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.
This coin was posted on a Facebook coin group feed.
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.
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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.
Internet venues often give rather interesting finds. In this case, modern counterfeit Lafayette Dollars.
The Lafayette Dollar was the first U.S. commemorative silver dollar, and the first coin to feature an American citizen (Lafayette; made honorary citizen by Congress) and a U.S. President (Washington) together. Add to that its scarcity in mint condition due to low sales and melting.
So this coin is a target of counterfeiters.
The image below is from a semi-large eBay seller who has a number of legitimate coins listed; however, in the mix of these there lies a counterfeit Lafayette Dollar. If anyone wants to authenticate a Lafayette Dollar there are 5 known DuVall varieties and that can be sourced from VAMWorld; these examples do not attribute.
A comparable example below is sourced from a larger Facebook coin group. Presented as s questionable, the coin at a glance looks suspicious.
Comparing the two “coins” we can see a few repeating marks highlighted in green:
Depression in A
Small circular dot behind the eye
Depression on the top of the tail
Two sporadic field dots above the date
This third example below clearly stated “copy” and was derived from another online source known for selling counterfeit U.S. coins. Additional markers in red denote common similarities; yet these did not appear present on the eBay example. They are present on the piece shared in the large group.
Highlighted repeating marks in red:
Lines protruding from ETT
Spike from T
Apparently scratch from behind the shoulder
“Boot Spur”
If you spot a counterfeit coin on eBay, report it immediately using the “Report Item” link on the listing to eBay’s Trust & Safety team.
If you like posthttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D131V2QRs 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 hundreds of followers on Facebook Coin Groups. 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.
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.
My friend and half cent guru Ed Fuhrman alerted me to this one on eBay. His PM stated “I think someone just posted one of the super fake 1806 C-1 half cents on eBay. Take a look.”
I did and they did.
I have actually written two articles about these fakes for these EAC’s Penny-Wise as well as a couple for Coin Week and now this one for Proxiblog.
The subject coin is interesting as one of the very deceptive group of counterfeits I have been chasing down the rabbit hole since late 2015. This was one we saw in the 1st group of certified genuine fakes from a known CN connected buyer and group of sellers operating out of College Station Texas; I have discussed this group in many previous articles…
The listing of the subject:
eBay listing- counterfeit 1806 C-1 half cent
Yep, I made an offer knowing what this is; I chose not to discuss it upfront with the seller as I didn’t want to influence him while considering my lower offer.
I quickly marked up the posted image of the reverse with four known counterfeit tells, or attribution points for these. Done from memory, this one is burned into my mind as I owned five examples at the time with four being in TPG holders as genuine. And 14 total examples documented to date.
Subject reverse marked with 4 major attribution points of the counterfeits
So, no doubt what this one is, it is the 1st I had seen in the wild in a couple of years! I anxiously waited to see how the seller would respond to my offer.
Not for the listed price, but a fair price for what it is! And then waited to actually have it in-hand so that I could message the seller and start a conversation:
Messages through eBay with the seller after the sale
Interesting he stated this example “is from a Boston area old, abandoned coin shop”; he later stated he purchased it from the cleaning lady who cleaned the basement and painted for the owners two or three years ago.
And a nice image of this one including the edge:
Combination image of this featured example
And in-hand the main reverse attribution points for these from my microscope:
So, a good time to add some details on these from one of my previous articles:
Interestingly, there are 2 “varieties of this reverse”; apparently the counterfeiters tried a repair!
And an image of the 1st die state of the common reverse:
Reverse image from my article draft
And what about the obverse?
Obverse image from my article draft
Just an amazing number of common marks including a couple of light scratches noted! These are seen across both reverse die states.
So this example became the 6th one in my mini-hoard- talk about deep into the rabbit hole! And just a side note, I had several examples sent out for XRF testing of the metal and found them to have high levels of zinc in them, the only ones to test with that result against all of the other early copper coins we tested. Maybe the counterfeiters melted some later date Lincolns in their mix for planchets?
I did leave positive feedback for the seller but did note the coin is counterfeit.
So, I thought this the end of the story, but NO, as my articles often take a twist at the end!
And again, it was Ed who sent me a late Friday night link and said I really would like this one:
eBay listing over the weekend
I pulled up the listing and was literally shocked at the posted images!
And the special NGC label; apparently “traderbea” is a premier shop on whatnot.
eBay listing images
Look familiar?
Great images posted show all the “details”! No question what this one is and it is certified genuine by the TPG.
A quick note to my contact at the TPG resulted in an amended on-line cert:
Certainly makes it harder to sell if anyone considering a purchase takes the time to look…
Contacting the seller and discussing the issues lead to an agreement on a purchase; he had a buy-back guaranty through the whatnot dealer and of course the TPG has an authenticity guaranty as well so it is on its way to join the “Dark Side Collection.” Digging deeper into the abyss, two in a week !
And this one is recent and slipped past both an established coin dealer and a top tier TPG, and that just goes to show how deceptive they are. So maybe my 5th published article will help. …
Ended eBay listing
And I will have to update my image of the TPG certified examples in the collection!
Author’s image of 4 certified examples
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 hundreds of followers on Facebook Coin Groups. 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.
There is nothing more disappointing for veteran hobbyists as to see people with little numismatic knowledge posting microscopic photos of pocket change, believing they have discovered rare coins, errors and varieties.
Often they just show damaged coins, machine doubled ones from worn dies, miniscule die chips from metal dust, rings of death from sorting machines, slightly misaligned collars or rotated reverses within Mint tolerance, zinc rot from core deterioration, or just plain pareidolia.
If you didn’t understand the above paragraph, you shouldn’t be using a coin microscope.
This article explains when to use one, encouraging you to:
Realize that most valuable errors can be seen with the naked eye or a loupe with only a relative few requiring up-close analysis.
View surfaces of coins for evidence of cleaning, distinguishing the differences between hairlines, slide marks and dipping.
Identify dates, types or devices that are indistinct because of wear or acid treatment.
Document flaws of doctored coins whose sellers used PhotoShop or AI to hide flaws.
Research die markers to identify counterfeit, replica and restruck coins.
Photograph coins without investing in expensive light equipment, lenses and cameras.
Because of clickbait social media, thousands of new collectors post photos of coins asking veterans to identify non-existent errors and varieties.
Below are a few examples.
This person has discovered machine doubling caused when a die becomes slightly loose and begins to deteriorate. In his favor, he posts a photo of the actual coin. Many newbies do not. The machine doubling here isn’t visible without magnification. It’s just a cent.
How about this post?
For the grammarians out there, this person’s run-on sentence implies that he, and not the coin, “wasn’t circulated until the late 2000s.” (I believe him.) He fishes for affirmation claiming the coin has “great errors” and doubling. It does not.
This next guy believes his nickel has “multiple errors” and, of course, doesn’t mention what they are. He is primarily concerned about value.
If you pretend you have discovered “multiple errors” and ask about values, you may get snarky answers.
Let’s learn when and how to use that coin microscope.
Select Errors and Varieties
If you know in advance what you are looking for–again, see this directory–you may need a microscope for certain types and denominations.
For instance, if you are looking for extra trees in the 2005 P-D-S Minnesota State quarters, you might need a microscope to spot the faint outline of doubling. Here’s a close-up of an extra tree on the 2005-D quarter:
Evidence of Cleaning
It is important to identify dipping, which strips away a thin layer of metal so as to make the coin appear uncirculated. It does that to a degree, but then leaves tell-tale micro bubbles that dull luster. Hairlines occur when a person uses an abrasive leaving marks with each stroke.
Slide marks are not caused by cleaning but by storage in albums with sliding plastic covers. You pull out a cover, leaving marks as it “slides” out so the coin can be extracted.
Dipping and cleaning greatly decrease the value of the coin. However, third-party grading companies allow slide marks when awarding numerical grades. Not so if a submission was dipped or cleaned.
Here’s a photo of dipped, cleaned and slide-marked coins:
Restored Dates and Devices
Some coins are so worn that a microscope may be needed to see the date, type, mintmark, device or die marker.
Here’s a worn example:
Here’s an acid treated nickel:
These two coins would require microscopic analyses.
Flawed or Doctored Coins
The Morgan Dollar below has a magnificent patina, greatly enhancing value if holdered by PCGS, NGC, ANACS or CAC. Say you bid high on that prospect and won the coin. But when when you receive it, you notice a pin scratch hidden by the toning. This would earn a details grade. If you want to return the coin, you can send as proof a microscoped photo (right).
Researching Die Markers
Counterfeit experts know how coins are minted–so much so, in fact, that they can identify fake coins based on a comparison of die markers from genuine ones.
In the photo below, Riley identifies a counterfeit coin by the markers circled in red:
While many hobbyists would use a loupe to identify those markers, a coin microscope also is appropriate in this case.
Photographing Coins
There are many reliable brands of coin microscopes. Veteran collectors use them to photograph their coins without investing in expensive light boxes and lenses. If you buy a microscope with a pole less than 10 inches, you won’t be able to photograph large coins like Morgan dollars in their natural state with top-notch clarity.
The TOMLOV microscope below has that longer pole.
Proxiblog uses a TOMLOV DM4S Microscope 4.3″ LCD Digital Microscope. You can learn more about that by clicking here.
If you like posts like this, please subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.
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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.
There exists a family of counterfeits that fooled collectors and grading services for decades. The “Micro O” varieties have always been scarce coins to come by, and in 2005, these were deemed counterfeit by PCGS when 3 examples showed repeating circulation marks between the 1896 O VAM-4, 1900 O VAM-5, and 1902 O VAM-3.
Pictured below shows the repeating marks found on the three dates, indicative of transfer die counterfeits.
Images courtesy of PCGS
Along with the announcement that these varieties were counterfeit, PCGS offered “buy backs” for coins it had authenticated. Some 95 examples were certified among the three dates. PCGS no longer will authenticate 1896-O, 1900-O, and 1902-O with micro mintmarks.
“Grading and variety experts at PCGS have recently uncovered undeniable evidence that three of the so-called Micro O’ Morgan varieties, the 1896-O, 1900-O, and 1902-O, are actually contemporary counterfeits, most probably struck outside the US Mint sometime in the early 20th century. This is a significant discovery and one that will certainly have an impact on Morgan dollar variety collectors.”
This begs the question of how many such fakes exist today in PCGS holders? Prior to 2005 the market exceeded $1,000 per coin in many cases and up to $5,000 in higher grades. Assuming PCGS paid fair market value then surely most of these were sold back!
This 1902 O VAM-3 sold at Heritage Auctions on November 19th, 2002 and realized a price of $192.
Two years later the price for these coins exploded with a VF20 example selling for $2,070 on November 4th, 2004.
Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions
Later another 1902 O VAM-3 in VF30 for $5,100 in a Superior Galleries auction. That was auction lot#871 in January of 2005. (No photos of this coin.)
These coins still exist in ANACS holders with most available ones in Gen5 and Gen6 slabs. I had purchased this 1900 O VAM-5 VG Details example in August of 2024 for $150. This coin resides in a Gen6 ANACS holder that was used from 1999-2005. During the same time my friend and fellow counterfeit researcher Jack Young acquired one as well. Both of which have consecutive certification numbers pictured below. My example (top) and Jack Young’s example (bottom).
Recently an 1896 O VAM-4 appeared in a Great Collections auction in a Gen5 ANACS holder. After buyers fees this coin landed at $200. I was fortunate to acquire this example.
At the same time of this listing was also another 1900 O VAM-5 that sold the same night as the 1896. I happened to be the underbidder and the coin sold for $140 prior to fees. Later that night I received a message that a friend and fellow collector had won and the coin found a good home! This coin also resides in a Gen5 holder which was used between 1996-1999 to put a time-frame to when this coin was certified.
I hope to see these coins grow in popularity! The exact story is unclear as to who made these or when although a few theories are posed. A likely theory was disgruntled mint employees after the New Orleans Mint closed in 1909. These coins circulated indicating they were struck in a time when the price of silver was still well below the face value of the coin.
Since the discovery of these “Micro O” counterfeits, 32 die varieties have been linked to this massive operation. Two other Micro O varieties exist (1901 O VAM-42 and 1902 O VAM-96). Those were omitted from this article due to having a different reverse than the three discussed. Many of the varieties associated with this “family” are readily available and can be cherrypicked for the price of an average Morgan Dollar.
These contemporary counterfeits will pass virtually every test including measurement, weight, and Sigma Metalytics examination since these scan closer to sterling silver. The “mix matched” dies make telling many varieties easy to spot at a glance by using incorrect reverse hub types for the years.
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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.
In my previous Proxiblog article “Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover: 2 TPG Certified ‘Coins,’” I reported that we no longer can rely on the “sacred cow” of trusting the slab, as there not only are many counterfeit coins in counterfeit holders, but on occasion a counterfeit in a genuine TPG holder.
“This is what keeps me up at night,” I wrote.
Well, disclosures in this article add to the insomnia.
Since my 2017 Coin Week article on the deceptive 1807 draped bust dime counterfeits, I have documented 2 more TPG certified examples. Of the now 8 appearances I have boiled down the “known” examples to five, as one example is only known by the on-line cert (no TPG images) and 2 pairs match for toning and other unique marks. And as in my previous articles on these deceptive counterfeits I start with a timeline of imaged examples like this:
The known five start with the damaged source example from a 2013 eBay listing.
2013 eBay holed genuine “source” coin
The resulting repairs do not match a genuine example in the following areas but do match the next 4 following distinct examples along with other common marks!
Images from my previous Coin Week article
The “famous four”:
NGC “Plugged XF Details slabbed example sold Dec 2015 eBay
NGC “Plugged XF Details 2nd image
And the updated cert:
NGC 2657329-011 “QUESTIONABLE AUTHENTICITY” from initial bad submission of known sellers including several early coppers (Fall of 2015)- high res images courtesy NGC:
NGC “Questionable Authenticity; not slabbed
This one from the known bad sellers in Texas; sold Dec 2016 on the Bay raw.
The next one surfaced from a friend after my article was published; it was returned in 2017 to the TPG on their guarantee and as far as I know is still there.
PCGS certified and returned back for review
Owner’s images as listed on eBay of the same example
The next one just surfaced; a gentleman from a major auction house received it as a consignment for an upcoming auction and was concerned when he reviewed it. He cited my CW article and sent me a message about his concerns.
TPG certified example circa 2015, submitted as an auction consignment
Note from the auction house:
I did make a bid to purchase this latest example, but it appears PCGS wants it back more.
And the example PCGS bought back originally? I found my archives and it appears they determined it to be the genuine example:
I would expect the genuine one to have the correct edge!
So, that means at least 3 of the 4 are very deceptive counterfeits!
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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.
The 1937-D 3-legged nickel is one of the most desired and valuable coins in the series. It is also one of the most faked coins in numismatics. All of the inexpensive Etsy coins above are fake. Telling the difference is easy, and it has nothing to do with the leg but with the motto “E Pluribus Unum.”
The missing leg is a variety. Here’s what happened: A new mint employee was being pressured to produce more coins. The coin feeder that sends blank planchets to the press jammed. That caused the two dies to clash, severing the front leg.
Scammers soon realized how easy it was to shave off part of the front leg on a regular 1937-D. But the diagnostics differ between the two types.
A member of a Facebook coin identification group bought this coin for $35 at a pawn shop. He wondered whether he scored a 3-legged nickel. He did not.
To tell the difference, do not look at the leg. If the motto “E Pluribus Unum” touches the back of the buffalo on the reverse, it is a fake. Here’s an illustration:
Here are other diagnostics:
Look at the 4th Leg, which should be weak in genuine coins. Also look for that famous “raised arc,” a polite way to say “buffalo urinating.” Compare the size of devices about “Five”; they are smaller and more defined than what you find in reproductions.
You can see the same wrong sized devices in Etsy reproductions, which eBay scammers purchase and then sell them as genuine.
Only about 20,000 genuine 3-legged nickels exist. It is extremely difficult to find one in pocket change, coin shop or pawn store. But now that you know how to tell the difference, no one can scam you about this desired Mint error.
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One of the most influential psychology books is Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink, in which he explains how we make split-second decisions on gut instinct, knowing something is wrong–like a counterfeit coin–but not being able to consciously explain why.
You have two inner messengers: consciousness and conscience. Consciousness is awareness. It exists in the present. Conscience is that inner voice reminding you of past successes … and failures. “Gut instinct” is the conscience sending you a message.
It is a mistake to go with consciousness and long deliberation, Gladwell writes. This applies to coins. If you have studied and looked at hundreds of counterfeit coins, you may not need die markers. Just trust your gut, often described as our second brain, and move on.
There is something wrong with this 1884 Morgan dollar below, and I could speculate what the flaws might be, based on the photo, and debate whether I should place a bid or not:
The cheek looks clean or PhotoShopped, but this may only be a soft strike. Then I look at the sharp date, 1884, and cancel that … perhaps.
I don’t like the doubling on the lips and forehead of Lady Liberty. Normally, doubling indicates an error. But this looks raised above that flat nose and cheek. That’s not normal. The doubling or traces of doubling should be on all the devices, not just one.
And there is some flattening and possible cleaning under the “E” of “E Pluribus Unum.”
Finally, the hair, “liberty” motto, and other devices look razor sharp.
Following Blink’s advice, there is no reason to question what, exactly, is amiss or isn’t. Just affirm your gut instinct and do not take a chance on this perhaps being a counterfeit. Concerning those fakes, it always is a good idea to know counterfeit detection. NGC has a great site.
So does Proxiblog. We feature regular posts on counterfeit coins by experts like Jack D. Young and Jack Riley.
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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.
