Posted 08/01/2015 7:43 pm
Great advice, mox!
mcanniz, as mox said, the best way to start learning how to detect countefeit Morgans (and other things like dipping and fake toning) is to get a really good idea how genuine, unaltered Morgans look. When you know how they're *SUPPOSED* to look, you can usually tell right away when one DOESN'T look how it's SUPPOSED to look. Dealer pick bins offer you a way to get your hands on lots of different date/mintmark combinations, though many of the higher-grade ones there will likely have problems (usually cleaning). Still, it's a great place to start. Also, look at the slabbed ones (or even those just in flips in the showcase) because those will be better grades/coins.
Plus, there are other things not visible to the eye. A small pocket scale that reads in tenths of grams will let you weigh the coins. Counterfeits are often made with different metals, and usually have significantly different weights. And for lower-grade Morgans, there's the "drop-test" in which you drop the coin on a hard surface and listen for the chime that's distinct for silver. A non-silver coin will have more of a "thunk" than a chime.
For the really good counterfeits, though, it often comes down to being able to recognize little details specific to a given coin, and if those details don't match what's expected (whether it's placement of the digits in the date, serifs on the mintmark, or any number of other things), then it's likely counterfeit. Again, though, studying real ones is the best way to begin learning.
mcanniz, as mox said, the best way to start learning how to detect countefeit Morgans (and other things like dipping and fake toning) is to get a really good idea how genuine, unaltered Morgans look. When you know how they're *SUPPOSED* to look, you can usually tell right away when one DOESN'T look how it's SUPPOSED to look. Dealer pick bins offer you a way to get your hands on lots of different date/mintmark combinations, though many of the higher-grade ones there will likely have problems (usually cleaning). Still, it's a great place to start. Also, look at the slabbed ones (or even those just in flips in the showcase) because those will be better grades/coins.
Plus, there are other things not visible to the eye. A small pocket scale that reads in tenths of grams will let you weigh the coins. Counterfeits are often made with different metals, and usually have significantly different weights. And for lower-grade Morgans, there's the "drop-test" in which you drop the coin on a hard surface and listen for the chime that's distinct for silver. A non-silver coin will have more of a "thunk" than a chime.
For the really good counterfeits, though, it often comes down to being able to recognize little details specific to a given coin, and if those details don't match what's expected (whether it's placement of the digits in the date, serifs on the mintmark, or any number of other things), then it's likely counterfeit. Again, though, studying real ones is the best way to begin learning.
