Fake 1877 Indian Head Cent

I have a set of 6 - 3" coasters that are all made to look like coins. I have my iced tea sitting on my 1877 Indian Head cent right now. It's starting to turn green in a spot or two.

Funny how people think they can really get someone to buy this for $500.

Ben

Update: I found the website where you can buy these and they have lots of different coins. http://www.jakesmp.com/Numismatic_n...licas_M.html I may have to update my coaster collection!

This is not the first time I've seen them offered for sale as real coins on ebay.

Someone gave me a set maybe 8 or 10 years ago as a Christmas gift. It had 6 coins in a boxed set. I still use them all the time. One problem is the weight. It's a little on the light side, so if the glass is really sweating, the water forms enough of a seal with the coaster that it sticks until you have it over the floor and that makes a horrible, loud noise as a 3" round disk of metal drops to the floor and bounces around and then rolls across the room leaving a wet trail.

I DON'T use them over the glass top coffee table. They do have some weight and I'm sure they could shatter a square of glass out of the table.

The "copper" and "gold" do tend to turn green because of the condensation from the glass and the "silver" gets white powdery deposits if you don't dry them after you use them. I may try some kind of cleaner to make them look nice again, as it's not a real coin, I guess it's okay.

But now that I've found the source, I can just buy a new set.

It looks like some are out of stock, so they may be rare! I guess I'd better hurry before all of the best coins are taken.

Whenever I see stuff like this I want to mail them saying their coin is fake and ILLEGAL to sell. Then tell them I am reporting them to the secret service. But I just report the listing instead :/ Oh well one of these days I tell ya....

I would not buying coin coasters for fun. However, for that price, that thing better solve world peace or something because that is ridiculous.

U.S. Goverment agencies don't care.
ebay loves the fees..period.

My main search criteria on ebay other than Colonials.
I own 5 1877's.
When you understand the diagnostics, fakes are easy to spot.

Not really. It just worked out that way!!

See http://www.usmint.gov/consumer/?action=BusReplicas

However, if you have some time on your hand, 15 USC § 2102 - Private enforcement:

If any person violates section 2101 (a) or (b) of this title or a rule under section 2101 (c) of this title, any interested person may commence a civil action for injunctive relief restraining such violation, and for damages, in any United States District Court for a district in which the defendant resides or has an agent. In any such action, the court may award the costs of the suit, including reasonable attorneys' fees.