Just bid and won this item (got it for a very good price) and it would be coming from Poland. Any ideas as to whether it is real? Thank you for any insight. Looking at the pictures it appears the one side is cast...?
Something don't gel right with me. I just grabbed Swiateks Encyclopedia of the Commemoratives Coins of the United States, but the images are too grainy to be of much help.........let me see if I can find my mizzo for comparison.
To my recollection I have never seen this "coin" before, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything, even though I have seen literally thousands of commemorative issues. Is it real?...perhaps, & most likely is, but one thing it is not is an issue from the US Mint. Commemoratives from the Mint in this era (circa 1921) were much more sophisticated & detailed. Your specimen may be "real" in the sense that it was really produced by a private mint to commemorate the Missouri Centennial. Perhaps someone who specializes in these type commemoratives will see this & respond. Welcome to CT!
I am like you Greenie. I am out at the ballfield with the boy and just Googled up some images to try and see any details that missed the mark without any luck. This isn't a piece you see every day, but it doesn’t sit quite right with me either. I hope for the OP’s sake I am dead wrong.
Unequivocally a fake. Obverse details are too well-defined for a Missouri, there are two odd elongated depressions which don’t belong in reverse fields, and the obverse rim is uncharacteristic of the genuine article, as is luster on both sides. I guess I should clarify my stance as to what I consider obverse and reverse, because I don’t really know without consulting the books. I consider the dated side of the coin to be the obverse. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I turnout to have that backward.
The only thing that looks odd to me is the polish guy on the coin wearing a coonskin hat. I didn’t know they had raccoons in Poland.
The fact that this coin originates from a former eastern bloc nation makes me suspect of it's legitimacy as an authentic strike. One other thing suspect to me are the designers initials, on the reverse of the coin (right field [bottom] next to the gun stock, on OPs' coin. As promised, some pics of mine.
Here is the link to the listing. https://www.ebay.com/itm/166343652623. Thank you for the reponses and help!
I've seen several listings from Poland over the last month that were all fakes (including fake PCGS and NGC slabs). Generally I've been happy with my purchases from Poland (on eBay) but those were all established sellers and the items were world coins (Kazakhstan in most cases). When it's a 0 feedback (or low feedback) seller and the item isn't typically found in that country, it is good to be more cautious. Go to PCGS CoinFacts, NGC, or another reputable website that has pictures of real coins and compare to what you see in the auction. Oftentimes that is enough to be able to tell if something is an obvious counterfeit. And if you are not sure, then don't risk it (unless you are ok with a low percentage gamble or have an eBay guaranteed refund on your side).
