1893 S XF45 (Buy Or Pass)

These aren't even good pictures of the coin and the slab, but something, just something tells me that it's a Chinese fake coin/slab for some reason....
To authenticate a high-value coin like this, we need high-quality pictures of both the coin and the slab. Both sides, too.

Need better photos to make any meaningful assessment. I will remark that the luster looks better than XF which is actually a red flag. You should also be aware that PCGS holders are being faked as well, often with a number that will look up to the correct coin and grade. If this coin is being offered online and is priced at less than, say, ten thousand dollars, I'd be extremely suspicious.

Looks fake, the details are flawed, demonstrates some pitting, nose and lips look too big and so does the eye. The holder also demonstrates some of the discrepancies that I've seen before in fake PCGS holders. Furthermore this coin seems to have way too much luster for a problem-free XF-45. Pass on it.

Could you post a straight on shot of both the obv. and rev. ?

I think it is a fake slab. And they are trying to hide that with the weird angled pictures.

I would report the seller. They are selling a fake coin in a fake slab.

I'd like to know where this is being offered, as almost certainly a fraud is being perpetrated. The OP needs to understand that typically a really high end coin like this will pass through one of the major auction houses when it changes hands on the open market, not not just get thrown out there on the likes of Alibaba or Craigslist, or even ebay.




Hmmm. There absolutely was a time when they were pretty put out with regard to this issue.

See:
http://www.pcgs.com/News/Counterfeit-Pcgs-Holders

Worthwhile (although perhaps already dated) website on detecting fake PCGS slabs:
http://coins.about.com/od/coingradi...Diagnostics/

Here are some better pics. I found the coin on crigslist. I was intrested in it. I was intending on havi g it regraded. It looks alot better than xf45