Is this coin counterfeit or legit??

Browsing ebay on 1878S quarter eagles, I came across this one coin being auctioned
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1878-S-GOLD...294890?hash=item2816ec93aa:g:XKIAAOSw3mpXISzF
To me this coin doesn't look right. Your thoughts?

 

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The Mintmark and "2 1/2 D" look totally wrong but wait for somebodies input that deals in these gold coins.

 

Not sure

 

What's with the finning on the outside of the rim, both side too ..

 

Hair above brow seems mushy and from the photo of reverse it appears there are casting bubbles (?). I hope I'm wrong about it...

Steve

 

Mushy reverse and uneven surfaces. Cast fake

 

The following is just my well-meaning opinion:

First, except in cases of VERY CRUDE naked-eye fakes, it is virtually impossible to authenticate a coin with photos - ESPECILLY BLURRED ONES LIKE THIS. So this will be a complete waste of time.

Nothing. Common on these coins.

I think not. I can count the number of CAST FAKE U.S. gold coins I have seen or heard of since 1965 on two hands and I COLLECT COUNTERFEITS. I think I MAY have one crude cast in my collection.

This "cast fake" nonsense started in the 1960's when noted and well regarded (yet ignorant) counterfeit detection "Ex-Perts" were teaching/writing/calling the poorly made MACHINE STRUCK U.S. gold coins that were flooding the market from the middle east: CAST COUNTERFEITS!

Apparently, this myth has continued in spite of being PROVEN FALSE long, long ago around the time ANACS was established in DC. The coin in the OP MAY LOOK cast to some due to the very poor quality photos.

 

fake

 

The stars and mintmark seem misshapened, I would be skeptical.

 

IMO again...the coin is totally "worked" and unoriginal. Looks buffed which would explain the stars and relief. Note that there is no contrast as the surface is all one color. No original luster left.

If the photo were sharp we all could make some definite statements.

 

Of course the pictures are blurry. Most are when selling counterfiets.

 

Probably true...wish I had your knowledge so I could be 100% sure this coin was not genuine.

 

Bless you... bless you...

"Cast counterfeit", rinse and repeat. "Cast counterfeit, cast counterfeit".... ad nauseam.

 

? By this do you also think it is cast?

 

If there was a gun to my head; I agree.

 

Looks genuine to me, but very harshly cleaned/polished. That's why the surface looks goofy. Not worth much over melt either way.

 

No.... I thought you'd pick up on it, but apparently not.

Was simply an observation (if you will) about how things seem to work here, although not aimed at anyone in particular. A few label anything and everything they deem questionable as being "cast", and because they tell you they know everything, ten more start repeating it. Then, whenever they see something they question, same deal and before you know we're right where we are today and everything is cast.... ad nauseam. Get it?

 

Something's not right to my eye. But i'm by no means a pro when it comes to gold.

 

Check the pearls; the photo is not too blurry to see that the count isn't right. I actually emailed the seller to alert him that, although I couldn't be certain from the posted photos, that it MIGHT be fake. He replied, asking me to call him. I did and explained what I MIGHT be seeing. He called me back later, after looking at other images on the internet, and told me that he was now sure it was a fake. He wondered why he had so many "looks" but so few bids. Take this for what it's worth, which may or may not be anything significant.

Steve