Hey all, got this 1876 IHC in the mail today and had a weird feeling since the get go due to the sellers pictures. Some looked normal, some looked toned, some looked just almost fake. I wasn’t worried because I have buyer protection. It’s the exact weight and dimensions so it passes all the basic tests I can think of. Maybe it just higher grade and been cleaned no sure. It doesn’t make sense that in some angles there is nothing and in others there’s bright blue green and yellow. Any opinions on this one? EDIT: I talked to my local coin guy that had better experience in IHCs then myself and he informed this is not fake. Travis
I'm Not an IHC person. Don't know enough about them. But this is a beautiful coin with some nice toning. I like it. The reverse looks cleaned to my untrained eye. I see lines running from the 7 o'clock position toward the 2 o'clock position. I don't see anything too similar on the front though, but there is some light scratching. I find whatever is going on with the obverse rim above the 1st feather in the headband interesting. Looks almost like a die crack, but wait for somebody with more experience to chime in and tell you I'm wrong! LOL. Cleaned or not, I think it's a cool coin and I would love to have one like it in my collection! EDIT: IF it is cleaned I think it was done long ago.
I don't think it's genuine. I'm no expert on the series, but I don't like the combination of fine detail in some areas (LIBERTY, lower part of ribbon) and mushy or missing detail in others (upper part of ribbon, hair in front of ear). I don't like that spike on the bottom of U, and I don't like what I see (or don't see) in the vertical bars on the shield. But, as I said, I'm not an expert on the series, so I could be completely wrong.
It’s hard to tell to me As well there is some weak points where they shouldn’t be though so it’s throwing me off and this scratches under a loupe aren’t visible like how they look it’s strange. Very strange coin almost it’s own optical illusion lol
I will keep in Touch If I ever sell it as long as it pans out! I am right there with you it has weak points where it should not that high if a grade but dang it’s hard to tell, if it isn’t real someone out a lot of time into this thing. Not not sure to be honest
After further looking at the coin to me this can only be a fake, this is missing basic details where it should not at a grade this high, such as the lowers region of the feathers, her hair, and also the lettering and dates look smooth. It’s a pretty cool coin though and has been fun photographing it as every angle shows different coloring going on. If I am wrong and anyone can prove to me that it is real I would love to hear it. If it is fake though I wonder why whoever had it would put the time and effort they did into that toning it has.
It's easy enough to tone freshly-struck copper like that, I think. The entities that are striking these by the thousands would surely dunk some of them into a batch of darkener to make them look less suspiciously fresh, or bake them, or use any of several other techniques that can be applied to a bunch of coins at once.
I'm not that familiar with IHC, so if it were mine, I think I'd send it in to ANACS for authentication, just to ease my mine. If it isn't real, you have a nice example of a fake, if it is real, you have a very nice coin for the collection.
Well guys I took this to my local coin guy that is pretty good with IHCs and he says he does not think it’s fake at all just has been toned or something.
Its a shame there are so many fakes out there. It gives me pause to purchase a lot of raw coins these days. Enjoy these posts when the experts give their opinions since it gives me a little education on the subject.
I have a few with this look. Always figured they were cleaned, maybe more than once and are trying to tone back to a normal brown.
Whizzed then as Larry said retoned the die cracks don't match up is the reverse rotated 9 degrees CCW? That would be 1876 variety 1. The only die crack I can see is through the date.....the variety has cracks on both the reverse and obv. It definitely has been messed with...it would never grade . I definitely see evidence of whizzed.
I wouldn't have trusted it based on the photos, but as I said, I'm no expert. I remember being uncertain about a three-cent nickel, and finally realizing that yes, legitimate examples really were that sloppily struck. Here's hoping that my guess was wrong!
