Counterfeit 1877 Indian Head Cent

This one scared me a bit. Not that many years ago I don't think I would have been able to spot it as fake. At least it doesn't have a fake shallow "N".

 

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Alex, I'll take "Things I'd never buy Raw for $1000"

 

Ok I'll bite. I would I tell it's a fake based on those pictures? Thanks in advance.

 

https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/6951/counterfeit-detection-november-2018/

Read this article, and then you tell me

 

Putting it next to a legit coin definitely makes it easier. The "E" in America definitely stand out and the overall "mushyness" of the coin. Thanks for sharing!

 

The counterfeit in that article's much worse, though, at least to my eyes. Look at the broken letters on the obverse. I don't see that in OP's example here.

From study here and elsewhere, I know about the weak N in ONE that you expect to see in a business-strike 1877. Any process that produced this fake should be able to reproduce that feature as well. Guess I'm even less likely to jump on raw high-grade 1877 cents now. If that's possible.

 

https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/6951/counterfeit-detection-november-2018/

IMO, understanding theory ie what method was used and what signs point to that method, is better than memorizing pictures.

I always come away from these articals with the feeling that I was never suppose to learn anything. Sorry, just my opinion.

 

Here are a couple of real ones.

This one is in my one a year cent set. It's graded EF-45.



I bought this one raw from a member of the public at a show when I was dealer. Then I had it graded. Yes, I paid over $1,000 when I bought it raw over 20 years ago.



On all of the business strikes the bottom of the "N" in "ONE" fades out on the right side. If the "N" is strong, it's either a Proof or a fake.

It's hard to explain, but I knew the one in the OP was no good because the "LIBERTY" did not look right.

 

I think FAKE.
I have a well worn example I bought many years ago. Here is a comparison of the dates on both. My example is the one on the right.

Unless there are date varieties of 1877 cents, I see significant differences in the dates.

 

Your 1877 cent is really a great circulated piece, @Eduard. The main devices are boldly defined, and the surfaces are “hard” and smooth. The “optimistic” dealers would graded it VG to Fine 60 years ago while the honest graders would have called Good-Very Good. Today it’s a G-6+. It’s a top notch “album coin.”

And, yes, the date on the piece in OP is slightly off along with other factors.