Here are a couple of gold coins that have been graded by 3rd party grading services (PCGS, NGC, and/or ANACS) . Can you guess what the grades are?
I wish the Chief had attained that stellar grade. Something at least near that was what I had been hoping for. But the Powers That Be said no.:headbang: On the other hand, Libby's less of a wallflower than you may think.
I think it depends on who graded it. PCGS is tougher with gold in most cases over NGC, and definitely over ANACS! I can see wear on the coin, no doubt about that. I would say that the Indian is AU. EDITED TO ADD: With the pictures provided for the Liberty, I cannot tell the true luster of the coin, and certainly the coin isn't that pasty, like what is shown in the photos. With the pictures provided, and the difference between an AU58 and a MS62 so very close, I would say it is in that range.
To tell you the truth, the Indian came back in a body bag-- actually, 3 times. All the grading services I mentioned said it was a fake! The dealer I bought it from and I were both surprised. We both examined it, and compared it with scans of the same date coin in a 1st tier grading service slab that had been sold in an Internet auction, and could not find any major differences. It was also compared with another known genuine 1908 that was on hand and we could not see any differences. And the weight was exactly what it should have been.
You never mentioned if the dealer you purchased it from gave your money back for that coin. Or are you planning on attempting to try other TPGS's? Of just keeping it for some reason?
I think the above comments are overly broad in each case, especially with the use of the words "most" and "definitely".
With the pictures provided, I saw nothing that jumped out at me as being fake. Also, what did the Liberty Dollar grade at?
That's what's really bothering me-- the $2.50 looks just like the Internet auction site pictures, and the other 1908 that was on hand. And the weight was right. ANACS said it was a struck copy, while the other two grading services only said that it was fake. "Libby" came back in an MS-61 ANACS holder, 14 years ago.
Have you looked at Bill Fivaz's book "United States Gold Counterfeit Detection Guide" ISBN 079482007-7. It has allot of good illustrations and points to go by. -O) See page 66.