1881 & 82 cc 1889 and 1878 Morgan dollars

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by ChelleB, Oct 12, 2025 at 1:25 AM.

  1. ChelleB

    ChelleB New Member

    So I got these at work today. But someone informed me they might be fake. I was wondering why the 1878 looked different and is even a little bit thicker then the other ones. So what's everyone's thoughts on them could they be fake? Also I got a 1926 peace dollar.
     

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  3. GoldFinger1969

    GoldFinger1969 Well-Known Member

    Not my area of specialty, but the 1926 Peace definitely looks problematic. It says "In COD We Trust" and I am pretty sure we are not a Fish Nation. :D

    The "W" in "We Trust" also looks misshapen.

    Where do you work that you got all these 100-year old coins ?
     
  4. SensibleSal66

    SensibleSal66 U.S Casual Collector / Error Collector

    Hey! I would measure and weigh them ladies. Sounds like Chinese haul. How much were they?
     
    GoldFinger1969 likes this.
  5. Spark1951

    Spark1951 Accomplishment, not Activity

    The 1926 Peace is definitely fake. As mentioned, you need to weigh the others, look in your Red Book, use your digital scale.

    How much did you pay for the Carson City dollars? If you paid less than $100 for them each then probably counterfeit. The CCs in that condition are running $300-400.
     
    SensibleSal66 likes this.
  6. Vess1

    Vess1 CT SP VIP Supporter

    The Peace isn't even a good fake. There are so many issues on that one that the average collector should spot 3+ tells immediately. Don't think the Morgans pass muster either.
     
    Pickin and Grinin likes this.
  7. longnine009

    longnine009 Darwin has to eat too. Supporter

    Teresa looks as though she was out bar hopping all night on that Peace.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2025 at 3:00 PM
  8. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    The Peace dollar looks like cartoon line art. We see those fairly frequently on eBay and the like. I think of them as "not even trying" fakes.

    The 1878 looks wrong in general. The lettering and the rest of the design isn't as sharp as it should be, and the coloring on the reverse looks like the "fake tan" that's commonly present on Chinese fakes. (I'm sure they can be/have been made in other places as well, but we've seen video from Chinese manufacturing operations, Chinese sites like Alibaba have plentiful listings for them, and I assume that's where most of them come from.)

    The other three Morgans look better at first glance, but on closer inspection, they've still got mushy details. They also have a weird luster/"sheen" that I don't see on real coins, but have seen on some fakes. (Our local pawnshop once put out a half-dozen or so 1901-P Morgan dollars with exactly that sheen. Barely any contact marks; if real, the group would've been worth well into six figures, possibly seven.)
     
    Neal likes this.
  9. fretboard

    fretboard Defender of Old Coinage!

    That Peace Dollar is definitely a fake, the Morgans don't look right to me either! Better luck next time! ;)
     
  10. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    I don't like the mushiness of the Morgans. If they are real someone really did a number with a wheel. I say fake.
     
  11. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    The Peace Dollar is definitely a fake. As for the Morgan’s, I can’t tell from the photos.
     
  12. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    Yeah, throw out the Peace dollar. Have you tried to see if a magnet will attract the Morgans?
     
    -jeffB likes this.
  13. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    It's always worth doing a magnet check, but the last few fakes I've checked apparently were silver-plated copper rather than iron/steel. They get "dragged" by a moving magnet about the same as legitimate silver coins, and aren't directly attracted to the magnet. The tell for these was that while they weigh the correct amount, they're about 10% thicker than a legit example, because copper's about 10% less dense than silver.
     
    Randy Abercrombie likes this.
  14. Vess1

    Vess1 CT SP VIP Supporter

    As PMs rise to higher and higher prices, anybody serious about collecting will have to consider getting a Sigma tester. It's a high upfront cost but will protect you the rest of your life in these purchases. If not willing to do so, probably shouldn't be buying in amounts that would exceed the cost of a Sigma verifier.
     
  15. longnine009

    longnine009 Darwin has to eat too. Supporter

  16. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    I read some obscure piece this morning about that. Said that London is the epicenter of silver trading and that London had sent their silver stateside in anticipation of some tariff deal.... But long and short is that they are short on product and there is a silver "run on the banks" so to speak...... Now I am not near smart enough to rationalize all that out, but man what a wild ride.
     
  17. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    Silver is in high demand and short on supply. China and US are using tariffs against each other. And the US dollar is dropping, which makes it easier for other countries to buy silver. There are a few other reasons as to why the PM’s are going up. I believe silver is up over 50% this year already. I’m happy with all of my holdings. There is one analyst that predict silver will hit $100 probably next year. Fine by me. :)
     
    Randy Abercrombie likes this.
  18. longnine009

    longnine009 Darwin has to eat too. Supporter

    I don't try to figure out silver anymore. And I don't bother reading the geniuses with all the answers about silver or the snivelers who are mad at silver because it didn't let them win on the last run.

    In fact, I'm pretty sure if I could figure out silver I could figure out women, horse races, and which slot machine is getting ready to take a dump.
     
    Randy Abercrombie and -jeffB like this.
  19. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    The article I read this morning was talking about some dealers putting silver on cargo flights to London, because the higher premiums there outweighed the additional cost.
     
    Randy Abercrombie likes this.
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