Please list our mistakes ... to help us learn.

The date on the seated dollar is completely wrong. Since you purchased these through ebay you can probably return them for a refund no matter what the seller says. Open a case with eBay that they are "significantly not as described" and that they are counterfeits. Here in the US that would get the buyer an automatic refund including shipping, and ebay may even allow you to keep the fakes.

Compare the date with a genuine coin. the 6 is too large and mis-shapen, the upper serifs of the 1's are wrong, the 8 is not right , the spacing of the digits is wrong. The date on the real coin came from a four digit logotype punch so the date on every 1861 dollar should be the same.

 

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There definitely is a learning curve in numismatics, catching fakes is one, as well as a host of other problems that can devalue a coin. We've probably all been burned a few times. Sticking with certified coins ( by a reputable grading company) for coins that are worth more than a nominal amount will help, as well as buying from reputable dealers, and remember the old proverb that "there is no Santa Clause in numismatics". Stuff priced or selling to cheap is a red flag. Please don't get discouraged, add to your knowledge, coins are a great hobby!

 

Yay! Somebody else put it in unambiguous black and white. Bravos, Doug.

By the way, that "Seated" coin is ridiculous. No two digits in the date are of the same font style. It's a really BAD fake. The Peace dollar is somewhat better, and the clues are less obvious. But both look more like lead than silver.

 

Here's why I'm always so snarky about the Internet in general. At the very same precise instant in history that being able to critically examine any information that comes before us with a VERY jaundiced eye is an indispensable skill, is the exact SAME moment in history when we seem to have stopped teaching that skill.

This has ONE inevitable outcome - a population that is extraordinarily easy to con and lead astray.

 

Buy some 1/4 x 1/8 Inch Neodymium Rare Earth Disc Magnets N48 or stronger - they're about $10 for a 20 pack - place a magnet at one rim/edge, tilt the (silver) coin, round or bar & let the magnet slide down to the opposite edge - slow slide is good, fast slide is bad, as is no slide at all - silver plated copper will also slide slow, but the dimensions and/or weight of the coin will be off - testing dimensions, weight and magnetic response will go a long way toward detecting fakes.

 

A couple of things that stand out on the Seated dollar is the shield on your dollar is missing the banner containing LIBERTY. The font on the date is also different.

Authentic Seated Dollar


Yours

 

A current search on ebay will reveal a seller in Vietnam offering 1865 Washington quarters. That is not a typo. The photo on the coins actually shows 1865 as the date. Searching his other sales show walking liberty half dollars bearing dates in the 1700s. He also shows a Flowing hair dollar dated 1795. All start at roughly $9. Even the French Indo China silver coins look fake. Unless you find a dealer that starts every auction at .99 you will never find a genuine silver coin for less than melt on a BUY IT NOW auction. I'm sorry that you were taken.

 

@OldFlyByNightUK, look out your window. Do you see that 15 year-old going by on his bicycle with that iPhone stuck in his ear? Last week he posted the start-up instructions for a Boeing 747 on Wikipedia.

 

Hello Jurius, I appreciate this may be a dumb question, but there seem to be quite a few N grades available. Is the higher the number the stronger the magnet, or is the otimum strength 1, and it goes down from there? Thanks

 

... and ironically, they were CORRECT, in this one instance.

 

The higher the number, the stronger the rare earth magnet - I suggest N48 (strong enough to do the job, readily available, inexpensive). - 1/4" x 1/8" is the right size for coin testing

Grade Br (KG) Hcb (KOe) Hci (KOe) BHmax (MGOe) Tmax
N35 11.7-12.2 ≥10.9 ≥12.0 33-36 80C / 176F
N38 12.2-12.5 ≥10.9 ≥12.0 36-39 80C / 176F
N40 12.5-12.8 ≥11.4 ≥12.0 38-41 80C / 176F
N42 12.8-13.2 ≥11.5 ≥12.0 40-43 80C / 176F
N45 13.2-13.8 ≥11.6 ≥12.0 43-46 80C / 176F
N48 13.8-14.2 ≥11.6 ≥12.0 46-49 80C / 176F
N50 14.0-14.5 ≥10.0 ≥11.0 48-51 70C / 158F
N52 14.3-14.8 ≥10.0 ≥11.0 50-53 70C / 158F

 

And is indeed an excellent as well as a very true point.

Unfortunately, it seem that most people today are eager to blame anyone and everyone but themselves for their mistakes, so it's always nice to see someone willing to shoulder responsibility for their actions/decisions. Regardless of what the seller's intent was, accepting and learning from this will only help you in the long run, not only in this hobby but in general life as well. You've a fine and wise attitude, sir; welcome to the forum.

 

Unfortunately that isn't unique to the internet. Many colleges and majors would be out of business if that skill was being taught and valued as one of many examples.

 

Even a broken clock is correct twice a day.

 

Darn, I'm only up to 1.87 on average.

Here's another fact - but a clock that runs fine, but is initially set wrong, never is correct. It seems we need a societal message to illustrate with that one, too.

It's a little like learning Apple put a feature in the Apple Watch to "move forward and backward in time" on their watch. Until that makes people around me move involuntarily forward or backward at high speed, I'm not interested.

 

Welcome to CT, @OldFlyByNightUK! I’m sorry it had to be under these circumstances. But kudos for you to seek answers and take responsibility for the lack of pre-purchase diligence. I think you’ve already gained a wealth of information at relatively small cost (and hopefully with a refund from the seller/eBay the lesson will be even less painful).

Hope you’ll come back often to CT.

Steve

 

The first thing that jumped out at me on the Peace Dollar is that "In God We Trust" seems improperly slanted to the bust. It seems to be tilting.

 

Thank you one and all, for your comments.

The seller, has responded to our latest message with the following -

"Looks like you did your research little late, I think I made a high quality picture
of the coin. Anyway I going to sand back your money because I don't have a time
for this and I waiting back my fake coins."

We changed our complaint from "doesn't seem authentic" to "not as described" as many of you said (thanks).
But thank you in particular, as I included your criticism of the Seated Liberty in a list of "what's wrong with it".
Robec - Liberty, Condor101 & Robec & Mr Bellman - date, Mainebill - wear & weight, Beefer518 - denticles

And Juris, we've ordered N52 magnets, but not received them yet, so couldn't use your arguement/test - we'd tried with our granddaughter's magnet, but weren't confident that was 'man' enough to prove a point.
jpcienkus - slanting "In God We Trust", too late to include, but it does look a little out of kilter.

Finally, we're considering taking up the seller's offer regarding the Peace Dollar, but actually keeping the Seated Liberty as a prominent reminder to check, check, then double check again, and if it looks too good a deal it more than likely is! And, we can do the magnet test on it.

Again, thank you one and all for your contributions,

Gill & Alan

 

Until you run into some of the better ones that use the correct alloy.

Those have been around for a long time, but if you look at the back I believe they say One Dollar not quarter dollar.

 

Could be I only looked at the listing photos. I did not click to see the back side. For those who want to see for themselves the sellers screen name is www.vietnamese.xyz. I don't vouch for anything he is selling. If you blow up the photo from his page it is a screen grab from GOOD MORNING VIETNAM showing Robin Williams and a Vietnamese female.