Hello group. First I must apologize for not being able to post a picture but I need some help and advice. Today I went to a coin shop. I decided to take my 1895 s Liberty $20 with me to get the dealer opinion of the grade. One guy looked at it and said he was not an expert on gold and took it to the other guy who was busy eating lunch. Later he came out and asked me "where did I get it". I explained that it had been in my family for at least 30 years. He then stated that it looked liked a fake and not a very good one. Strange thing years ago I took it to another dealer who wanted to buy the thing. I respect this last dealer opinion but would like to pursue this further. I noticed that the color does not look quite right and there are some light scratches but an absence of any bag marks except for one just above her eye. No mint luster but it appears to be a lightly circulated coin. My question would be what would be any recommendations on the next step. Would the absence of bag marks be a good indication that this coin was indeed a fake. Would having it accurately weighed be the next step. Thanks and have a good holiday:hail:
It's hard to know when a coin shop owner is trying to talk you out of the coin. They usually are. If you have the money and care get it to a third party grader. What kind of condition is it in?
Hi Bama Guy, I did a quick check - 1895-S is not a particularly rare date for $20 pieces so I would not think it worthwhile to try to "fake" a date or mintmark. Whether the coin itself is genuine is another question. I would recommend getting third party certification if there is any doubt. Also, I do not have a high regard for most dealers. You know the deal, whatever they want to sell is PQ, high-end, etc., whatever you want to sell them is garbage. Roll Tide!
Thanks guys, Appreciate the advice and effort. Think the only way I will get this question answered is to send it off to a TPG. Still have 4 Silver anniversary sets in the box and a 1811 dime I would like to get slabbed. May just have to do it. The guy was not trying to buy nor was i trying to sell it but felt in a way he was saying "buy from him or get ripped off" . It is hard to take anyone to serious that has a chunk of chicken in his mouth. If it is afake then someone mixed gold color with a chunk of lead as it has a health weight. Think I will take it to jeweler friend of mine and have it weighted. It is really no big deal. Been locked up for 30 years and it can stay locked up another 30 years. I did manage to get a nice mercury war time dime set and a Xf 1859 indian head penny. I knew what I was doing at this level. Poor Bama , I am afraid they are at the end of the spool this year. Been a tuff year for sure. Suppose to have a real good recruting year based on verbal commitments.. Actually went to a school called troy (home of Demarcus Ware the dallas cowboys). I am going to watch the televised game that will be on tonight, Have a few cold one and take some asprin for my headache that I get everytime I drive in the big city. Above all be thankful for what I do have.
It easy could be fake, but it also could be made of genuine gold and still be fake. Yes weighing and measuring the coin are steps to figuring it out but they are by no means definitive. Many fakes have the correct weight and size. Also, when it comes to dealers, while some are quite knowedgeable many of them wouldn't recognize a fake if it bit them. So unless you know your dealer and his knowledge level very well, don't put too much faith in what they say. If you can, figure out a way to post pics and we might be able to offer more help.
Hi Bama Guy, I'm very familiar with Troy. I live in Arizona now since retiring from the Army, but I'm originally from Dothan - still have a house there I'm renting out. Right, the Tide is having a bad year. I get the satellite college package just to watch them. They can still pull it out if they can beat Auburn next week. v/r Dan
It's either real and gold - GOOD Fake and gold- OK or fake and made of gilded brass--Oh.... Anyway, lack of bag-marks is not a real sign of a fake, so I would reccomend having it slabbed or showing it to a dealer you are sure is reputable !
I've been there before. Years ago I had a couple of $5 Liberty pieces that a dealer told me had been harshly cleaned and were possibly fake. They looked fine to me, just a little worn from having seen a slight amount of circulation. Still, I'm no expert, so I sent them off to NGC for grading. They both came back AU-58. The dealer just kind of shrugged it off when I showed him.
Hey group. Thanks a great deal for all the comments. Believe the most important thing that I have learned is that just because someone sells coins this does not make them a coin expert, kind of like a car dealer. Anyhow I took the coin to a jeweler whom I have know for years. He first bounced it up and down in his hand and said that it felt like gold. When it stuck his ring he stated that is sounded like gold. He took his loop out and looked at the edges. He said that he did not see any signs of bleeding (The base metal under gold plating) The weight was 33.88 grams on their scales which is very close to the 33.436 grams weight reported for this coin. He told me he would be glad to run an acid test which involves taking a small plug of the coin and testing it but felt this was not necessary and would cause some damage to a nice circulated coin (his words). Right not I am confident that it is at least gold. Far as market value, my coin would be basically a bullion coin plus a small premium for the coin itself. When my nephew come for his semi annual visit, I will get him to take a picture and post it for me. He eats this kind of stuff up like candy. May be time for me to buy a camera and become more involved in the 21st century but I still refuse to get a cell phone. Well for now anyhow. Thanks again and I will someday post some pictures.
