Tag Archives: Chinese counterfeit coin

Proxiblog and Jack’s Counterfeit Corner

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By Jack D. Young

Today’s feature subject- the Trifecta all over again; counterfeit 1882-CC Morgan $, counterfeit PCGS slab, and counterfeit PCGS CN “authentication” website.

This article documents what is happening to our hobby. It is important for every collector to know what is happening on eBay and other venues with counterfeit coins, slabs and websites.

I wrote an article on a similar issue at the beginning of the year; the subject was important enough to cross several forums including Coin Week, Coin World and Proxiblog : Trifecta, CN Counterfeit Coin, Slab and Website | Proxiblog Coin News and Views .

We also discussed it on the weekly “Live Coin Q&A” podcast on Thursday June 18. ❓What the Heck are EBay Sellers Doing Now? + New Discovery!

So, let’s start with the current one. I notified PCGS about this 1882-CC Morgan. As I have noted previously I use eBay for new material to write counterfeit articles on, and eBay apparently remembers me and my dumpster dive searches! The following is one page of a series of “inspiring” Bay offerings that came up the other day:

So the 1882-CC looked different and I thought worth taking a deeper dive on (notice the similar looking 1880-CC to the right as well). The original listing:

I have seen many odd listings on the Bay, but this one is notable. Starting with not-PCGS label the nomenclature seems bizarre; I have never seen a genuine one with the word “America” on it, making me think of others with “Morgan” on the label! And I had no clue what the “LM” and “Y” designations stands for; turns out they are attributions for Chinese coins!

The barcode doesn’t scan, the cert number doesn’t exist in the true PCGS database, and the gold shield looks like a child’s coloring book effort.

The seller shows front and back images and then a raw one on a scale while stating “With NFC C” for whatever that is supposed to mean.

And an old friend, “slash” the eagle! And where do you suppose the scale came from?

So bad cert #:

So, what about the reverse QR code? With that many “cn’s” in the address where do you suppose it will lead?

So a note for reference- the site we exposed at the beginning of the year was entirely different and was taken down quickly after notifying my contacts at PCGS and reporting on Proxiblog:

And the new site and images:

And like the previous site there is a “TrueView” type image to aid with authentication…

A little pricy to me at the time as I had 2 others going through the eBay refund/ return process then. Interestingly, both of them were reported through the Bay AI reporting process and came back AOK, but when I posted each on my Face Book sites and stated I bought one, they suddenly were removed along with the sellers…

So I reported this one and the bogus site to my contacts at PCGS and then posted on my personal FB page:

And poof, both the seller and listing were removed from the Bay…

From my post one can see there are Chinese coins included, as I went through the effort to find other ‘coins” on the site. Many CC Morgans and even more CN coins including this example:

Notice the cert #, 66259150 and the subject example, 66259979- each cert # in-between these shows another counterfeit. It goes on and on…

And an image of the ones I screen printed:

Saved images from the bad website

A true nightmare IMHO.

And the story continues, as after the subject listing and seller “disappeared”, more showed up to the party.

2 new sellers with the same appearing stuff, they now state “with grading box”.

I looked at the 1880-CC, and it matched the website examples but decided to purchase the 1882-CC.

And what about seller feedback? WOW, I didn’t know there was even such a thing as counterfeit perfume😎!

Yep, I took the chance of submitting feedback before receiving the item, so we will see how that worked for me.

And I did also report the 1880-CC, but both of these and the website are still up.

And eBay’s responses to both reports:

eBay’s report response states made by a “customer service agent” in both cases!

And the 1882-CC seller’s response to my feedback? Well, like another seller he cancelled my order stating I requested the cancellation.

And he added to the negative feedback chain and asked I contact them “directly to discuss”:

And an interesting anecdote, Paula Bluhm found a Chinese coin with the variety nomenclature used on this “Morgan” counterfeit! (Maybe a viewer can help with the Y and LM designations.)

I actually tried to purchase another one from the same seller, but he cancelled it after I paid for it; I was refunded by eBay.

And a 6-18 update- more sellers of these counterfeits hit the Bay, and they must have read my negative feedback and now obstruct the reverse QR code!

I purchased an 1880-CC, so we will see what I receive.

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 and across 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.

Counterfeit 1943 Copper Cents

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As a member of several Facebook coin groups, I see 1943 P/D/S replicas and, on occasion, die struck Chinese counterfeits. Yet many new collectors claim to have found these ultra rarities, believing they struck it rich. They have been informed by click-bait posts and videos telling viewers that these rarities will turn up in rolls and pocket change.

What turns up are replicas, altered dates, copper plated steel cents and die-struck copper counterfeits.

Approximately 40 copper-alloy cents were accidentally minted across all three U.S. Mints (Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco) in 1943. The 1943-D is the rarest (1 known), while 1943-S (San Francisco) is exceptionally rare (fewer than 5 known). Some 20+ 1943 cents are said to exist.

Types of Fake Coins

Copper plated zinc cents cost less than $10 on Etsy and other sites. These are replicas, as in the photo below.

Chinese counterfeiters have perfected their craft making fake 1943 P/D/S “copper” cents.

Common production methods include:

  • Striking on Non-Magnetic Blanks: Counterfeiters use copper or bronze blanks to strike fake coins. Unlike genuine 1943 steel cents that are magnetic, these fakes will not stick to a magnet as if genuine copper.
  • Transfer Die Technology: Counterfeiters often use transfer dies, taking a genuine 1943 steel cent and pressing it into a heated, metal to create an exact negative image of the coin. Then they strike copper or bronze copies.
  • Copper Plating: Counterfeiters also take common 1943 steel pennies and coating them in a thin layer of copper. These, however, will still be magnetic.
  • Date Alteration: Some forgers take genuine copper pennies from 1945, 1948, or 1949 and manually rework the last digit into a “3.”

The latest threat involves advanced operations in China with minting equipment on par with the US Mint.

Simple detection methods include using

  1. A magnet. If the coin sticks to it, it isn’t copper.
  2. A coin scale to see if your specimen weighs 3.1 grams. (Steel cents weigh 2.7 grams.)
  3. A lupe to view the date and to detect if it has been altered.

Here’s an example of a 1948 cent altered to look like a 1943 copper cent weighing 3.1 grams and passes the magnet test:

1943 Copper Cent

A more advanced method to detect counterfeits concerns die markers.

This person claims to have found a 1943 copper cent below. The date on genuine copper and steel cents are the same. Also, on the 1943 cent, the word “liberty” is strongly struck without die deterioration. Here is his counterfeit:

Here’s how to check using die markers:

As you can see, the “9” in the counterfeit is lower than the “9” of the steel an genuine cent.

1943-D Copper Cent

Only one 1943-D Copper Cent has been found. Again, the market is flooded with thousands of replicas and counterfeits.

A genuine 1943-D copper cent would have the exact same date position as a 1943-D steel cent. Because both coins were struck using the same dies, the alignment and shape of the digits must be identical. 

This fake was posted on Facebook:

You can see that the date and mintmark differ from the sole authentic one:

The counterfeit is also affirmed when compared with the date and mintmark position of the 1943-D Steel Cent:

1943-S Copper Cent

Genuine 1943-S copper cents are very rare, with fewer than 5 known. Look for faint doubling on the date and die scratches near the motto and wheat stalks.

Another die marker on some 1943-S copper cents is a tilted “S.”

Odds of finding any of these ultra rarities are minimal. Consider the tens of thousands of replicas, altered dates, plated steel cents and die-struck counterfeits as opposed to the handful of genuine rarities that actually have been slabbed. Nevertheless, if you still believe you have one of the dozen or so lost genuine 1943 copper cents, send to PCGS, CAC, ANACS or NGC for the verdict.

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Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and other social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

Counterfeit 1851 C-1 Half Cent

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By Jack Riley

New waves of counterfeit coins continue to show up routinely and can be a challenge to keep up with! A recent counterfeit 1851 half cent surfaced online and caught some attention. Pictured below is the counterfeit example (top image) compared to a genuine example (bottom image).

Genuine image courtesy of PCGS

With only one die pair being the C-1 to compare it to, something is clearly off. The reverse letters appear “bubbly” while the letters are not crisp. The obverse stars show similar features, combing that with minor surface issues tells the story. The rims also appear filed down.

Searching more photos led to identifying a total of 4 coins from this potential “family,” with two being offered on various online sites. One example was posted to an online forum in 2018. The subject example for this article was presented on Facebook.

As always in this situation, I search for “Sister Marks” as counterfeit expert Jack Young would call them, repeating circulation marks that are not identifiers for a genuine die pair. That search did not disappoint!

Two obverse depressions on the chin and neck are quick to notice, which led to me referring to this as “Dimple Chin”. The reverse markers include a major depression mark in the “i” of “America” and the “O” in “OF.” A damaged area on the left leg of “H” in “Half” and lump above “A.” The line through A may not be seen on examples with false circulation wear.

Below are the original example and from an online forum. All markers noted are highlighted in red.

Here we have two examples exhibiting false circulation wear. Note the A “Slash” may not be seen.

One may ask “Where do these come from?” You too can purchase one on eBay that ships directly from China!

I’ve personally only seen this on coins dated 1851. It’s very likely other Braided Hair Half Cents exist with both this counterfeit obverse and reverse. Stay diligent friends!

Visit Proxiblog for more articles about counterfeit coins by Michael Bugeja, Jack D. Young and Jack Riley.

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.

Subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article.

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.