89-CC Morgan

Look very carefully around the mint mark area for a depression formed by shifting metal to create the mint mark. It will be subtle; as 1892S mentioned, this is usually done with slightly-circulated coins so the remaining area where metal was moved can be artificially "worn" to mask the work.

Another slight possibility for an added mint mark is to bore in from the rim of the coin to force metal upwards from the inside. Yes, they're *that* hardcore about it. You'll want to examine the rim minutely in the area closest to the mint mark for any signs of tampering.

I am contacting someone who will probably be able to render a strong opinion based on the images you've already taken. The downside to his opinion is that he's probably going to want you to submit it to the grading company he works for.

This close to FUN, he might not be available for the next week plus.

I've seen altered mint marks that have fooled me bigtime. These crooks have it down to a science, and they can be very crafty. Buddy of mine had a 1916-D Mercury where one day, the "D" suddenly wasn't there. It popped off!
The key is knowing the diagnostics and authentication.

My fingers are crossed for you rob oz!

This has been a great thread to follow. From someone who can only watch from the sidelines for all the educational information shared here.

Rob, I'm still thinking it's real, but, counterfeiters are really, really good these days and at times you need high power microscopes to detect problem coins. This may be the case in this instance.

This is the reason I was so reserved with my first comment... I agree with SsuperDdave about the CC.. thats why said something popped out at me and I asked for a closer shot of the CC ("close and from dead on straight") right after the 2nd set of photos were requested. I also couldn't match it up to any die combinations that would fit the CC & both sides.. But thought due to the qualities of the photos and my lack of knowledge it was just me.. Because I cant get photos of the ones on any of my Morgans. And the fact that I'm very new to VAMing and many more on here know far more than I do ... So I figured I'd just shut my mouth.. Lol.
But then I noticed the die clash in the perfect spot to the right of the eagles left wing and have never seen a counterfeit with that... So that led me to even more confusion.. Although again, I don't have all that much experience with counterfited coins in general, let alone have held a 89cc in my hands, real or otherwise.. And know that the key dates are done extremely well... Otherwise they'de be noticeable in a second.
I'm really looking forward to the other experts opinion as this will be a great lesson for many of us whichever way it goes.. And I really hope it is authentic... I could only wish for one as nice!
Lol, on a side note I couldn't sleep all night last night and after you mentioned Craigslist (I think right after my first post) I was on my local Craigslist for hours, lol... Soooo tired! There was actually a really beat & damaged (scratches on face) 89cc for $450 a few towns over from me but that one definitely looked "off" (china 9 I believe).. I emailed the seller and he wrote back today saying he meant to take the post down and the coin was at PCGS and he'd let me know what the outcome was and repost if authentic.. Which he still believed it to be...
Sorry to get off subject, just wanted to let you know you sparked a stronger interest in this subject for me I really hope this goes your way as that would be an amazing addition to any collection!!
And I just have to say it again, lol... What a great, educational enterance you've made!!

I will just add that it has that correct look with the frost so much associated with Comstock silver ;) I wish you luck! Let us know.

I claim zero expertise here, so what helps me is to compare the OP coin to verified examples. Here I've cobbled together this coin against reverses A-E from the Anacs article. While the OP's photo is a bit grainy, I'm still unsure why the shape and spacing of the CCs are unique to his coin?