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How To Spot A Fake Morgan?

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Pillar of the Community
United States
526 Posts
 Posted 03/22/2012  08:28 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Freedom to your friends list
Provident Metals is always a good place to buy AU/BU Morgans and Peace dollars. On E-Bay you always run the risk of a wiped coin, Provident does
not do that and their prices are cheaper than E-bay.
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 Posted 03/22/2012  09:42 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Coinstar to your friends list
they stick to a magnet (when and if) you get it
Retired USAF 1983-2003
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United States
17884 Posts
 Posted 03/22/2012  10:13 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Conder101 to your friends list

Quote:
2) I just finished writing this primer on identifying counterfeits yesterday (all I need to do is finish the common weights chart):

Make sure you include the allowed tolerance range on your weight chart. You get a lot of people worrying about having bought a fake simply because the weight isn't exactly right on the official listed weight.
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23522 Posts
 Posted 03/22/2012  11:46 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add SsuperDdave to your friends list
Many Morgan counterfeits are plainly obvious. Some....not so much. All of the published "rules" about identifying fake Morgans tend to only apply to the obvious ones, and that's the problem.

The only way to consistently nail a fake Morgan is to see enough good ones (and fake ones) so the subtle problems jump out at you. On ebay, this is complicated by the varying quality of the photography. And if you're doing enough traffic in Morgans, being an "expert" means you don't miss many, not that you catch them all.

Understanding ebay auctions themselves will help. Many counterfeits are sold through hijacked accounts by people for whom English is a second (at best) language, and odd grammar from a purportedly US-based seller is a warning sign. This is to be differentiated from an honest seller who simply didn't do well in grammar school, and you'll need to know those differences.

It's this simple: Knowledge is King, and 100% isn't a realistic goal for the greatest among us. Patience and the willingness to pass if there's the slightest doubt in your mind are required virtues.
Valued Member
United States
132 Posts
 Posted 03/22/2012  1:04 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add TonedMo87 to your friends list
A scale is helpful, as is a magnet in my identification. Having a few slabbed coins also cant hurt for comparison. If you're smart on ebay, I would assume you'd only buy from someone with great feedback and with many sales. It doesn't hurt to have "rules" either. If the pictures are too small, extremely blurred, dimly light etc... Do not buy from them. Just my 2 cents!

I think its a great idea to post the coin you're about to purchase on ebay on this forum!

-Dan
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2668 Posts
 Posted 03/22/2012  7:54 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Parklane64 to your friends list
Great article, SteveCaruso. I'm not sure I would slide a magnet down the surface of any Morgan though.

Welcome, jcd390, you're asking the right questions at the right place!

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 Posted 03/22/2012  10:45 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add SteveCaruso to your friends list
@Parklane64 - Thanks :-) The diamagnetism test (provided you do have the right kind of magnet; a strong neodymium) will also work through a plastic flip or a bit of overhead projector film, which will leave the Morgan unmolested.
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 Posted 03/22/2012  11:37 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add TonedMo87 to your friends list
None of my coins are bare, they're in SAFlips inside of pages in a binder, so there's no surface to surface contact with the magnet and the coin.
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 Posted 03/25/2012  12:00 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add silvercoinrn to your friends list
If you are just starting your collection if recommend local pawn shops and flea markets. They are cheaper than ebay and you get to see the physical coin
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 Posted 03/27/2012  1:40 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Fred2425 to your friends list
@Coinstar - are you saying that coins from provident metals stick to magnets?
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 Posted 03/27/2012  2:13 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add biggfredd to your friends list
, jcd390!
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 Posted 03/27/2012  6:00 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add tokenmast to your friends list
jcd390
Yes many tests for counterfeits including high power magnets.
The effect SteveCaruso's primer mentions (slow fall), is do to Lenz's Law not diamagnetism (although silver is very diamagnetic too) Nice link/site Thank You Steve

The following from hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/farlaw.html

Quote:

When an emf is generated by a change in magnetic flux according to Faraday's Law, the polarity of the induced emf is such that it produces a current whose magnetic field opposes the change which produces it. The induced magnetic field inside any loop of wire always acts to keep the magnetic flux in the loop constant. In the examples below, if the B field is increasing, the induced field acts in opposition to it. If it is decreasing, the induced field acts in the direction of the applied field to try to keep it constant.



Silver is the best room temperature conductor known. Silver coins are in effect many loops of wire. The magnet induces a field (opposite pole )that slows down the fall of the magnet.
Our company uses this effect in our TrueField Detective TM patent pending line of counterfeit detectors.TFD's can easily tell the new super alloys from China (nonmagnetic, proper weight) from real Morgan dollar coins. Harmlessly and through slabs

edit for credit hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/farlaw.html
Edited by tokenmast
03/28/2012 05:10 am
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United States
223 Posts
 Posted 03/27/2012  10:12 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add COMET to your friends list
Best thing is to check not only the picture of the coin but the seller's feedback too. Sometimes common sense comes into play as well for example, you see a $600 coin going for $50. That should raise a red flag, also rare coins been sold raw. Most sellers that know coins knows better than to sell a rare coin ungraded, it just doesn't make sense.
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702 Posts
 Posted 03/28/2012  12:43 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Scropper to your friends list
SteveCaruso - I'd like to read your article, but for some reason the link isn't working for me? It takes me to a blank page that says "empty shopping cart"...
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9104 Posts
 Posted 03/28/2012  03:46 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add biggfredd to your friends list
Until Steve gets his link working properly, this will take you to the "identifying counterfeits" article:

http://fakes.numismetrica.com/?s=identifying
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