NGC -
Overly sharp details reveal that this commonplace coin is actually a fake.When it comes to price, the latter half of the 50-year
Indian Head cent series has few outliers. Exceptions are the 1909-S (which concluded the series by having its lowest mintage) and varieties like the 1894/94 and the exceptionally rare 1888/7 Overdate. But for the most part, this stretch of the series is made up of workaday issues with mintages in the tens of millions, like the 1890 Cent.
Check out 1890 Indian Cents on ebay
Genuine 1890 CentNGC recently received a submission of a purported 1890 Cent, examples of which sell for about $100 in low Mint State. Because it is not a key date, the total number of examples of the 1890 recorded in the NGC Census is a mere fraction of the key date 1909-S. Still, NGC's grading team has certified more than 1,400 examples of the 1890 and more than 150,000
Indian cents in total, giving its graders the broad expertise to skillfully identify counterfeits.
Counterfeit 1890 CentThis counterfeit coin's details stand out for being overly sharp while simultaneously having less detail. On the obverse, note the necklace, hair and feathers, which contain thicker lines than those seen on genuine examples. In the date, the strokes are supposed to narrow at the center of the 8, 9 and 0, but the counterfeit fails to replicate this detail.
Close-ups of the obverse of the genuine (left) and counterfeitThe red flags continue on the reverse, where the vertical lines in the shield are too narrow. The surrounding fields also appear pimpled in this area due to poor die preparation. Additionally, the coin seems to have been artificially colored and worn.
Close-ups of the reverse of the genuine (left) and counterfeitBeing aware of flaws like these can help you spot low-quality counterfeits like this one.
Check out 1890 Indian Cents on ebayRead More: Counterfeit Detection Series 
Posted 12/03/2025 1:59 pm
