1874 S Trade Dollar Authenticity

If it’s a fake it’s a good one. I don’t like some of the softness in the detail it’s been cleaned. The denticles look good for a fake but there’s some spots they look too weak. I don’t like the hair details and some of the lettering in the mottos too and . I see some little spots that give me questions too. I can’t call this one from pics I’m skeptical though it could be a struck fake in silver. They are doing them. Or an older fake they did them too.

 

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probability is high that it's genuine. dentils look good, letters and numerals are crisp and flat on top. a sharp photo of the edge reeding would be helpful (especially photo'd inside a flashlight reflector), but I think it's quite a deal for the money.
The chopmarks have the right look, too.

 

I sold it with a guarantee of authenticity, and I would accept it back at any time should it prove to be fake. The buyer has not returned it, so...

As stated above, that is nt how chopmarks worked.

The softness in the detail is due to a corresponding chopmark on the other side of the coin.

 

In order to leave a mark, there HAS to be something behind the coin for the chop to push against. Some of the force is dissipated on the other side, flattening the details.

 

I think it's genuine, but personally wouldn't have sold it until after a TPG gave it the nod. Even if the buyer knew you offered a full return, they could still go on a public rant against you, especially if they spent $65 trying to get it slabbed themselves. But again, I think it's genuine, so it probably makes no difference. Just saying I would err on the side of caution. (But I know you know what you're doing).

 

Michael K, posted: "Is it silver? (I realize this is an old thread.)
With the chopmarks, shouldn't it weigh LESS than 420 grains?
I believe there are 24 grains in a pennyweight, and 20 pennyweight to the troy ounce. Those chopmarks should take a few grains out.
My feeling if the dealer sold it as a fake, it's not silver. (If he scratch tested it.)"

Chops do not generally remove any "noticeable" weigh from a coin because the metal stays in the coin but becomes compresses. One form of test mark often seen on this is a hole with swirl marks where someone drilled into the surface, This does remove metal but with the devices, most use to weigh coins you will not notice anything.

 

Thanks for the update.

 

This is why you should always buy a trade dollar certified by NGC or PCGS. The fake trade dollars are everywhere.

 

That’s good advice for people new to the series , as I know quite a few people here that buy unslabbed and do quite well . Study the series learn the tells of the fakes and genuine then enjoy a great series .

 

I'm a little skeptical. 1 grain = .06 grams and a scale having that kind of accuracy out to 27.216 grams is unusual. Aside from chops this coin is a VF. I'd guess that the weight should be less than 420 grains in this grade. The chops don't remove metal from the coin as Beefer518 mentioned above, but the circulation down to a VF grade certainly does.

Other than that I'm inclined to think it's genuine. Under the foot is flat but that could be damage.