Coin Community Family of Web Sites Join Thousands of Coin, Bullion, & Money Collectors
Royal Canadian Mint products, Canadian, Polish, American, and world coins and banknotes. Coin, Banknote and Medal Collectors's Online Mall Vancouvers #1 Coin and Paper Money Dealer Specializing in Modern Numismatics 300,000 items to help build your collection! Shop for APMEX Bullion on eBay!Join Thousands of Coin, Bullion, & Money Collectors








Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?


This page may contain links that result in small commissions to keep this free site up and running.

Welcome Guest! Registering and/or logging in will remove the anchor (bottom) ads. It's Free!

1787 Fugio Is It Real?

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.
Author Previous TopicReplies: 35 / Views: 4,387Next Topic
Page: of 3
Moderator
Learn More...
jbuck's Avatar
United States
188440 Posts
 Posted 07/16/2008  5:01 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jbuck to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Absolutely! Do not send it to a stranger. I would hope there would be more than a few reputable dealers in Pittsburgh. You might even consider having a friend go with you just for extra comfort.
Moderator
Learn More...
SsuperDdave's Avatar
United States
23522 Posts
 Posted 07/16/2008  5:56 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add SsuperDdave to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
I emailed him the picture today and he said he could not tell from the photo but if I sent it to him he could appraise it for me. He also said he is an agent for PCGS abd NGC but, I still do not think I would want to send it to a stranger in Nebraska.


Was that by some chance Tom Reynolds? I understand your caution - it's justifiable - but Tom will not risk 40 years' worth of reputation over one coin. He's a pretty big name in this area of specialization, and I would certainly trust him with the coin. Again, that's only my opinion.

This would be a pretty important, and valuable, coin if authenticated. Until you're sure of its' authenticity, treat it as if it's worth thousands of dollars, because if it's real, it is. Don't get your hopes up, though - as Conder101 mentioned, you could probably hold in the palm of your hand the total number of these which have seen this much circulation.
New Member
United States
16 Posts
 Posted 07/16/2008  6:13 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Goldie1492 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Yes, it is Tom Reynolds and I remember when I met him I liked him and felt he was honest, but I only talked to him for a few minutes. So I guess my instincts were right but I still am not comfortable sending it to him until I know what I have. He said he would be interested in buying it and I told him I would let him know before I sold it.

Thanks for the info. I did call a couple of coin shops and found out that not many of then are familiar with colonial coins.
Moderator
Learn More...
SsuperDdave's Avatar
United States
23522 Posts
 Posted 07/16/2008  6:56 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add SsuperDdave to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
So I guess my instincts were right but I still am not comfortable sending it to him until I know what I have.


It's more important than anything else for you to feel comfortable with the whole process.

I think your best bet, then, might be to send the coin to ANACS for authentication and grading. They are one of the Third-Party Grading services - firms which authenticate, grade and encapsulate coins for dealers and collectors. Of the three (or four, depending on who you ask ) major firms of the type, they are the only one which deals with regular folk like you and me, without wanting you to buy a membership first. Look at their Services page here:

http://www.anacs.com/contentPages/Services.aspx

You'd probably want to use the 15-day Non-US Mint service, costing $28 per coin. However, by policy ANACS grades only the Fugio Cent among Colonial issues, so you'll probably want to talk to them on the telephone to get their view regarding grading tier and shipping. Call them at 1-800-888-1861.
Member
amac44's Avatar
United States
3242 Posts
 Posted 07/17/2008  12:13 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add amac44 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
send it to ANACS it maybe worth it
Valued Member
Pennypusher's Avatar
United States
486 Posts
 Posted 07/17/2008  12:41 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Pennypusher to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I know old Tom Reynolds! Nice guy but I would look for a reputable dealer in your area there should be a few shops in the Pittsburgh area. -PP
Bedrock of the Community
Bryan1315's Avatar
United States
14454 Posts
 Posted 07/17/2008  12:57 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Bryan1315 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I think I would probably send it to ANACS myself also if I were in your shoes because that way it only goes from you straight to the grading company which will lessen the misinformation you may get from a dealer that doesn't know the series very well or a dealer that may be out for himself and try to scam you out of the coin by telling you its worthless when he in fact knows its not (I am not saying its real I don't know the series enough to feel comfortable saying either way). The only thing you have to worry about with sending it to ANACS is maybe the mail losing the package (which doesn't happen as much as one would believe but it does happen) so insure the package as if it were real (because as of right now thats all you know) and once it gets to ANACS they definately won't switch,or take your coin because they will not ruin their reputation (which is built on trust) that they have built up for so long for a couple thousand dollars. Once its authenticated by ANACS or deemed fake you will know for a fact what you have and once its authenticated the price jumps up quite a bit from a raw coin because so few of these things exist and when people see them they have a hard time getting all the fake coins out of their mind and usually just throw your coin in that category with them so the slab from ANACS would ease anyones mind that its real
Valued Member
Pennypusher's Avatar
United States
486 Posts
 Posted 07/17/2008  1:31 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Pennypusher to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
STEP 1: Locate a coinshop
STEP 2: Go to Coinshop
STEP 3: Ask if Fugio is real/If not get another shops opinion
STEP 4: Have shop send it off for grading

Don't make it harder than it is people, its a fairly simple process. -PP
Pillar of the Community
1sikevo's Avatar
United States
1130 Posts
 Posted 07/17/2008  1:41 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add 1sikevo to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
From the NGC website for certified dealers in PA

Jim McGuigan
Early US coins (Copper, Silver & Gold)
412-247-4484
N. Versailles, PA

or

Charles Litman Coin Exchange
Foreign , US, Ancients, Medals, Tokens
412-261-9000
coinex@aol.com
http://www.lbp.com/com/pit/coinex
Pittsburgh, PA

Pillar of the Community
fengk's Avatar
United States
986 Posts
 Posted 07/17/2008  2:36 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add fengk to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Tom Reynolds is one of the most respected early copper dealers in the country, and you should have no problems dealing with him. If you do feel the need to send the coin in for grading yourself, you could either ship it off to ANACS like everybodyelse is suggesting. Or, if it is possible for you to go the the ANA in Balitmore at the end of the month (or any other large show), ANACS, NGC, and PCGS will all likely be there. ANACS has a table where a couple of the graders sit there all day and give free opinions about authenticity, grade, and whether or not it's worth sending something in.
Moderator
Learn More...
SsuperDdave's Avatar
United States
23522 Posts
 Posted 07/17/2008  8:16 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add SsuperDdave to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
Or, if it is possible for you to go the the ANA in Balitmore at the end of the month (or any other large show), ANACS, NGC, and PCGS will all likely be there.


If you make the effort of going to the Baltimore show, I flat guarantee that I'll be there, drooling over a chance to hold this coin.
Bedrock of the Community
Conder101's Avatar
United States
17884 Posts
 Posted 07/18/2008  11:04 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Conder101 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
STEP 1: Locate a coinshop
STEP 2: Go to Coinshop
STEP 3: Ask if Fugio is real/If not get another shops opinion
STEP 4: Have shop send it off for grading

Step 1 Good
Step 2 Good
Step 3 Here you have a problem. The typical dealer handles one of these once in a blue moon and has no idea about the varieties (See earlier post that thought it was fake because UNITED STATES was not where he expected it to be.) and he isn't going to have a clue if it is real. I've had dealers who couldn't recognize a colonial/state coin let alone know if it was real.
Edited by Conder101
07/18/2008 11:37 am
Pillar of the Community
halfabustisbetter's Avatar
United States
1984 Posts
 Posted 07/18/2008  11:31 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add halfabustisbetter to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I disagree with those imploring a person who is not necessarily a collector to take it cold calling to a local coin shop. It would probably be a colossal waste of time and gas money. Not to mention all of the handling and potential for mishaps that go on. As a former Pittsburgh resident, I know you could drive from N. Versailles up to Monroeville, downtown, or even down to Washington (PA), and you would find maybe 0.63 people with 1/10th as much experience as they'd need to have to approach the authentication of the coin. And even if one of them said, "yeah, it's real," or "No, I am sorry it's fake," what more would you really know? The advice to send it to ANACS delivers a solid first step for determining if this is genuine, and getting it in plastic--even temporarily--is not a horrible idea. The cost is comparable to and maybe even better than a day of driving around the 'burgh. Second-best would be to send it directly to Tom Reynolds--it's a good enough sign that he wants you to send it to him as far as I'm concerned.
New Member
United States
16 Posts
 Posted 07/18/2008  12:20 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Goldie1492 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Thanks again for all the help. I called Jim McGuigan in N. Versaille and he was not in but I will keep trying. Jim is located not far from me. I looked up the ANA show in Baltimore and I am thinking about it. My children live in that area so it would work well for me. I will let you all know what I decide.

Pillar of the Community
halfabustisbetter's Avatar
United States
1984 Posts
 Posted 07/18/2008  12:47 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add halfabustisbetter to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I take it back--Jim McGuigan might be able to help you if he is still in N. Versailles. I thought he had gone to Virginia to work for a new grading service, but he might be working from home for them.
  Previous TopicReplies: 35 / Views: 4,387Next Topic
Page: of 3

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.



    




Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Contact Us  |  Advertise Here  |  Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

Coin Community Forum © 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Forums
It took 0.37 seconds to rattle this change. Forums