Category Archives: Jack D. Young Reports

These post are written by expert numismatist and counterfeit detective Jack D. Young. He reports in an investigative manner on how to detect fake coins. See his posts to learn how to authenticate coins.

eBay Seller’s comments to “Your Baby’s Ugly”

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By Jack D. Young

Proxiblog asked me to consider doing an article on “how eBay sellers react when we report their coins as fake? I know some take down the lots. Others don’t.” I was intrigued by the thought and decided to write the following!

When I explain a Bay listing is counterfeit sellers can react a number of ways–in disbelieve, argumentatively (Grandpa owned it), accepting and thankful, combative (I’ll meet you in a parking lot dude…) or just “crickets.”. In my experience the larger the seller the higher the probability of crickets.

So, moving on I will not lower our standards here and report the combative ones but several of recent experiences I have had of the other types of reactions.

Let’s start with an interesting Trade dollar. This example just caught my eye, and the images led me to believe the coin was not genuine. The images in the listing were not definitive, and I asked the seller for better ones. He agreed and that was all it took! The common reverse used for a family of fakes I nicknamed the “notched R.” I wrote an article on these published in a recent LSCC Gobrecht Journal. I actually own one returned to a seller by NGC as counterfeit, so well versed on these:

eBay recent listing

So, I asked the seller about the coin and that I had concerns about its authenticity. He responded that he looked up the cert and the “PCGS verification”.

I responded there were no images on the on-line cert, so no help there. I included images from my coin and article and that I was sure it was counterfeit.

And he responded with a thank you and that he would remove the listing immediately, which he did!

So, a win, except who knows were the coin ends up, as he responded he is taking it back to the previous seller… And then another listing and another message:

Seller actually had two bad Morgans in fake PCGS slabs listed:

As he stated in his message, he ended both!

So, two with likely the best results we could hope for. And then this one:

Another counterfeit coin in a counterfeit slab, this one gets a little complicated if you really evaluate this one properly.

First, the obverse barcode scans as a 1989 $10 gold eagle. Then, the images of the genuine example for the cert# on the PCGS site are a completely different coin. And third, the interesting twist for this one is fakes of this type typically have a reverse QR code that scans to the genuine PCGS cert site in CHINA (cnpcgs), BUT this one scans to pcgseurope! A separate article on this one in the works.

So, I notified the owner, but he is in denial, and his response and then silence:

Silent until this😎:

So, good luck to all eBayer’s with that one!

And now the crickets; my friend Jack Riley posted the next example in our Face Book group:

Pretty bad counterfeit in a counterfeit slab again, the surprise was it is a large well respected Bay coin seller. Several of us sent messages to the seller with no response, so I took a risk and purchased it with the intention of asking for a return for it being a counterfeit.

Refund granted, never heard from the seller…

And eBay removed the listing:

Shortly thereafter my eBay account was permanently suspended.

If you like posts like this, you can read more articles on counterfeit coins by Jack D. Young, Jack Riley and Michael Bugeja at this URL. Also, please subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and other venues. 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.

Fake Eisenhower Dollars

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By Jack Riley

As most collectors know, Chinese counterfeits have flooded the market. Often many buyers are “burned” on key date and semi key date coins of many series. We have stressed that nothing is safe and that includes Eisenhower Dollars! These are readily available at banks for face value and yet here we have counterfeits.

Diving straight into repeating markers of these two “coins,” a 1971-P and 1977-P show commonalities between the two. Both share matching obverses and reverses indicated in Red.

Obverse markers:

  • Diagonal depression of L
  • Depression in front of the eye

Reverse markers:

  • Raised lump below A1
  • Indent below OF
  • Line through C

China produces counterfeits of common coins like the Eisenhower dollar if a small profit can be made. These scammers may not be expert numismatists; but they are professional marketers who know about profit margins. Their profits expand with bulk production, flooding eBay and Facebook with fakes. China knows the coin collectors will just assume that low-value common coins like Ike dollars are genuine.

They are polluting the hobby.

If you suspect that one of your coins might be fake, see “Detecting Counterfeits” for methods.

If you like posts like this, you can read more articles on counterfeit coins by Jack D. Young, Jack Riley 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 thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and other venues. 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.

Fake CC and P mint Double Eagles

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By Jack Riley

Counterfeiters aren’t numismatists. They often use incorrect design types that are impossible for a given coin and do not understand how third party grading services holder the coins they certify. This example may take the cake! A counterfeit 1892-CC $20 Gold piece in a fake PCGS holder. Not just any holder, a holder pedigreed to D.L. Hansen!

Let’s view the counterfeit example compared to the genuine one below that from Hansen’s collection.

When you compare the two, it is very clear that they are not the same coin. One can see the CC position is incorrect along with a large lump on the ribbon.

The “Family” is likely very extensive and many dates have been noted sharing this common reverse. Additional images shared below are from an 1891-CC coin as well as an 1893-CC. These were recently shared to a large Facebook group where they got mixed reviews.

Now to the connection between the common reverses. This 1882-CC shares the “common reverse.” The obverse is very distinct as well for this date. The 1882 date was interchanged with both P and CC mint reverses. Noteworthy: the surface lump above Liberty’s head, spike protruding from the bridge of the nose, and a raised line under the date.

Interesting occurrence with the Philadelphia reverse is that it was later tooled to repair the denticles. The first two images show a depression along with the deformation of the denticles at approximately K12.

The next two images show the deformed denticles but no indentation within them.

“Common” P reverse

Closeup images of markers include:

  • Deformed Denticles with a depression, later was repaired
  • Spike through “C”
  • Small field dot above “T”

“Common” CC reverse

Closeup image of repeating marks include:

  • CC centered above denomination
  • Small chip above “DOLLARS”

If you purchase a counterfeit coin, especially one as expensive as a $20 gold one, contact the seller for a refund. If the seller refuses to accept a return for a counterfeit coin, immediately initiate a dispute with the payment platform (eBay, PayPal, or credit card company) for an “item not as described,” as counterfeit items are illegal to sell. Document the fraud with professional authentication, and if necessary, report the seller to the U.S. Secret Service or local law enforcement.

If a dispute cannot be resolved, and you report the fraud to the U.S. Secret Service, you may be required to turn the coin over to authorities. In any case, never attempt to re-sell the coin, even if you disclose that it is a counterfeit.

If you like posts like this, you can read more articles on counterfeit coins by Jack D. Young, Jack Riley, John Lorenzo 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 thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and other venues. 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.

Primer on “Not PCGS” Fakes

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This video documents the various ways to identify fake Chinese holders and coins, including lack of logos on slab, pasted Gold Shield sticker, wrong fonts, wrong 1921 label, wrong reverse and so much more. Below the video is a an example of a Carson City Morgan dollar with six significant problems signifying a counterfeit. But there are other fake coins and slabs you need to know.

Bad Condition for Grade

The surface area lacks a cartwheel and good eye appeal and would never be graded MS66+. Check certification before buying any slabbed coin by PCGS and NGC, especially. See below for difference.

Wrong Font

Missing NFC Logo

QR Code Opens to Chinese Fake Certification Site

Everything is Wrong

Wrong cert, mistake “Morgan” on non 1921 coin, thin holder, misplaced sticker, missing logo.

Another Messed Up “Everything Wrong” Example

Wrong bar code, missing symbol and logo, wrong reverse, misplaced sticker.

Genuine Sticker Inserted into Fake PCGS Holder

Cracked open fake holder (no PCGS logo, wrong sticker) with genuine sticker and fake coin stuck inside it.

Counterfeit Coin Via Verification Check with Fake GreatCollections Holder

Fake coin detected via checking certification that also has a fake GreatCollections label.

Counterfeit Coin with Spurious Label

PCGS does not use “America” on US Coins

For more in-depth analysis, see “Detecting Counterfeit Coins.“

If you like posts like this, you can read more articles on counterfeit coins by Jack D. Young, Jack Riley and Michael Bugeja at this URL. Also, please subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and other venues. 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.

Trifecta, CN Counterfeit Coin, Slab and Website

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By Jack D. Young

As if the Chinese counterfeit coins in fake PCGS slabs isn’t bad enough, now there appears to be a fake Chinese PCGS website to verify them.

A friend alerted me to the following listing on the Bay:

Past eBay listed counterfeit in a counterfeit not-PCGS slab:

The listing included these interesting other images:

Images from the seller’s listing

The seller had ended the listing based on being told it is a counterfeit, and I started a review to try to determine what was going on here!

So, I started with the “PCGS” slab and some quick checks. Using my on-line barcode scanner I checked the front barcode:

Like many similar bad slabs, the barcode was gibberish and would not scan. Next, I went to the PCGS website to check the noted cert number:

Note from the genuine PCGS site for the cert # look-up

And another bad sign, that cert # “was not found”. So, my next step was to try to read the reverse label QR code. And just a note, many of the previous counterfeits we have documented similar to this one had a QR code that read the cert # correctly but noted the genuine PCGS CN site. A previous example read like this:

Typical previous QR code to pcgs.cn site

And then this one:

Note different website for this cert!

Different result than expected! I do NOT recommend readers going to the site shown, but if you did, this is what comes up:

Fake “PCGS” site, image

WOW, now we have something apparently new to be concerned about with these.

I did notify my contacts at PCGS for a heads-up as well as post it on their CU Forum:

The Trifecta, CN Counterfeit Coin, Slab and Website ! — Collectors Universe

My contacts at PCGS acknowledged they were now aware and reviewing; a check of the fake site Christmas evening indicated it was now unavailable– a nice Christmas present if it lasts…

I did continue to dig a bit and found the following domain information; seemed ironic the “Registrar” has Alibaba in the name😎!

The best way to guard against buying a counterfeit coin is to purchase an authentic one from a reputable dealer. Barring that, view Jack Young’s Jack Riley’s and my articles on counterfeit coins published by Proxiblog.

If you like posts like this, please subscribe so you can 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.

Fake “Droopy T” 1908-S Indian Cents

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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:

  1. 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.
  2. Be especially careful when purchasing raw coins from eBay and other online venues. TAI bots cannot detect counterfeits, so you are on your own.
  3. 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.
  4. Weigh the coin and go to PCGS CoinFacts for the date and mintmark, checking your coin against weights and dimensions.
  5. 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.

Not PCGS 2025 Silver!

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Jack D. Young

Often, I joke about the counterfeiters apparently being ahead of the genuine releases–if not ahead, they are certainly keeping up with the latest “not-PCGS” slabbed fakes!

In this exclusive Proxiblog article I will review 3 really special 2025 “numismatic treasures” showing up in different selling venues.

So, without further ado I will start with a first strike 2025 230th anniversary flowing hair:

OK, so what is the issue with this one? Well, the 230th anniversary of the flowing hair dollar was 2024 and as noted the “year of issue”!!!

So, the following example actually came across the counter of a famous Chicago Coin Shop and a friend there posted it in one of our groups.

A counterfeit walks into a coin shop 😎…

These were also the subject of a short on another friend’s popular coin YouTube channel:

“Frostbyte Coins” short on the subject

Not to be outdone, eBay sellers jumped on the bandwagon as well…

eBay listed 2025 230 Anniversary “Medal Coin”

A second eBay listing

And of course, one more on the Bay:

And a 3rd bay listing at the time

One thing to notice, all sport different cert numbers versus many we have seen with common certs used; and the cert for the Chicago example pulls up as:

Pretty silly at this point…

And what’s next? How about the 2025-S First Strike proof Morgan set!

This example posted in a Face Book Group I sometimes visit:

FB Group post image

The answer to his question is “it’s fake!” and the cert number is actually for a 2022 Australian 50c piece! And again, not to be outdone another listed for sale on the Bay:

eBay listing of similar counterfeit 2025-S and fake PCGS slab

As most of these, the actual barcode on the label does not scan, but checking the cert number for the listed example (48248428) gives this result on PCGS’ cert website:

And what could possibly be next😎?

How about a 2025“PCGS” MS70 First Strike Silver Eagle? This from a FB group post as well:

Interesting, the cert comes up as:

PCGS on-line cert for 51841365 shows the coin type as “971094”

So, coin type 971094 in PCGS’ system is as follows:

PCGS definition of the 2025 First Strike

While 2025 (W) S1 silver eagles are designated as “971544”:

PCGS definition of the 2025 (W)  First Strike at West Point

I often state the counterfeiters are NOT Numismatists. (They are crooks.)

And finding a genuine (W) example to compare to shows the following differences on the obverse slab and label:

Counterfeit on left, genuine First Strike (W) on the right

So, the “Fun” never ends with the counterfeits, and one can only wonder what they have in store for 2026!

If you like posts like this, you can read more articles on counterfeit coins by Jack D. Young, Jack Riley 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 thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, 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.

1992/92-D Close scAM

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Only a handful of 1992/92-D Close AM coins have been found in the past decades, making these high-value variations extremely desired and also relatively easy to dupe both the buyer and eBay (when sellers do not accept returns). In the video below, Proxiblog’s Michael Bugeja shows how a person can photograph the obverse of a typical 1992/92-D Wide AM and the reverse of a 1993-2000 Close AM and depict them side by side as if one coin.

Now comes the hard part for the unfortunate buyer. He receives a 1992/92-D Wide AM. He may not know the die markers (disclosed in the video) or he may, leaving him with the distressing chore of trying to explain die markers to eBay when the seller doesn’t accept returns. While arguing counterfeit with eBay sometimes works, good luck when it comes to die markers. This is why Proxiblog recommends never buying or bidding on unholdered rarities.

If you like posts like this, please subscribe so you can get our weekly newsletter and be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentaries, click 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.

Venus, a Comet, and Caesar’s Assassination

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A few months after Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March 44 BC, a comet streaked through the skies, making him a god in his followers’ eyes.

Some historical background: On March 15, the great Roman statesman and reformer, Gaius Julius Caesar, was assassinated. The historical record notes his military brilliance as well as his less popular role in ending the Roman Republic.

The celestial object, now known as Caesar’s Comet (C/-43 K1), appeared in July of that year and was seen as a sign Caesar’s deification. 

The brilliant comet was visible for seven days. Romans interpreted the cosmic event as a sign that Caesar’s soul was ascending into the heavens and that he had joined the gods and Venus mother–a reference by the Roman poet Ovid.

Ovid describes the deification in Book 15 of his epic poem, Metamorphoses. In the passage, Venus takes Caesar’s spirit from his murdered body and carries it to the heavens, where she transforms it into a star.

This provided a propaganda occasion for Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian (who later became Emperor Augustus). He claimed to be a son of the now god Caesar, legitimizing his own rise to power.

The recognition had been put in place by Caesar before his death.

By placing Venus’s image on coins during his lifetime, Caesar had already reinforced his divine right to rule. Here are representative coins featured in a Coin Week article.

By imitating Caesar’s use of Venus in his own coinage, Octavian symbolically inherited not just his father’s name and legacy, but also his divine mandate.

Collectors covet these coins because of the heavenly history. They are pricey, too, because of the demand. Here is a retail example:

As with all coins, the marketplace is full of counterfeits. This is especially prevalent with Caesar’s military coins. His “Elephant” silver Denarius, minted circa 49–48 BC, typically weighs between 3.5 and 4.0 grams (commonly cited around 3.78g to 3.98g) and has a diameter of roughly 18mm. 

eBay is full of counterfeits, especially from China and Bulgaria. Etsy and Temu offer these as replicas and they have flooded the market as authentic with scammers counting on buyers not understanding how to detect fakes.

If you are unfamiliar with ancient coins, only purchase ones slabbed by NGC (the best for ancients):

If you do not know ancient coins and want to add a Caesar coin to your collection, bid on or buy an example holdered by NGC. Also note these attributes of fake ones:

  • Seams: A genuine ancient Roman coin was struck between two metal dies, not cast in a mold. Counterfeit coins that are cast often have a raised line or seam on the edge.
  • Soft details: Cast fakes tend to have a soft, “soapy,” or indistinct appearance, especially in the fine details of the portrait and lettering. Genuine struck coins show a much sharper impression, even if worn.
  • Uneven surface: Pores or small bumps on the coin’s surface can indicate that it was cast. These marks are caused by trapped air bubbles in the mold during the casting process.
  • Weight and size: Casting can cause metal to shrink. As a result, cast fakes are often slightly smaller and lighter than their genuine counterparts.
  • Artificial patina: Forgers often apply a chemical patina to make a coin look ancient.

Consider the difference between a genuine and fake Venus Caesar coin:

If you are interested in ancient coins, visit the portal Vcoins.

If you like posts like this, please subscribe so you can get our weekly newsletter and be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentaries, click 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.

A “New” 1898-S not-PCGS Morgan Dollar

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By Jack D. Young

I have written a number of articles in several different venues about a scourge of counterfeit Morgan Dollars in fake “PCGS” holders including here on Proxiblog.

The subject of this short article features a newly discovered example and a known bad eBay seller and his other wares.

First, the bad seller. His 2 listings at this writing on the Bay are known bad ones including the stolen PCGS certification numbers:

Both were reported through their latest AI reporting process and removed.

His next one was previously sold last month and unfortunately, I missed it. The seller is now in a more prominent place on my bad seller list for periodic review.

And back a minute, the original source of these bad “coins” is actually in China (CN), and I continue to record new examples introduced to the marketplace in one of my Facebook Groups focused on counterfeits. And this one just hit my list this first week of September.

So, let’s review what makes this new one a counterfeit!

This one was sold as genuine, and someone got severely burned but apparently doesn’t know it:

Holy crap Batman, $786.01 for a counterfeit Morgan in a fake PCGS slab!

OK, we all say, “buy the coin, not the holder”; but I will start with the obvious, the holder. …

I know Proxiblog’s Michael Bugeja may have a comment, especially about fonts, as he is a journalist (wrong font again here for PCGS); but there also are a couple of “easy” observations without this one in hand.

There is no PCGS insignia in the lower right-hand corner, and the barcode is common gibberish for these: it will not read with my on-line scanner.

A screenshot of a computer AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Similar ones I have in-hand have the “PCGS” label stuck to the outside of the slab and won’t scan. And the notion it has a scannable chip shown on the reverse is false as well.

And what about the “coin”?

One place I always start is looking for the TPG cert number on-line for any descriptions and images!

And this example uses a genuine PCGS cert # with on-line genuine images:

And comparing the genuine example to the counterfeit reverse shows some obvious differences.

Images of the genuine certed example on the left, subject counterfeit on the right

The “S” is an obvious issue with this one; many of the current CN counterfeits use a common reverse which is one of the reasons I often start with the reverse on this type of counterfeit.

At first blush I can say I have not seen this specific reverse previously, but that will be another research project going forward.

For completeness I have also included an obverse comparison image of the genuine certed one to this one. The date font and surface scratches show as major differences between the two.

Images of the genuine certed example are on the left, and the subject counterfeit on the right.

So, definitely not a match! And on to another reason I focus on the reverse. As I always state attribution is a major step in the review process and I regularly look up the known genuine reverses in VAMWorld.

For those not familiar with a “VAM,” I quote the following from my friends at APMEX:

A VAM Morgan dollar is a Morgan die variety. VAM Morgan dollars and VAM Peace dollars were first identified by numismatists Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis in The Comprehensive Catalog & Encyclopedia of Morgan and Peace Dollars. 

VAM is an acronym for both authors’ last names, Van Allen and Mallis, and was adopted after the book was published. 

So I looked up this date and mint-mark on their site:

Image from VAMWorld on-line site

Sorting by the known reverses, there are 7 shown on their site and none a match to this subject example.

So, it seems the counterfeiters just continue to pump out fakes at a dizzying pace, including this one with the “fakes in fakes” using counterfeit PCGS slabs and stolen cert #’s. It does make one wonder what if anything PCGS is doing in response.

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 be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, 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.