Look at this and tell me what you think? http://cgi.ebay.com/1877-INDIAN-HEA...em&pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item3f00ec1d84
Seems fishy to me, a seller doing a 1 day auction with an unprofessional feel to the whole thing. If I see "PLEASE READ AD" I typically stay away, this coin looks a little odd to me, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was counterfeit. If that seller was serious about selling it, he'd get it graded/authenticated.
definitely not genuine... The entire date is funky looking and there is no tell-tale weakness in the center of the reverse...
Anytime it says " I dont know if the coin is authentic" it is NOT. They use that as an escape clause to cover their own butts.
Just cause I'm curious and I know nothing about that series, how can you tell it looks fake? Any indicators?
A good rule of thumb with 1877's in weakness on the reverse. The bottom right portion on the "N" in "ONE" will usually be very weak... I'll go get mine here in a sec and shoot a pic and show you what I'm talking about
I agree. I wouldn't spend any dough on it, but it would be a shame if it turned out to be the real thing.
Here is the reverse of the one in a set I have. I have never seen a real one that doesn't have this weakness, even in mint state.
Heres another real one with the weak N. http://cgi.ebay.com/1877-Indian-Hea...em&pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item3cae5879e1
Look at the date on this one. Imagine a straight line on top of the 7's, the 1 & 8 slope downward and to the left...
As you probably know, the 'Weak N' is found on the 1877 Business Strikes but Proof 1877 Cents have a 'Stong N'. Some Proof coins circulated so it is possible for a circulated 1877 Cent with a 'Strong N' to be genuine. But the example in the eBay auction is absolutely, 100% fake.
Thank you and I should have been more clear. That is correct. Impaired and circulated proofs will not have the weakness. The buisness strikes will. :smile
Yes everything about that auction reads fake even if the coin looked ok... Looking at the coin it does not look as though it started life as a proof coin. I am just looking at the cover of the july 2010 issue of coin prices magazine which has a nice 1877 on the cover, but the 7's don't look right either, the tops on the ebay coin are flat and on the magazine they have points on the top and almost look like a "w".
