Help! Is this counterfeit?

Hi. I'm new here. I recently bought a Scottsdale Omnia Round on ebay. It came in today and I noticed something odd. I see these imprints in the background from the graphic on the other side. It's hard to explain. I did the ice test, but from what I understand, that really doesn't say too much. Hopefully I posted these pictures correctly. Thanks for any help that is given.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

What does it weigh and do you have a calipers to get the dimensions?

 

I haven't checked the weight or anything. I just started buying silver, and I'm a complete amateur. I did buy a case for it, and it kinda doesn't fit right. I definitely bought the right size, though. Did you notice the odd background imprints?

 

Yes. I will check mine out later and let you know if they have the same thing. You really do need to weigh it, that is the start point.

 

Just a clashed die

 

I would. But, I don't have a scale.

 

It seems like the case won't close because the rim of the coin is kinda raised. Is it possible that I just got a weird one. The seller that I bought it from, has 100% feedback, and it came in the mint packaging.

 

Welcome. When you buy something weird (for bullion), do you ever consider how difficult it might be to sell at the other end? Did you pay more (not asking how much you paid) than an ASE costs?

 

Hi. I paid $24.99. It seemed normal until I got it home and saw the strange marks and realized that it didn't quite fit the holder. Is it normal for some bullion coins to not really fit in their holder?

 

I think a defective holder is more likely than a defective round. But last week you could buy ASE's for a tad under $20. I bought some from Apmex, with free shipping.

 

Yikes! I definitely overpaid. I tried a different 1oz round in that same holder, and it closed perfectly. When I put the Omnia in the other holder, it didn't close either.

 

You overpaid even more. The Silver American Eagle generally carries a premium above the spot price because it is a product of the US Mint. On the other hand, your silver round is from a private mint and shouldn't carry such a premium.

The current price for silver is a little over $16 so you paid a 50% premium. Way too much! I suggest that you try to learn more about the hobby before you start spending your money.

Also, Frank, aka Treashunt, mentioned that those strange marks are the result of clashed dies. This occurs when there is no planchet in the coining chamber, and part of the design of one die is transferred to the other die.

Chris

 

You might want to check what the diameter of the Omnia is supposed to be. I oz rounds are minted in many different diameter sizes, usually from 38 to 41mm.

 

Thanks. I need to stay away from ebay. I don't have too many options where I live. There is a coin shop/jewelry store nearby, but they're overpriced too. I'm going to a coin show in a couple weeks. Maybe I'll have better luck there. Just judging by my pictures, do you think my coin is real? Or is it impossible to tell?

 

I checked a website. They said 39mm. It's just slightly too big.

 

This doesn't sound too good for you...if it doesn't fit in a 39mm capsule and it's supposed to be 39mm, not good. I check my Omnias and none of them have that die clash that yours shows.

I think you need to do a little more homework before you buy any more stuff. Read about and find out who the reputable dealers are, find out what a good deal is, figure out what to steer clear of and who...you know, educate yourself so you don't go online, ask questions, get wise and unhelpful remarks (see above) and look amateur.

One thing you need to do for sure is ask yourself why are you buying this stuff. What is the purpose and what kind of plan are you putting in place? Do you have goals, why, and what are you going to do when you reach your goals? What are you trying to accomplish?

 

OP, I don't have much faith in the ice test. A clad Ike will melt into ice too. So will a fender washer-try it somtime. So how do you know if the supposed silver is melting into the ice fast enough or not fast enough?

 

You first have to decide whether you're going to be a stacker or a numismatist, when it comes to silver. Some purchases can overlap.

The stacker buys the cheapest, most liquid, most recognizable silver available, and that is generally the 90% dimes, quarters, and halves pre-1965.

The motive is to protect the buying power of your liquid assets. This conservative approach does not prevent you from guessing wrong.

The numismatist buys a higher class of silver (or gold) for somewhat more money, paying a premium for proof gold coins instead of uncirculated, or limited-edition issues, or high-grade U.S. 19th Century gold. However...

If gold and silver go way up in price over the next decade, then the premium you paid will evaporate, and while you have protected yourself far more than the average citizen in this country, you have still protected yourself less than persons who bought cheaper options, because you paid more, per ounce.

How can you do both simultaneously? If I buy some rolls of silver dimes, I will pick out 3% or 4% of the coins as "too good for bullion," and put them aside, for example, an AU-BU slider 1946-S Roosevelt, or a really choice 1927 Mercury -- not rare coins, not valuable coins, but too good to mix with your bullion. That's it in a nutshell. The "practical" aspect of this personal policy is that someday, if you want to USE your silver to buy food and gas, etc., you want the smallest denominations so that sellers don't have to make change.

If you need a quart of oil for your car, and all you have is an ASE, you're likely to take a beating on price.

Now take cover while the usual gang of optimists here tell you that I'm crazy. If you don't plan ahead, and THINK ahead, there's no point in stacking at all. As the numismatist, if nothing goes wrong, then you have a nice collection of silver coins, but fewer ounces than the stackers, dollar for dollar spent. Also keep in the back of your mind that a silver dollar contains about 7% more silver than two half dollars, but the price premium is much more than 7%.

Do I follow my own advice? Yes. I'm probably 60% dimes, 20% quarters, 10% halves, and 10% dollars and Eagles. NOOO rounds. NO foreign bullion coins. NO proof sets. Along the way, I've put together a very decent set of Mercuries from bag and roll searching, missing only the 1916-D, 1921-D, and 1942/1.

The question of where to store them safely is a tedious 6-page blog.

 

I want to be a stacker. I like silver. It started when I came across some silver coins that I didn't know that I had, and just snowballed from there. I enjoy buying it, looking at it, and checking the price of it everyday. It's fun. But, I will definitely be more careful from now on. I'll only buy from places like JM Bullion and Apmex. Save myself some money and stress in the future. Thanks everyone for your responses.