I saw this auction and bid on it, but I bid way below the value because I thought I seemed suspicious. I got outbid, which was OK since I was already wondering how I'd authenticate it if I won it. The seller says it is not silver and then says he doesn't know if it's silver and he's not a collector. The English isn't good, but not terrible, and the address is in California, which could be a front for a Chinese import. If I read the price guide correctly, this is close to a full ounce of silver, so it should have sold for almost $30, instead of $6. Either someone got a great deal or is getting a fake. It's not a rare date though so I'm not sure if it would be a highly faked coin. I'd just like to see what others think. http://www.ebay.com/itm/281004245650?ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1435.l2649
And to quote the seller, "Your're bidding on a 1882 Republica Mexicana coin not silver. I'm not sure if this coin is silver or not. I'm not a coin collector so please take a look at the coin and determent the coin for yourself."
I looked at other items he sold and it seemed to be poor English in the listings. That's not to say everyone who has poor English is a crook, but I know most fake coins are from China so I see that as a warning sign. I don't know enough to recognize a fake peace dollar, so I just look for other clues.
The Chinese can knock out thousands of these so they don't care if it's a comman date , it cost pennies to make and $6 is still a profit , if someone bid $30 all the better for them , Report this piece as fake so the seller might get the hint .
Seems kinda odd how'd he know that the peace dollars are silver and that they are 90% and yet he has no idea whether the Mexican coin is silver or not. I've been to Sacramento (his location) and there are plenty of jewelers, bullion traders, and coin shops around the area that he'd might have tried to inquire about the item. Sounds like he's using ignorance of the coin as a means off unwittingly passing a fake coin. I see this often on eBay and Craigslist.
I agree , he can go to Wizards and order acid to test silver and gold , heck all he really has to do is weigh it and measure it . Might not be as reliable as a specific gravity test but it will get you in the ballpark .