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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;satootoko, post: 16955, member: 669&quot;]<img src="http://members.aol.com:/prdsrickman/ebay/b83.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> <img src="http://members.aol.com:/prdsrickman/ebay/b83a.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>A genuine 1877 Japanese Trade Dollar would have a 38.6mm diameter, and weigh 27.2g, about 1.1g less than an av. ounce.&nbsp; The seller says that the coin is &quot;authentic to the best of my knowledge&quot;, but she also claims to be liquidating the collection of her deceased coin dealer husband.&nbsp; Why did she start the auction at $9.99 with no reserve, when a genuine TD in that condition books somewhere north of $1,000; why does she misidentify a coin with the most valuable date as an 1875; and why are there only two bids in the closing hours of the auction, both from individuals with no history of buying high end Japanese coins?</p><p><br /></p><p>IMO the answer lies in the shape and alignment of the English lettering, the heaviest wear being in the wrong places, and an overall &quot;wrong look&quot; to the dragon.&nbsp; I never knowingly pay more than $10 for a counterfeit, so since the price started over $10 when S/H was taken into account, I&#039;m passing on this &quot;bargain&quot;.</p><p><br /></p><p>While I haven&#039;t seen enough examples in hand to be completely confident in my attribution, I suspect this one to be a modern so-called replica, intended to cheat a collector, rather than a 19th century counterfeit intended to cheat a trading partner.&nbsp; Any other opinions?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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