Detecting Fake/Counterfeit Trade Dollars

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Author	Replies: 7 / Views: 1,187
okie-colin Pillar of the Community United States 1083 Posts	Posted 02/05/2007 09:30 am I have started looking for a Trade dollar to fill that hole in my Dansco 7070. It is daunting to see the number of counterfeits out there. Some are obviously fakes and some look like they have honest wear and are very realistic and are cast at the proper weight. Short of having the coin in hand, any hints for spotting one from a picture? The following are taken off ebay. The seller told me he bought it as a real one, but he isn't an expert so blah blah blah. Do you think this one is real? If not, why not? Thanks. Colin Image: 4aee_1.jpg 32.13 KB Image: 4be2_1.jpg 34.18 KB Report this Post to the Staff

Morgan Fred Rest in Peace United States 2684 Posts	Posted 02/05/2007 10:06 am Okie, I read somewhere that 90% of the Trade dollars offered on ebay are counterfeit. I don't know if this is a true figure, but it's way up there. I wouldn't buy a Trade dollar anywhere unless it was in a slab by a top TPG. This one looks like a casting. The coloration in the fields looks too even for a circulated coin and the fields also seem to have texture whereas an authentic coin should be smooth. I could be wrong - I'm no Trade dollar expert, but with Trades, presume it's fake until proven otherwise. Fred` Report this Post to the Staff
SsuperDdave Moderator United States 23522 Posts	Posted 02/05/2007 2:21 pm I'm not an expert either, but I see none of the obvious signs of a cast counterfeit. That rules out very little, especially considering the poor quality of the pics - I couldn't even say for sure that the intersection between devices and fields is very sharp or not. The wear seems right, the detail left behind after the wear seems about right, but we all know about Trade dollars and ebay.... With over 4 million minted, it's one of the most common Trade dollars. Therefore it's not as likely as one of the rarer ones to have had the effort of a really good copy invested, which is in your favor, but I'm still leery of it. Report this Post to the Staff
snowman Pillar of the Community United States 1841 Posts	Posted 02/05/2007 4:44 pm If you're looking for comparison, check this coin out: http://www.harlanjberk.com/unitedst...us&linenum=1 The difference in the fields is obvious. The wear on "Liberty" is also appears to be a little too much when compare to the rest of the coin. A closer picture sure would go a long way. Another thing to consider is that your ebay seller doesn't sell many coins. According to his history he hasn't sold more than a few dozen in the past 3 months. I would only buy a raw Trade dollar from a reputable dealer. It may cost a little more, but you only need one Trade dollar for your 7070 right? Report this Post to the Staff
okie-colin Pillar of the Community United States 1083 Posts	Posted 02/05/2007 5:12 pm Thanks for all the excellent advice. Thanks especially to Snowman - I just purchased the Trade dollar from Harlan Beck from your link. I am a little amazed that the coin was so inexpensive for the grade, but I am convinced after talking with them that is genuine. The one on ebay went for more than the HB coin? Any ideas? Report this Post to the Staff
snowman Pillar of the Community United States 1841 Posts	Posted 02/06/2007 2:52 pm I thought the HB coin was a pretty good deal too. Their grading is usually accurate and any problems with the coin are listed up-front. The ebay coin hasn't sold yet, but if you look at the bidders list it's a newby stampede. Unfortunately a lot of people get excited at the prospect of an outrageous bargain. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...94&rd=1&rd=1 Report this Post to the Staff
Mynt Valued Member Sweden 79 Posts	Posted 02/06/2007 3:35 pm Congrats on your purchase okie-colin. ebay and Trade dollars are always a risky combination. I think I'm in a minority here... I took the big gamble and purchased a raw 1878-S Trade dollar from ebay a year ago. I figured I had a better chance of buying a real Trade dollar than a Seated Liberty dollar. I did think that many auctions seemed suspcious, so I did a few days of research before deciding to buy... But even after receiving the coin, I was still a little suspcicious of its authenticity (I almost invested in a coin scale). But since then, I've had it authenticated by a counterfeit specialist so I can rest easy now. Buyer beware-- got a beauty for a little over a hundred bucks, but I don't know if I'd do it again. Report this Post to the Staff
SsuperDdave Moderator United States 23522 Posts	Posted 02/06/2007 3:49 pm Heh. Another satisfied HJB customer. I'm beginning to think Coin Community should be getting a cut from them.... Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 7 / Views: 1,187

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Detecting Counterfeit Trade Dollars