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 Replies: 30 / Views: 8,191 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2815 Posts |
Since there is always a steady discussion on counterfeit Morgan dollars I wanted to share these with the community. These counterfeit Morgans are the thickest I have seen so far (3.15 mm). The weight and diameter are so precise it is frightening.   The following image shows a comparison between the fake stack of 10 on the right and the authentic stack of Morgans on the left. There is a substantial difference- over one full coin's worth of thickness.  Now for the specifications:   Under less light:   I purchased these on Aliexpress for $2 each. I buy these for educational purposes and to have play money (don't want to play with my real Morgans). Even before weighing them the "heft" of these 10 coins in my hand felt spot on to the real deal. @Steve Caruso: Let me know if you don't have this particular coin in your collection. I can send you one. I would be happy to make a contribution to the database.  |
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
Interesting. They don't pass the inspection of someone who knows Morgans, but they're pretty darn good.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2815 Posts |
Quote:
They don't pass the inspection of someone who knows Morgans, but they're pretty darn good. This is exactly why common date counterfeits of this caliber are truly worrisome for people who don't know Morgans. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
10625 Posts |
Since they are produced from a material less dense than 90/10 they have to increase the thickness to maintain a proper diameter and weight. Obviously meant to fool someone down the food chain.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4883 Posts |
I'd ask if they're at all magnetic. They have the look of castings except for those beautiful reeded edges.
Colligo ergo sum
Edited by Lucky Cuss
01/25/2015 5:43 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2518 Posts |
I wonder if mine is one of these "extra thick" fakes, with around a millimetre thicker than an Ike. What got me was mainly the weight, I think. It has the weight of a silver dollar when I held it.
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Valued Member
United States
172 Posts |
This is SO WEIRD!!
I mean, the obverse and reverse are very well done, but the weight and thickness are off my so much..... I wonder if these were a "trial run" of fakes.
And I can only shudder at the faked PCGS slabs and labels that these people are working on!
Oh, man.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3343 Posts |
If they start making them out of silver I wonder if they'd slab (details only, they look cleaned). It'd be worth the $12 of silver. At a minimum they would sell them as bullion rounds for $20. Next thing you know they'll be doing VAM's. I don't like all the casting bubbles. Lots of them near the rim. They probably polished them off in the fields. "Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
Edited by thq
01/25/2015 5:47 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4883 Posts |
If they were put into the fake PCGS slabs we've also been seeing, that 10% extra thickness would be very hard to discern.
Colligo ergo sum
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Valued Member
United States
172 Posts |
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If they were put into the fake PCGS slabs we've also been seeing, that 10% extra thickness would be very hard to discern. Oh, Lord, I did not even think of that! You are correct, of course.    These Chinese fakers are going to sink the hobby in 2 years, tops. |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
It's a mistake to think they really care about the thickness. By the time you and I see these, they've long since made their creator a profit. Don't forget, we're not the target audience. We know better.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2130 Posts |
Here is an "1888CC" Morgan that I received a few years ago in a lot I purchased off ebay that only showed the obverse. Lucky for me the rest were authentic. This was a case where I truly believe the seller had no clue what they were selling.   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1308 Posts |
Staff edit - Although most fake coins come from a certain area, let us not propagate stereotypes.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2815 Posts |
Quote:
Since they are produced from a material less dense than 90/10 they have to increase the thickness to maintain a proper diameter and weight. EXACTLY RIGHT. Quote:
I wonder if these were a "trial run" of fakes.
I was thinking about this too- and of the possibility of these thicker coins being a new generation of counterfeits. I took additional pictures that are much more clear, as well as a close up shot of the reeded edge.    Quote:
I'd ask if they're at all magnetic. I just checked them, and they are not magnetic. You know when you pass a rare earth magnet over and over again in close proximity to an authentic Morgan, and the Morgan will begin to move slightly (diamagnetism?)? Well, these coins behave the exact same way. The effect just isn't as strong. This is crazy. Edited by Darth Morgan
01/25/2015 7:21 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1796 Posts |
If there is a diamagnetic reaction, these are struck copper, silver-plated common date counterfeits, and the reeding is also a dead giveaway.
*These* are the current scourge saturating the market and make up the vast bulk of counterfeits being produced today.
And from this, I believe you can see why. :-(
I'm actively trying to procure more examples to add to The Black Cabinet's stacks for study.
Edited by SteveCaruso
01/25/2015 10:50 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2077 Posts |
The first thing I do when I get a Morgan in the mail is drop it on the scale. Guess I need to put my calipers by the scale now. There look so thick I don't think they'd fit in my Dansco.
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Replies: 30 / Views: 8,191 |
Posted 01/25/2015 4:48 pm
