I was there during the earthquake. Was on my way to visit friends in Dunedin. I'll never forget that day. Feb.22nd, 2011, if I remember correctly. I love your country, by the way.
I am not an expert on Trade Dollars but if you Google "Fake 1873 Trade Dollars" you can see replicas selling for as little as $12. Not all fakes are made in China but probably most of them are.
I’ll never forget the family huddling in the master bedroom closet with two little boys both trying (somewhat unsuccessfully) to show how brave they were... Cheers!