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What Simple Checks Can I Do To Detect Fake Morgans ?

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Pertinax's Avatar
United Kingdom
2133 Posts
 Posted 08/23/2013  5:25 pm Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add Pertinax to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
I've never really noticed Morgan dollars before, however I've seen very few.

Until yesterday, that is.

I saw in my local dealer, a posh album with lots of Morgan dollars in condition XF and up.

There was also a bag full of Morgan dollars in 2 X 2s, mostly F-VF but some better.

The dealer is selling them on commission for a collector who has fallen on hard-times - he's lost his job.

They're very beautiful, and I could easily enjoy building what's there into a date and mint set.

Although I trust the dealer, he hasn't inspected the coins, however he doesn't know the collector well.
It's possible that the collector has been duped.
Other than checking diameter, weight and magnetism, are there other simple tests that I can perform to detect fakes ?
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nalaberong's Avatar
Canada
2805 Posts
 Posted 08/23/2013  5:30 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add nalaberong to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Specific gravity/density.

I'm not sure the "approved" way to go about it, though.
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Pertinax's Avatar
United Kingdom
2133 Posts
 Posted 08/23/2013  5:48 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Pertinax to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Unfortunately, I don't have right equipment for that.

I tried using a digital balance with good Victorian silver coins and the results were nonsensical.
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Sweden
729 Posts
 Posted 08/23/2013  8:08 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add epikur to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I would say weight and magnetism are the two simplest ways of checking the authenticity...on common dates, that is.

rare dates...TPG?


Totally forgot about the combined knowledge of CCF...we are a nutty source of knowledge ;)
Edited by epikur
08/23/2013 8:09 pm
Valued Member
judd1552's Avatar
United States
156 Posts
 Posted 08/23/2013  9:36 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add judd1552 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Pertinax - dependable, pocket size digital jeweler's scales can be purchased for under $20. Most are accurate to 1/10 gram, which would suffice for checking silver dollars. Very cheap insurance. One should also diligently study known genuine examples to get a better perception of what flow lines and detail should look like. Most counterfeit silver dollars that have been made to attempt to deceive collectors are crude castings, but even even 1:1 transfer die struck counterfeits will typically have substandard (mushy)lettering and devices. All this must be taken into consideration above and beyond weight and dimension measurements. Often even a quick examination of the reeded edge will be beneficial, as Mint struck coins will be very uniform, as compared to counterfeits.
Just by the very fact that you have indicated a large quantity of these have appeared in a dealer's shop in the U.K. is cause for suspicion.
Edited by judd1552
08/23/2013 9:42 pm
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SteveCaruso's Avatar
United States
1796 Posts
 Posted 08/23/2013  11:44 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add SteveCaruso to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I've listed a large number of inert tests that should detect 95% of fake silver dollars currently on the market over on The Black Cabinet that a number of people here on CCF have found useful in the past:

http://fakes.numismetrica.com/ident...ounterfeits/

If you're looking at a bunch, be sure to test *each and every one.* It's far too common for any number of fakes to be shuffled into a batch of real coins, hoping someone wouldn't be wise enough to be thorough.
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