By Jack Riley
This article examines two counterfeit 1908-S Indian Head Cents identified from listings by a single seller on eBay . In addition to these examples, the same seller also offered a counterfeit 1877 Indian Cent alongside a small selection of genuine coins. It remains unclear whether the seller was aware of the inauthentic nature of these pieces. Presented below are images of the two counterfeit coins in question, along with a confirmed counterfeit specimen provided courtesy of NGC for reference.
Subject example #1
Subject example #2
Images Courtesy of NGC
This specimen is one I had previously encountered but had not formally documented until the preparation of this article. It is important to mention the NGC example exhibits a different reverse from the other five examples illustrated, suggesting the existence of an extensive “Family” with interchanged dates paired with various reverses. This focus of this study is specifically on the 1908-S.
As illustrated in the comparative images below, all examples display several consistent repeating marks. Most prominently, a deformation of the “T”, in “LIBERTY”–wherefrom this counterfeit derived its informal moniker, the “Droopy T.” That serves as a key diagnostic.
Additional recurring characteristics include two incuse lines through the base of “AMERICA”, a raised dot right of “O” and a small spike protruding from the bust. The reverse has been observed paired with multiple obverse combinations, one of which is anticipated to be featured on Proxiblog in the near future.
Additional examples–three in total–have surfaced on various online marketplaces, with some proving considerably more deceptive than their counterparts.
A detailed close-up collage below illustrates the previously noted repeating obverse diagnostics, including:
- The distinctive “Droopy T” in STATES
- Dot right of the letter “O”
- Intersecting lines through the base of “AM”
- Large prominent spike protruding from Liberty’s bust
Once again, this counterfeit family reminds me to advise newer collectors to follow these general guidelines:
- If you are ready to bid hundreds of dollars on a coin, resist buying a raw one and shop for one holdered by PCGS, NGC, ANACS and CAC.
- Be especially careful when purchasing raw coins from eBay and other online venues. TAI bots cannot detect counterfeits, so you are on your own.
- Make sure the seller takes returns and has good reviews. Also, the number of positive reviews is a good indicator. If someone has 0 sales or even fewer than 100, do not take a chance.
- Weigh the coin and go to PCGS CoinFacts for the date and mintmark, checking your coin against weights and dimensions.
- Read this article about detecting counterfeits.
If you like posts like this, you can read more articles on counterfeit coins by Jack Riley, Jack D. Young and Michael Bugeja at this URL. Also, please subscribe so you can get our weekly newsletter and be informed whenever there is a new article or column.
Proxiblog also has more than a thousand friends and followers on Facebook Coin Groups and thousands more across YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.
You can find more information about errors and varieties as well as buying and bidding on coins in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider purchasing the work for yourself or a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist website. Thank you.