how do you spot fake Trade Dollars, anyway?

The price was worth the gamble. It's a hole I've wanted to fill without breaking the bank. These are rather pricy especially when bought at dealer prices. That's not a knock on dealers, just a reality of market prices. When the right opportunity presents itself i'll pick up a better example. The next coin on the list of holes is the silver 3 cent piece. They often fall into the same category as the TD. Most often they are cleaned and can get expensive for higher grade coins.

 

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Or smells like ginseng.

 

thank you for sharing such a depth of information...and thank you for spending so much time in preparation and posting...

 

When I started collecting I bought several bright shiny trade dollars. If I were looking for a common date coin for type, I would wait for one with unmolested surfaces in XF at least, 77-s or 78-s. To each his own. As far as making statements about authenticity, I like to think in terms of probability . Unless I have the coin in front of me I can't be 100% sure, ever. With the current coin I think 95% chance of being genuine, which is why I proclaimed "real!" There are a number of fake trades in top tier holders, some are that good.

 

X2

 

If the money was right you can always upgrade at a later date. Now silver trimes I wouldn't consider expensive. I see them in circulated original condition in the $20 range

 

Looking more in the AU condition unmolested and those seem to be in the $150 to $350 range on the bay. May be going to a larger local show (PAN) so I will scout them out and see what dealer prices run.

ksparrow - I am luck if I make it to one show a year so I do not get to see too many coins in hand. Every time I have seen what looks close enough to a unmolested trade dollar the price has been in the hundreds. Again, I will get the rare opportunity this weekend to see what local dealers have.

 

I'd try ha or stacks. I see them in au between $100-150 sometimes for a real nice one. Missed a great toned au-58 at $145 last winter just forgot to watch it and got outbid at the last Second. I could keep my eye out at the coin shows if you want too

 

By all means if you see a nice one please let me know. I will see how it goes this weekend at PAN. I am really interested to see the TD's offered at this show and how many are raw ~ condition and price of those. Should be fun!

 

It can be. I saw a nice original xf 77 trade raw a couple months ago one of the wholesale dealers I do a lot of business with had for $175. He got my money on a real nice 1803 bust half that's a strong 45 could go au 50 tho. That's at pcgs now. I been too busy the last 2 months to go to any shows but I might hit Westford on Sunday and I'm doing Manchester nh in 3 weeks

 

I won this one at $130 so an XF @ $175 in original condition would have had me interested. GL at the shows

 

Happy hunting you guys!

 

Hello CT world. This is my first post. I have been following the forum for about 6 months and have really appreciated the awesome insights of everyone on here. This forum has brought me back to coins. I have been collecting for the better part of 4 decades and when this thread came across it really started to make me wonder about a purchase over 15 years ago. I purchased this T$ knowing it had been cleaned. My question to the group is, real or fake? Secondly, if real, what type of grade would this net?

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thank you,

 

Absolutely real. Just harshly cleaned. An au 50 details. And a nailed strike on it. Something you'll never see on a fake

 

All diagnostics on your trade are genuine. No casting marks cause it's struck. A type 2 obverse and reverse. Genuine wear and bag marks. All details very crisp and not mushy. Totally flat clean fields And perfectly formed regular denticles. And pics good enough that I can actually see the details to guarantee this one is right.

 

Thank you Mainbill, i appreciate your opinion. And thanks for the awesome post.

 

I wouldn't write off a trade dollar if it's way below weight, as it could be hollowed out - the opium dollar (often really a locket with a picture inside). If all looks well but the weight, look for scratch marks or discoloration where the coin would be opened.

 

The 1877 S is genuine, but cleaned or polished. Looks nearly uncirculated details wise.

 

I agree the "77-S looks genuine just polished .