how do you spot fake Trade Dollars, anyway?

Would need better pics for a more definitive answer .

 

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The obverse dentils look a little off and something is happening around the 1 of the date . With those pics I'd stay away .

 

LOL - to late for that, I'll post better pictures when it's in hand. (Couple weeks)

 

I'd say hard to call nothing obvious but I don't like the dentickes from the pic but that could be shadow and camera angle. Color looks ok 77 a very common date. Post better pics and I'll be able to give you a much more definitive answer. Right now I'd call it 50-50 they used the right obverse and reverse does for a 77 unlike the 78-cc fake above

 

I'm not trying to say she's a fake , just that she might be one . Can't wait to see better pics .

 

Threads such as this, is what makes CT, by far, the best coin collecting forum out there.

 

Easy way to spot fake Trade Dollars--don't buy them raw. This is one series that is extremely risky buying it raw. Get it in plastic from a reputable dealer, and save the aggravation. It is probably the most counterfeited series in the hobby.

 

From the photos posted, I lean towards genuine, but honestly can't say for sure. USS656 I look forward to your photos!
Glad this thread has some legs.

 

I'm more and more with you a vf with what looks like honest circulation and color and the right dies fir the date. And it's a common as dirt 77. Pics suck but this one got a chance of being real

 

Okay friends ~ here it is
Weight on the kitchen scale is 27 grams (as fine as it goes) Can weigh it tomorrow at work on a better scale.
What do you think??? Grade if real?

 

I think it looks cleaned or polished...

 

Yep, more concerned with real or fake. Leaning heavily towards real.

 

It's real. dipped/?cleaned too, but real. Edge reeding is tough to image, the best way I know of is to lay the coin flat inside a reflector from an old flashlight, and photograph straight down. All the reeding shows up great, as a reflection.

 

Been polished to death if real. I'm still not sure on this one. Should be 26.2 g in weight being polished would make it lighter. I'm not liking it real or no denticles look very sloppy too

 

27.22 according to the books I'm looking at. Denticles have more to do with my bad photography than how they look in hand. Coin has been dipped and polished, no doubt, but I feel good about the authenticity. (and the price!)

 

My bad was 27.2 my brain not in high gear right now been a long day was on a roof from 9-6:30

 

The weight bothers me less now. That was my fault. For some reason I had 26.2 in my head The die crack on the reverse makes me believe it more too.

 

No biggie, under higher magnification the coin looks solid

 

I've got a lot to learn about this series. I thought the dentils looked iffy. My first Trade Dollar will have to be slabbed.

 

The photos plus being polished makes it hard on this one. Is a coin I'd never buy from the pics I saw but if it looks good in hand it could make all the difference in the world. I will say this I've bought quite a few raw trade dollars but only when I could examine in hand.