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 Replies: 22 / Views: 2,926 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7632 Posts |
The Chinese are getting better and better with their "casual" counterfeits. These are made to pass off with just a casual glance from unsuspecting buyers. They use non magnetic metal and common dates.
These coins look suspicious to me too, Mike. Weird toning mainly in and around the devices and details.
If these coins were CC era dates and CC mintmarks we'd all be screaming about authenticity.
Amazing how these things magically turn up in pawn shops.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3479 Posts |
Quote:
Weird toning mainly in and around the devices and details. Exactly! You nailed it. The toning is what made me suspicious. Especially on the 1890. Edited by MikeF
01/20/2018 11:16 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10047 Posts |
@MikeF - I cannot comment to the ones you have, but will share a thread comparing pics of a fake and legit 1879 with overlays. The thread got input from others and info about the rims is also mentioned. http://goccf.com/t/119357http://goccf.com/t/251170 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Both real and both cleaned, "harshly" may be too strong a word.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2815 Posts |
They both look OK to me, although that toning on the 1890 does look similar to the dirty toning often seen on the Chinese counterfeits. Sometimes lighting and photo angles can make things look off too. Can we get a straight-on shot of the obverse and reverse?
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Moderator
 United States
34430 Posts |
Any chance of checking the silver content with a Sigma Megalytics or some other instrument?
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1757 Posts |
Morgan dollars from China come in three basic alloys: Fe/Ni, German Silver (Cu/Zn/Ni) and debased silver. JPL
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Moderator
United States
34430 Posts |
Exactly! Knowing the silver content could help determine whether these are fake.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12057 Posts |
The 1890 does not look right, especially the lower reverse. The 1921 appears authentic at a glance.
Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
655 Posts |
Can you post larger, better resolution pics? It's hard to tell from these but I think they're real. In any case, if they feel real, weigh out correctly, and look reasonably ok, they'd fool me! Also, on the link posted about 1879 fakes, they also appeared real to me. I quickly checked one of the pics on my slabbed Morgans (1893-CC) and found the stars also "weird-looking". There's just too many legit variations on these coins to pick out little bits and say it makes a fake, IMO.  |
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Valued Member
United States
414 Posts |
Not particularly valuable coins so why bother forging these? Doesn't really make sense considering the payoff. Looks authentic to me. The were both probably worn as jewelry pieces and then cleaned which may account for the odd toning.
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Moderator
United States
34430 Posts |
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Not particularly valuable coins so why bother forging these? Sorry but I disagree with this statement. The threshold for new counterfeits is incredibly low. "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3479 Posts |
Quote:
Any chance of checking the silver content with a Sigma Megalytics or some other instrument? Yeah I know a shop that has one but it's a bit of a drive. I've loooked online for a used one before but didn't have any luck. All I found were new ones that run $600-700. Also no chance of better photos. One of the admins took pity one me and was nice enough to modify these for me but all I have is an iphone. No rig. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10047 Posts |
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Not particularly valuable coins so why bother forging these? Doesn't really make sense considering the payoff. Looks There is a large market for fake Morgans. The Chinese makers sell these for up to 2.00 each. Other sites like Wish.com has sellers who charge 5.00 and 10.00 for them. It is also not rare to find the fakes on ebay. Fake Morgans are bought by people and taken to local flea markets etc. to fool the populace and sell them to those who have little knowledge of coins, but know what an "old silver dollar" looks like. A dishonest person, if they sell four of these at a flea market would make 100.00 for their 7-8.00 "investment." The factory that was called "Big Tree" in China actually had a complete set of either BU or circulate Morgan dollars in a fake Dansco-looking album in their list of offerings. I bought some when ebay allowed Big Tree to sell so I could study them. I posted several of the findings (such as the 1879 Morgan) on this forum so we all could benefit. How much squash could a Sasquatch squash if a Sasquatch would squash squash? Download and read: Grading the graders Costly TPG ineptitude and No FG Kennedy halveshttps://ln5.sync.com/dl/7ca91bdd0/w...i3b-rbj9fir2 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3479 Posts |
Quote:
Fake Morgans are bought by people and taken to local flea markets etc. to fool the populace and sell them to those who have little knowledge of coins, but know what an "old silver dollar" looks like. A dishonest person, if they sell four of these at a flea market would make 100.00 for their 7-8.00 "investment."
Exactly. The scary part is local pawn shops give them a pass as long as they look legit and have close enough weight. There's not much scrutiny put on common date Morgans which makes them easier to pass off. The shop that these are from only weighed them and the guy who handles incoming coins isn't even a collector. He just calls me when he gets them in. |
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Replies: 22 / Views: 2,926 |
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Posted 01/20/2018 11:01 am
