Fake Mint Mark or not

Hey Y'all
I need your opinion on this coin---

I have had it for years and just the other day I saw this and was wondering what it was....I had read an article about how they can make a mint mark from going in at the rim and then somehow pushing up a mint mark and making it look real.

So do you think this is a fake mint mark or is this just a hole in the rim that has been pulged.

Speedy

PS...this coin would only grade around Poor1

 

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wow, I wonder how would you do that. Its probably possible with tech and all but I hope that you got a geniune coin. Though I must say, that there is a big chance of it being fake at all

 

One needs to consider the coin and date in question when considering a fake mint mark. Why would one "fake" a mint mark? Check your RedBook for Morgan prices and you will see which coins have extremely high value! Those bring on the desire to do a little counterfeiting or coin altering. Most cases, due to the tremendous lack of technology back then, involved adding a mint mark but it was simply "put on" the coin which was by far much easier. Also many mint marks were altered to look like another letter. Always look at key date coins from every angle, especially mint marks, as if they were added you should be able to see a crack somewhere between the field and the letter. As for your coin, looks legit to me but I don't know the date of the coin in your photo so I simply can't give you more than this.

 

Not all the time does only the rare coins get faked....I had a fake 1914-P cent...just the other day saw a fake 1965 quarter...didn't look good at all but it was a fake...

The date isn't a rare date...1891...

Speedy

 

is it a 1903? If it is I'd guess fake, but if it isn't then there is really no financial reason for it to have been altered, none of the other O coins are significantly more valuable in that low a grade than their P counterparts. That said, if I were going to start altering coin mint marks I would praactice on cheap coins first. You may have a "practice" piece. The hole on the rim is very badly repaired (if that is what it is), I doubt it would fool anyone if it was a fake.

If it isn't a 1903, then my guess is that it is just a little bit of unusual damage. (Although it could be a practice coin/)

This is all just my opinion, I certainly could be wrong, though.

 

How in the world would anyone make a tool small enough to to put inside the coin, then "push up" a mint mark? That sounds hard as sin.

 

GDJMSP--that is just what I was thinking...

The_Cave_Troll
It is a 1891 Morgan...When I got it the grade was F at least...maybe VF...then I started carrying in with me in my pocket about 2 years ago and now it would grade Poor1...or lower!

NICK66
I have small tools that are for watches....I don't know what kind of tool guys use to make fake mint mark but I bet these would fit.

Speedy

 

Speedy;
Exactly what is the relationship between the so called hole in the rim and the mint mark. By that I mean is the "hole" exactly below the mint mark of up on top of the coin?. I believe this may play some part to this puzzle.

 

It is right under the O in "Dollar" below the mintmark.

Speedy

 

PS--in the photo you can see below the O there is almost a spot where it looks funny on the rim...that is where the hole is.

Speedy

 

I's sure like to put that coin on the table of my QX3, and use the 200X setting to get a closer look!

 

That is about the best photo I can get...any closer and it looks bad....I did take it under my microscope (sp?) and it looks alright...but around the out side of the O it looks like there are 2 pieces of "cud" or more metal pushed up---

Speedy

 

In my experience sin is by no means hard, in fact it can be awefully easy.


Yes, I'm being a smart aleck, but my point is that whether or not it would be challenging to have small enough tools to do the job doesn't affect if it CAN be done. This is a Morgan and the coin that you hear about having this done to most often is the 1916D Mercury dime. Now THAT would be a small tool! But it IS done, so it is certainly possible (read, "very certain") that there are larger tools for working on Morgans.

 

I'm beginning to feel better about this whole thing, as now I know I don't have the smallest tool.

 

roflmao!

 

That was a good one OldDan...!!!!

Speedy

 

I would have thought that you had a good example of a hollowed out edge for added mintmark. But, it seems the reeding is impressed into that hole, so it wouldn't be hollowed out (if I am correct about the reeding.), maybe just whacked real hard.

 

Nope--there is no reeding in the hole...just metal...

Speedy