1880 trade dollar real?

I'm not real hopeful about the Stone Mountain. Scads of replica souvenirs of the South were a mainstay of such places as Stuckey's a half century ago.

 

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Who told you the "half dollar" (it's a commemorative) was real?
Beefer is right on point.
In 1880 they made less than 2000 proof trade dollars.
1880 P Proof Only 1,987
It would be a $3000 coin if it was real.
The old: It was my grandparents coin and I don't know anything about coins. Is the oldest coin scam in the book.

 

I see no problem with the Stone Mountain,the trade dollar is a poor quality fake.

 

Old safety deposit boxes are not immune to fakes. My husband's Grandfather had a handful of coins--mostly circulated Morgans, a few Booker T.s BUT, did include a fake California fractional gold. His GF was the one ripped off though, not anyone buying from 'Grandpa's Box Sale'.

That said, there was also a circulated 1880 proof trade dollar too. I can't remember the weight off the top of my head but it was extremely close...a 6-8% variance is WRONG unless it's very heavily worn. The diameter was also correct, the look was correct (the toning not to everyone's taste) and more importantly, it's now in a PCGS slab. 'AU details, cleaned'.

This is how a circulated proof looks:


Not quite a $3000 dollar coin, but it's still nice, and more importantly has a tremendous amount of sentimental value for my husband.


edited to add: here is a nice discussion on weights https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/986965/how-light-is-too-light-for-a-poor-trade-dollar

 

What is the actual metal content of these counterfeits generally? Just curious anyone know?,

 

The early ones coming out of china were just a pot metal of various mixtures that contained no silver, but today, they are silver, have almost perfect detail and the weights are pretty spot on. If you don't know what you're with trade dollars, you will be burned.

 

The Trade dollar is fake.

The Stone Mountain half is real.

 

very fake!

 

As we say in Minnesota, uff da! The denticles on the left on the obverse should never look that weakly struck (on a proof, no less).
Steve

 

i just cleaned them.i am sure now that the trade dollar is fake even if its silver.i think the half dollar is real

 

I await a flood of comments........

 

I'll start.

Well, now you pray that they're fakes, because if not you just cost yourself a whole_bunch of money.

 

i paid 10€ on them.not much to regret

 

Both look like counterfeits from the washed out photos.

Crude letters on 50c.

 

So why do you even ask if they're authentic or not...?

 

Well if the Stone Mountain is real as some have said, then you made a good deal. Until you cleaned the 1925 commem half dollar.

 

No, not really. I only mention it for those who might be swayed into thinking that cleaning is a "normal" process in numismatics, not because you should deserve to be beaten for these two.

 

The trade dollar is an obvious fake. The stone mtn doesn't look to promising either.

 

After cleaning, it really doesn't make much difference whether the Stone Mountain is real or not. That coin isn't exactly in high demand as a details grade.

 

Why would anyone fake a $15 coin in the first place?