“Live or Memorex”? 1927-s Liberty Standing Quarter

We have started a regular discussion post on a FB page I am a member of where we look at images of 3 different examples of a coin “variety” and the group comments on which is real and which is fake and why. These key date 1927-S quarters are from the next discussion post there; of the 3 illustrated examples 2 are determined counterfeits, one most likely the repaired source example.

I am asking that group to try and review the images as if you are a grader for one of the TPGs and dealing with any time constraints they may have!

Good luck, this one is rather tricky (not trying to make any excuses for the several that were slabbed as genuine…)- the answers as I see them will be posted later!

 

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I am typically wrong when I do these. If I had these three to choose from I would reject Examples one and three. I don't like the surface of the fields on these two.

 

I was going to say #2 is the real deal but for a totally different reason- the designers initial, looks funny on #1 & #3

 

Unfortunately image quality can have an impact when working only from pictures...

 

These images are definitely hard to work with, partly because the rims are partially obscured on two examples. If I had to guess I'd also go with 2, but what's with the forehead horns? You're sure one of them is genuine right?

 

Like I state in my Coin Week articles I am sure at least 2 of these are fakes! I will show which one I believe to be genuine based on toning and appearance compared to the one known to be genuine in the research on these.

 

I think I missed the "variety" part at first. In that case I'll go with example 1 as the genuine

Edit: The more I look at them, the more I go back to example 2. Good brain teaser.

 

2 = genuine. 1&3 are counterfeit

 

One thing I found interesting from the research is the scratch on the eagle's wing of example #2 is not seen on the others...

 

That was my initial thoughts the 2nd one looks like normal wear

 

I also guess #2.

 

Agree

 

OK, we have seen source coins used to make the dies for these, with the majority of tooling/ repairs and circulation marks transferred directly into the struck counterfeits. With only images in hand we look for unique marks (scratches, etc.) and toning to help distinguish one from the other.

The time-line for the 5 known examples to date (with this post example #’s) is:

 

On coin #1, I see a depression over the eagle’s beak. Is that diagnostic?

 

Do you see a similar depression over this example?



The genuine source coin.

 

One thing's for sure:
Example 3 is a counterfeit.

 

The picture is grainy and at a different light angle, but there might be something there.

Coin #1:



Source coin:

 

Example #1

 

I tossed out #2 because of the straight leg on the 7. The downstroke of the 7 should be curved.

 

I decided to go with a quick look and my gut reaction, so I'll say 1-fake, 2-gen, 3 fake. Let the chips fall where they may!