1914 D 1c What Grade Would You Give This?

i agree completely, counterfeit.

It appears that the coin's surface has been buffed to mask the alteration.

Yep! I didn't even think of that when I sent it off. I got this coin for copper weight @ $3.00 per lb. some time back and just never looked closely at it. My wife picked it out of a bunch of coins and we just put it in w/ the last batch to NGC .... embarrassing no? Since I paid nothing for it save copper price, it never dawned on me I could have/find a counterfeit coin in there!

Here's how they sent it back;

At least you didn't have a bunch of money invested in the coin! Thanks for posting, helps to see these type of alterations from time to time.

Hey...the way people collect things, keep it in the NGC flip and give it a few years...

How much did NGC charge? That wasn't free, was it?

Yep, figured as much, Rynegold ... My question was rhetorical

Years ago, I was in my favorite coin shop when a "customer" brought one of these alterations to sell as an allegedly legitimate 1914-D. The dealer pointed out to him that it was altered, and the VDB was visible on Lincoln's shoulder to boot. The guy got really irate with the dealer. I was prepared to help remove him from the shop, but he stormed out, causing no small concern among the sales girls and other customers.

Earlier this month, a friend brought an alleged S-VDB to me, hoping to sell it. It has XF details, being a cast piece that appears to have ED, and an area dealer had offered him $550 for it. I told him that I thought it was fake. I took it to a show and my observation was confirmed. Hopefully, my friend will get his money back from the seller. It never ceases to amaze me how easily collectors and even dealers are fooled by fakes nowadays; this, what with all the resources we have at our fingertips. Admittedly, there are some very deceptive fakes around, but a good many are obvious if one does a bit of homework.