I just picked this up on Ebay, but the more I look at it it looks like a 1944 D that's been modified. Is it a true 1914 D or do I need to get a refund? Sorry that my first post is about a fake. Thanks, Dave
The date doesn't looks way off. My guess is it was originally a 1944-D and someone altered the one 4 to look like a 1. There's too much spacing between the 9 and the "1" and I think I can see a bit of where part of the 4 was still. That "1" is certainly very suspicious looking. Here's what a legitimate 1914 date should look like. EDIT: Welcome to the forums by the way! :welcome:
Here's a real one ... the spacing between the 9 and the 1 and the 1 and the 4 looks more equidistant .... also the genuine 1 looks a bit shorter than on your example ... just my 2c, not an expert
Look at the shoulder and see if it has any signs of the "VDB", if it does, it a 1944D. Do you have a copy of "Bill Fivaz's Counterfeit detection guide. It will give you details to look for on several coins ID fakes. 1. The date must be evenly spaced, with no "gap" between the 9 and the second 1. You have a good picture, but I could not enlarge to see better.
Looks like a very poor counterfeit. Sorry. Hope you didn't pay too much and better yet, I hope you can get a refund.
I Was also looking at the location of the "D" mint mark on the 1944 D compared to 1914 D. The "D" on the one I have looks like the 1944 location.
Refund, getch your refund. Second 1 is too tall, digit spacing it wrong, mintmark is in the wrong place and is the wrong style.
For sure an altered coin. As done stated the mint mark in those days were somewhat all over the place. But, this is no doubt a 1944 D. Here is our 1914 D maybe this will help. Here is our 1944 D Dusty
The distance of between the 9 and the 4 is too wide. The supposed "1" of 14 is definitely too tall, and the "D" mintmark is an incorrect style for its time. The "D" mintmarks of the teen years were extremely small (minuscule). The "D" shown is traditional of the later 30s and 40s.
It appears to me that you have an altered coin (1944 altered to 1914) rather than a counterfeit coin. The 1944-D host coin was genuine so the coin is still genuine but altered.
I have seen 2 counterfeit 1914 - D cents in my life time. The first time was at a coin club meeting in the 1970"s This guy made some and showed us how to identify them. Fast forward to around 2009 a friend show me his 1914-D coin, I look at the space between the 9 and the 1 and the vdb on the bottom of the shoulder and tell him it's not a real 14-d. It took all of 1/2 minute or less to check the coin out because of the lesson years ago.
