Question for the "Older" collector

Oh, I do believe you but I've never seen those statistics in print. Can you remember a source so I can read up on these interesting figures?

 

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Here's some sources.

David Bower's Article on Counterfeit 1916-D Merc's. He stated that many of the coin shows he attended in the past, "...more than half of the 16-D's I seen on show floors were counterfeit."

The most frequently seen counterfeit or altered U.S. coins, according to PCGS's 1997 book Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, include:

1856 Flying Eagle cent
1909-S VDB Lincoln cent
1955 double-die Lincoln cent
1916-D Mercury dime
Cincinnati commemorative half dollar
1804 Bust dollar (a million dollar rarity)
1893-S Morgan dollar
Saint-Gaudens high-relief double eagle

January 25, 2000. PCGS newsletter in reference to the 1916-D Mercury Dime: "Counterfeit Detection Alert: 264,000 Minted . . . 500,000 Known to Exist!"

From "Found Treasures: Counterfeits" By Stewart Huckaby

"One proof against counterfeits is to buy coins that have been graded and slabbed by a reputable grading service. Part of the grading process consists of authentication, and even in the case when a coin, such as an AG-3 1916-D Mercury dime, might be easy to grade, the mere fact that the coin is authenticated is enough reason to justify the slabbing fee."

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Your 1916-D may be the real deal. But if I were to buy it, I would NEVER buy this coin raw unless I had your first born's blood guaranteeing its authenticity. It is the way of the world...there are more counterfeits than real 1916-D Merc's floating about.

"A fool and his money are soon departed"

 

Thanks guys for this good reading!!

Speedy