1914-D Lincoln Wheat PMD Or Shenanigans?

reupman,

I guess I should have looked harder. I looked earlier but never noticed it but upon a second, CLOSER look, the VDB (bad news for this coin) is barely visible. Case closed.

FAKE.

SHENANIGANS.

I'm never sure if I should start a new topic or pile onto the one in play. Forgive me if I chose the wrong approach.

So, reading this thread has me thinking that I should never buy at 1914-d or any other key date...ever...for fear that it's fake. So, the question is, how to be certain? Stick to slabbed and graded coins? Only buy from a dealer? (As a side note, I play and collect vintage guitars and I've seen some Chinese copies that you couldn't pick out from the real one if you had them side by side. We're having to get down to DNA-ing the wood and doing metal analysis. Are we going to have to do that with coins?) I'm think the only real assurance I might have is to buy, then send to a grading company right away. They would know if it's fake right?

How do you guys "make sure" that your purchased coins is legit?

If you don't know how to spot a fake or altered coin, buy a slabbed coin. Key dates are nothing you want to get stuck with holding a fake. Even dealers might get it wrong....so don't 100% trust them even.