Why is there a scratch on the shield on most counterfeit Seated Liberty Dollars? Wouldn't the counterfeiters know that this would be an obvious way to tell whether a coin is counterfeit or not later on? Did they do it to make it look more used? Why not move the scratch around to different areas if that is the case?
The scratch is there because the scratch was on the genuine coin they copied to make the counterfeits.
One thing that you have to remember about counterfeit diagnostics is that they are only known by the people who study coins. Most casual coin buyers are only searching for bargains. They do not take the time to learn what a real coin looks like. All they look for is a value in which they believe is below the current value. This same logic applies with low tier grading services.
Can you please describe the scratch on Liberty's shield that you are talking about? A picture would also be appreciated if you have one. I'm currently checking out a Seated Dollar that looks suspicious and that also has a scratch on the shield and would like to know if it may be counterfeit. The weight seems to be fine. Thanks, Tim
