By Jack Riley
Key date coins are a target for counterfeiters with a large profit to be made, but what about common date coins? Well, nothing is safe!
This article doesn’t focus on a connected “family,” rather a specific coin. This Bicentennial Eisenhower Dollar was previously shared in a Facebook group and many were shocked to learn that it is in fact counterfeit!
One may notice at a glance many raised “lumps” across the obverse fields and a large tell of the distended letters primary in “One Dollar”.
This surely isn’t a “one off” piece. I haven’t found a second example of one surface since this one so additional repeating marks are inconclusive. I suspect the diagonal notch through “trust” will be seen on all examples using this obverse.
Why would China counterfeit a common dollar like this?
Many hobbyists think that a high value of a coin makes it a candidate for counterfeiters. Counterfeiters take advantage of this false sense of security. The coin here probably was part of a complete set that someone purchased, realized the deception, and used or sold.
It costs about a dime to a quarter to make these dollars. Sell one, even for a dollar, and you have a substantial profit.
If you like posts like this, please go to our counterfeit archive with reports from Jack Riley, Jack D. Young, John Lorenzo and Michael Bugeja. Also, please subscribe so you be informed whenever there is a new article or column.
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