Hi all.I have come across morgan dollars today.I took its pics.Kindly guide me,Are these two fake or real?Thanks in advance! 2
First things first. Morgan dollars should be 38.1mm in diameter from edge to edge. Most counterfeits are too big. Second is the weight should be26.73 grams give or take .01/.02 for any hard wear/cleaning that would rub or eat some of the silver away. Even a 1% variation in 90% silver and 10% copper has a .04gram weight difference. Since I don't have the coins in hand for those measurement in my opinion what I see is this... the hair on the 1893O just comes down and kind of hangs above the date. Now look at the 1896P and the hair curls back up toward the neck/bust line. All my morgans curl back up toward the bust line. Next look closely at the stars unless it's my imagination the first coin they look bigger and the second coin they look to be genuine size. Look for inconsistancies in the metal also especially in the fields around the eagle and liberty head. Are they pitted and uneven? Then the coin or coins are cast fakes. The final thing is the fact that both the 3 and the 9 in the 93-O look too clean and modern. Like maybe the coin was a 1898-O that would only be worth silver spot in VF and lower grade and was changed into a 93-O worth a few hundred in VF grade. A good magnifier would show gouges, and lots or scratch marks as well as abrasion where the 8 transformed into a 3. Hope they are both real however it's my humble opinion based on the pics and comparing them to real Morgans that the 93-O is more than likely not real and the 1896 is a real coin all be it in rougher shape. Also let's not forget about a trip to the coin dealer and let him take a good look, especially someone that knows Morgan dollars inside and out.
Where did you "come across" them? The source is sometimes telling. Weigh them, size them, test against a magnet. If still in doubt drop by a dealer. Here's a real '93-O, VF20, FWIW. Lance.
The 1893-O definitely is fake, the date isn't right. I strongly suspect the 1896 is also fake. The date is "funky" on it as well and I just don't like the overall look of the coin. The incredibly strong rims on the reverse for a coin in that low a grade is also very suspect. This appears to be a low grade coin but the rims on the left side are distinct, sharp, and square.
