saved 5 bucks...now I can get a tank of gas. Thanks all!
It's hard to declare something genuine by a photograph, but possible to declare it fake with almost 100% certainty if you trust the rater !