how do you spot fake Trade Dollars, anyway?

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by ksparrow, Aug 1, 2009.

  1. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    I’m not liking this one Jack. Details look subtly off. Denticles look really weak and the centers look weaker than the rest of the coin. Usually the s mint coins are really well struck with the exception of the 73-s. This looks crisp around the reverse lettering like a nearly ms coin yet the eagle and the portrait look vf. And the surfaces look contrived. How is the weight and metal?
     
    Jack D. Young likes this.
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    Your previous post did look like clashed dies. But there was so much damage and harsh cleaning it was hard to make a call but I thought it had a chance
     
  4. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    Is that a die chip or pmd on the denticles below de on the reverse. If a die chip could be a diagnostic tool.
     
  5. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    Also seeing something odd with the n in United. Again looks like die related
     
    ksparrow likes this.
  6. ksparrow

    ksparrow Coin Hoarder Supporter

    I notice this one has no period after FINE. Anybody know if that is a known variation? Over 5 million minted so maybe?
    If there is some undamaged edge reeding, a closeup of that would help.
    The weakly struck areas on the rev. don't look that unusual to me. A tough one due to the rough handling this coin has had.
     
    Jack D. Young likes this.
  7. ksparrow

    ksparrow Coin Hoarder Supporter

    answered my own question.
    76-s no period after fine.jpg
     
    Mainebill likes this.
  8. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    I’m not seeing some of the other marks though that look die related like the letter n and that missing denticle. Could be a high end struck counterfeit Jack is known to find from a damaged host coin. Or a die variety from really worn dies
     
    ksparrow and Jack D. Young like this.
  9. Jack D. Young

    Jack D. Young Well-Known Member

    I have asked the owner for more info and will post it here when he responds. Thanks all!
     
    ksparrow likes this.
  10. ksparrow

    ksparrow Coin Hoarder Supporter

    I think it's likely pmd. a chip in the die would be filled in, creating a larger raised defect, wouldn't it? On the other hand, damage to the hub is possible, but should be seen on my "dotless" example I posted above, which seems to be very uncommon. So that's why I think it's pmd.
    Assuming the wt, diameter, andmetal content are correct, Isuspect we are looking at a very beat up but genuine example. (this may change depending on additional info Jack may provide)
     
    Mainebill likes this.
  11. ksparrow

    ksparrow Coin Hoarder Supporter

    here is another 74-S, no dot, that shows rev. weakness similar to the subject coin(this one is AU58, so also allow for wear to the coin in question.)
    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2020
    Jack D. Young and Mainebill like this.
  12. ksparrow

    ksparrow Coin Hoarder Supporter

    CORRECTION: It is too late for me to edit 5 posts back, "answered my own question" The mintage for 1874-S dollars is about 2.5million, not over 5 million, which is the 76-S. the reverse of the coin pictured in that post is a 76-S, not 74-S, I entered the wrong date in the Heritage database. (but it does appear that the "no dot after FINE" variation IS pretty hard to find on the 76-S, for those who care about such things). Both kinds are seen with some frequency for the 74-S. Sorry for my mistake.
     
    Jack D. Young, Mainebill and -jeffB like this.
  13. Jack D. Young

    Jack D. Young Well-Known Member

    A friend and coin dealer was going through his safe and found these at the bottom...

    1872-s-combo.jpg
    1877-cc-combo.jpg
    1878-cc-combo.jpg
    1878-combo.jpg

    All 4 were purchased in Vietnam as counterfeits; all 4 test 90% silver but all are at least 2 or more grams too light.

    Just to be sure they were sent to long time Numismatist Jeff C. Garret and confirmed fake- I have them for review as well.

    Best, Jack
     
    Insider and serafino like this.
  14. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    These are pretty good counterfeits except the 78-cc. The granular surface a easy tell Thanks for posting
     
    Jack D. Young likes this.
  15. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    I hit a speedbump on the 1878-P, which looks nothing like a proof to me, wear or no wear.
     
    Jack D. Young likes this.
  16. Phil's Coins

    Phil's Coins Well-Known Member

    Thank you, very informative.
     
    ksparrow likes this.
  17. manny9655

    manny9655 Well-Known Member

    Look at the lettering on "In God We Trust" on all four. Poor job.
     
  18. Mr.Q

    Mr.Q Well-Known Member

    Matters not how much silver is in a coin, it's still a fake, very interesting though. Thanks for posting them.
     
    Jack D. Young likes this.
  19. ksparrow

    ksparrow Coin Hoarder Supporter

    the 77cc and 78cc both have the wrong rev (T1) so are arm's length fakes. mushy granular surfaces too. as pointed out the 1878 was proof only and that obviously ain't a proof.
    the 76s is the scary one for me as that is a legit die pair (type 1/2 micro s) and I don't see anything that screams fake about it.
    If the weight's off by 2g that clinches it but that one is worthy of close study.
     
    serafino and Jack D. Young like this.
  20. KSorbo

    KSorbo Well-Known Member

    I’m not an expert on the correct die diagnostics, but the surfaces really jumped out at me, especially the 2nd, 3rd and 4th examples.
     
  21. ksparrow

    ksparrow Coin Hoarder Supporter

    speaking about the 76-s again, on the obv there seems to be some sort of problem near the ribbon tips, and the overall surfaces look odd. Again, hard to say anything definitive from where I sit.
     
    Jack D. Young likes this.
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page