So I was looking through my stuff yesterday and I came upon this. It's in really good shape and I'm sending it for grading, I think it's MS but I'll leave that up to you guys. And yes I know the picture leaves something to be desired.
The $2 1/2 & $5 Indians are some of the hardest coins to grade - even with the coin in hand. We would need good photos to even attempt to grade your coin. For starters we would need a photo of the obverse, too. It would help if you could take the coin out of the 2X2 so we can see the coin better. And the photos should be in focus; otherwise they are pretty much useless.
A test?!?! I didn't know we were having a test!! I haven't even studied. You are correct, Jim. The $2 1/2 & $5 Indians are heavily counterfeited. Some are VERY good. Even after taking the Counterfeit Detection course at Summer Seminar I don't completely trust my skills at authenticating them.
Ill have to try my best for a better picture. I don't want to take it out of what it's in now though. I actually found this going through my great-grandmother's collection and has been in my family for about 60 years so I don't think it's fake, that's just Me. I'm sending to the PCGS for grading, see what they say.
That is no guarantee your coin is genuine. $2-1/2 & $5 Indians were heavily counterfeited in the 1950s and '60s in the Middle East (e.g., Lebanon).
I do appreciate your extensive knowledge on coins, instead of just a blanket statement that my coin may not be genuine. How about what makes you believe it's not genuine? What would I look for in a fake coin?
I did not say I thought your coin is not genuine. And I don't think anyone else said they think your coin is not genuine. What we stated is that $2-1/2 & $5 Indians have been (and still are) heavily counterfeited. There is no way that I could say one way or the other based on a fuzzy photo of only the reverse. That is not an easy question to answer but my two-word answer is "education" and "experience". You need to know how coins are (and were) made, what the genuine coins look like, mistakes that counterfeiters make, etc. If you send your coin to PCGS they will let you know if it is genuine or not. I am hoping it is genuine but I (and others) feel that it is important to let you know that fakes of your coin are plentiful.
AU 58- ms 60. Nice coin I also have a 1908 $2.50 piece which was a gift. I liked it so much I bought a 1911 $2.50 piece which cost $190. Both in great condition.
The very first gold coin I bought was a fake two and a half dollar Indian. Some were cast and you can see small bubbles and imperfections in the surface. Another tip off is the rim area. Authentic gold Indians have no rim. Fakes have partial rims, especially from 12 o' clock to 3 o'clock on the obverse. Also check the color. If it looks kind of faint pink watch out.
Education and experience is something that I have been trying to gain. I am a young guy and do have some knowledge of coins, etc. I will absolutely look into it more and see what I should be looking for. I do apologize for the picture of the coin, as I have not found a way to photograph the coin up close without making it fuzzy and such. I do appreciate you letting me know that the counterfeits are plentiful, as it's good knowledge to have. After I get it back form PCGS I will be sure to post here and let you know what the final say is!!
I have looked at the coin multiple times with a good magnifying glass and there is no rim on the coin and no bubbles that I have seen. Also the coin is of good color and there is no faint pink or any other color than gold. So I'm hoping this is a genuine coin, and do appreciate all the insight you all have given me.
Compare to images on auction sites like Heritage or Teletrade. MS60s have been selling a little cheap, I bought one in 61 @ Teletrade for around $300 this week. Melt is around $200. So grading, unless it certifies as 62 or above may not be a home run for you, but just peace of mind. I think ANACS will do one coin without minimums or collector club memberships. Good luck.
don't worry about. the odds of a fake are very small. just send it in and see what grade you get. great find and you'll have it forever.
