Older US Gold Grade Input Request

Good afternoon CoinTalkers!
I was recently presented with the opportunity to purchase several gold coins from an older estate collection. I know it is a tall and difficult order but I was hoping for some input on grade. I understand that grading from a photo is very difficult, and grading gold in general is difficult as well, but I thought I'd ask. I appreciate all the help! If purchased, I'd probably send a couple of the better ones of for grading. Sorry about the photos, the first 5 are in a plastic type set holder and the last 3 are in 2x2s.
Now, to the coins...

 

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I'd say the first 4 are in the EF range, the second 4 are in the AU range.

 

It appears the 1878 double Eagle is scratched on the obverse. I don’t like the reverse either and would pass. The 1887 gold dollar is nice though, it could make AU55/58 if authentic. There’s something on the right obv field, could be a clash or just random chatter. I’d just make sure it’s not graffiti.

 

XF details
AU-58
AU-58
AU-58
Pictures aren’t clear enough to determine authenticity. Otherwise MS
AU-58 at least
MS-63
MS-64

Nice collection!

 

Mark here's who you want to give you an opion on these @ToughCOINS

 

I need to bookmark this thread to come back and read it next time I'm confronted with a "real deal" on classic gold.

On the other hand, on the dozen or so occasions when I've bought classic gold so far and then showed and/or sold it to dealers, I haven't hit a fake yet. Luck? Almost certainly.

 

I don't suspect any mischief from the seller though the pieces certainly could be counterfeit from when they were purchased. The sellers father passed away in 1989 and the coins have sat untouched until now. The seller is liquidating them as he is the executor of his mother's estate. They are apparently part of a much larger collection of gold and silver. I met with the seller and his wife in person this afternoon and they couldn't have been nicer or more earnest. It, of course is possible that the coins were purchased as counterfeits years ago by the sellers father.
Thank you so much for the input.

 

Any chance you have access to that book and could shoot a photo of the pages detailing these particular counterfeits? I would love to be able to share the information with the seller.

 

Might you be able to PM it to me, that way it would not be displayed publicly and therefore would not be a copyright violation. If not, I understand.

 

Copying it for one person is a violation, just the same as copying it for everyone would be.

That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if one member or another sneakily PMs you the information. Even that might get them in trouble with the site's administrators, though.

 

Huh. Well, I guess I learned something.

The only one I was initially doubtful of was teh 1910D ten dollars, but I convinced myself that it was good.

If these are fakes, they are damn good fakes.

 

I'm going to reach back out to the seller today and let them know my concerns.

 

Stupid question alert...are the counterfeits in the Fivaz book still made of gold? Or in other words, were they produced to cheat the bullion market or the numismatic collector market?

 

The coins referred to here were made in the 60's, usually in Lebanon. At the time, it was illegal for US citizens to own gold, unless it was a valuable numismatic coin. So, they counterfeited a bunch of coins so that people could own gold. The gold content is spot on, you won't notice a difference in weight or purity.

 

Mark, I suspected a couple of coins to be counterfeit, but wanted to wait for other opinions first.

Here’s a known bad (read: counterfeit) 1887 gold dollar, I thought you may be interested to see one as a comparison. It’s gold, correct weight, size and diameter. And yes, this is my coin