Method i use to check authenticity ?

hi guys!
ive recently been comparing some of my pre 33 gold coins to the same coins pictured on the PCGS website.
The pics on the pcgs site are of high quality so all the minute details can be seen easily.

Ive been particulary been focusing on 'Die Cracks'.
ive been able to match up some die cracks that are on my coins to some of the coins pictured on PCGS.
Die cracks of the same pattern and location.

The fakes I'm most concerned about are those middle east counterfeits made out of correct fineness and dimensions.

My thinking is that even if the counterfeit dies are made from a genuine coin ,,,that the die cracks would be lost in the transfer as they are such a fine/tiny detail.

I always enjoy learning about Counterfeit Detection,
do you guys think this is a good way to help verify the authenticity of the coins? and any other tips on weeding out the counterfeits.

thanks!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

No.

 

@charley I don't believe I have ever seen you so wordy..... Sadly some of the gold counterfeits out there are done frighteningly well. I couldn't speak to IDing counterfeits from known die cracks. In my mind I can foresee a number of flaws that would be inherent to that process.... I am a believer that the more coins you handle, the better versed you become in counterfeit detection.

 

I vehemently concur with the entirety of your Post.

I add only one addition to your commentary...deciding the validity of any coin from a photo, and especially a gold coin, is not a method of assurance.

In replying, I am resisting interpreting the OP as AI and/or Spam or self-serving, in the interest of reasonableness....until it is not.
I will wait for an engaging enthusiastic response from the OP, to solidify my interpretation as equitable (or not).

Hint: Middle East Counterfeits? I guess.....

 

I forgot...I meant to add an apology if my latest Post was a bit wordy.

 

@lib9995, your process could possibly identify an authentic coin that was struck from the same die as the one pictured on the PCGS Photograde. It would not authenticate a coin struck on a different die pair.

While using your method might help you authenticate one bona fide coin, you could easily be leaving lots of other good coins on the table.

Additionally, I don't know if the PCGS Photograde uses matching die pairs on their obverse and reverse pictures. They could very well use obverse and reverse pictures from different coins and different die pairs. In that case you might not have a coin match, ever.

 

I think the OP is referring to the PCGS coin facts images, not photograde.

I think using die cracks or other die marks can be useful in an overall evaluation of authenticity, but not 100% certain. If it's on your coin and not on images of other genuine examples, that doesn't tell you much either way. The middle east fakes I would never be able to tell from images. Look at some of them in the NGC top 50 https://www.ngccoin.com/resources/counterfeit-detection/top/united-states/ and see how minuscule some of the diagnostics are.

 

Using a die crack to detect a counterfeit coin would be a very unwise decision.

 

I don't know about a die crack being helpful at all, what I look at is the design and any initials as well as the font and all the letters. Letters are specific to US gold and not all letters are level as in the word America on US gold one dollar coin reverse. That's mostly what I look at.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2765136936...+hhesKgrGoo75U3HpDlaGXV5Y=|tkp:Bk9SR9Dv68GrZA

 

thanks for the replies
sorry if caused any confusion , struggled to word what i was meaning lol

i managed to match a 1904 $20 lib i have to one i found on PCGS TrueView ,,,there is die cracks in multiple places that match EXACTLY to the coin i have, (they are not the same coin if wondering lol)

So by finding this, i think its just another way to confirm a genuine coin as i think these die cracks would be lost in making the counterfeit.
A lot of the middle eastern fakes are of high quality , being correct metal composition and weight and dimensions, but i dont think ive seen any with die cracks??

 

ok

 

also, my 1904 and the pcgs trueview 1904 have the same die cracks on both sides on the coin which would suggest same die pairing as well.

With such a high mintage on the 1904 $20 lib,,,,i thought my chances of finding a match pretty slim , but i did lol

i would not use matching die cracks as a sole single way to determine authenticity, but i think its just another thing to look for when weeding out non-us mint made pre33.

 

small example ,top pic is a coin on pcgs trueview, bottom is my coin.
( just one of a few matching cracks)

 

yes using coinfacts pics

 

The die was more worn on the top coin. It’s not just the crack that’s different.