Tag Archives: Heritage Auctions

In a “Pickle” with a TPG certified 1853 LC!

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By Jack D. Young

I wonder how many Proxiblog readers have heard of the term “Pickle Barrel large cent”? Let’s check with AI about the definition:

These large cents, minted between 1793 and 1857, were significantly larger than regular pennies. Legend has it that people would throw these coins into pickle barrels to create a deeper green on their pickles. The acidic solution caused the coins to develop green and blue-green patina.

“Google” the term to learn more!

Now that we explained that, on to the star of this post, a TPG certified “mint error” 1853 Large Cent. And unlike many I document in this series, maybe not technically a counterfeit unless attempted to be sold as stated on the label.

Image from NGC’s on-line cert site

This was pedigreed from the “Mervis Collection,” a huge collection of US large cents. This particular coin is documented sold through the Heritage 2014 FUN “Signature Auction,” which included 879 lots with both PCGS and NGC certified coins. And the coin description according to Heritage:

Images courtesy HA on-line auction archives

A difference of opinion between the TPG and the Auction House isn’t unusual in my opinion.

NGC describes it as an 1853 obverse half of split planchet and a mint error, while HA states it is the resulting reverse half from when the coin split after striking and separated during circulation. HA also cites the weight as 13.48 grams–what, with the holder? (Actually that is the original weight of 1793 through 1795 thick planchet cents.)

Regardless they both see it as part of a split planchet; fortunately, NGC recorded the weight as “6.7 g”, with the standard weight of an 1853 cent at 10.89, so a little more than a half of a cent.

What is this article about then, apart from a disagreement between two experts? Remember the pickle barrel? I sent images of one as well as posted on a couple of forums, inquiring if the split planchet “theory” made sense.

A friend and early copper dealer (the one who owned this coin recently) described it as “just a pickled coin; it was let to sit in vinegar which caused the obverse and part of the reverse to corrode that way.”

Three other early copper experts all stated acid etched, acid and/ or a pickle jar coin.

My two error experts went on record. One stated that the coin shows no striation signs of a split planchet. “I’ve never known a split-after-strike error to leave a coin with radial striations,” he said. “It looks altered to me.”

My go-to early copper friend stated:

“This looks like a classic example of a ‘pickle’ cent. Sat obverse side down in a barrel of pickles. The vinegar acid etches the down side much more than the top side.  The radial lines are created by the bubbles that slowly move from the center of the bottom side (obverse in this case). Supposedly copper cents were used this way to create a bright green color on the pickles. Might be bullpucky but I wasn’t there when this was done.” 

Fact is, any prolonged mild acid bath will have a similar effect on a cent. I have seen dozens over the past 60 years. 

But to the point. I looked to other EAC Members to offer images of others so “processed.”

A friend offered the following image of his:

A friend’s image of his example appears above. (Guess which one!)

Now his comment: “I didn’t bother with photo of reverse but it’s about the same as obverse. Notice the ridges near the denticles, a sign of acid erosion.”

And while researching information for this article I ran across another apparent example in a forum I frequent.

Notice the obvious size difference compared to an 1852 example. AND, the radial lines emanating from the center!

So, what about an actual “split planchet”? Well, NGC wrote an article about them:

Images from the NGC on-line article

And from a prominent early copper dealer’s listing as a “split planchet”:

And one more off the Bay:

Current eBay listing as an “obverse split planchet error

And I do NOT see any of the radial striations on any of these actual split planchet examples!

So, with subject coin now in-hand, I would like to start with the specifications for a “normal” example from PCGS CoinFacts:

PCGS CoinFacts image of 1853 large cents

And again, 10.89 grams standard weight for the series and a diameter of 27.50 mm.

And the subject coin’s diameter? Well, I think the following image is visually pretty telling:

Subject example on the left, a “normal” 1851 NGC certified large cent on the right

The subject example scales at approx. 25 mm versus the standard of 27.50. As a friend stated, “shrunk,” NOT split…

I do wonder what the TPG was looking at during certification! Maybe the flip envelope accompanying the coin?

The TPG was notified of my findings on May 2, 2025. So far, no change to the on-line cert by their “error expert.”

Stay tuned.

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PCGS certified, well, something?

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By Jack D. Young

We have discussed and documented a large number of counterfeits for sale in various venues since I started this journey of writing attribution articles on them! And in this latest installment for Proxiblog, we have a couple of unusual twists and turns starting as usual with an interesting eBay listing.

A friend posted the suspect coin recently listed on the Bay on the MyCollect forum. Although he didn’t save a screenshot of the seller’s listing, he did save images of the coin, a 1928 PCGS MS65 Peace dollar.

eBay imaged suspect example (call it “2255” from cert)

What made it especially interesting was the label cert number brought up an on-line PCGS cert of a different coin! Scanning the front barcode with my on-line software resulted in a “no scan,” but the reverse QR code read the correct cert number but directed to the “CN” PCGS site. We have seen this before with fake coins in counterfeit holders, but this one seemed different. Even though it doesn’t match the actual certed example there was nothing that stood out as counterfeit on the listed “coin.”

Online PCGS cert verification and image for noted cert #
QR code scan for the suspect example “2255”

Doing my standard deep dive of the internet for more information I found the same coin had been posted in another forum and the OP saved an image of his report of the listing; it did show the seller’s ID. After the listing was removed the seller went “no longer a registered user.”

Initial Bay lister of “2255”

The first twist came when I found a similar imaged PCGS slab and coin on AliExpress; the difference was the label and cert # were different, but everything else appeared to be the same image including the reverse toning spots on both. This cert led to a genuine example and matching images from a past Heritage auction noted on the PCGS online cert.

Ali listing of “9808”
Online PCGS cert verification and image for the 2nd noted cert # “9808”

So the seller on Ali is inappropriately using Heritage’s images to sell “something.”

Continued dumpster diving led to a new seller listing one like the first example; listing was reported and was removed. Seller seems to have gone dormant since this listing but is one to continue to watch.

2nd eBay listing of the “2255” example

So, to sum it up at this point there appears to be two scams here:

First, photoshopped images using a genuine coin but wrong cert # (“2255” example) to sell “something” on the Bay.

Second, images of the same genuine one with correct cert # (“9809” example) to sell “something” direct from AliExpress. I suspect they are connected somehow.

And then another major twist when I performed my daily Bay brouse and found this gem from a brand-new seller (member since 10-21-24):

10-22-24 Bay listing of apparent counterfeit 1928 Peace dollar and slab
10-22-24 Bay listing (on the left) PhotoShopped label/ “2255” example (on right)
10-22-24 Bay listing (on the left) photoshopped label/ “2255” example (on right)

The “coin” is obviously not the same as the genuine one, but the counterfeiters tried to misorient it (rotate it in the holder) to look like the genuine example. The gasket fit is poor, another tell-tale sign of a bad holder and again the reverse QR code scans to the “CN” PCGS site.

This listing was also removed; seller stated he could go down to $500 for it.

So, how could this get worse (or more confusing) you may ask! Well, the AliExpress listing updated their image to a different genuine coin, another with similar coin orientation in the holder and sold in a 2021 Heritage auction.

Latest AliExpress listing
Heritage listing for this cert number (“4678”)

Definitely a different coin; one has to wonder where this will stop!

Heritage images of “4678”

So, more Heritage stolen images for an AliExpress listing for “something.”

And maybe the final twist: I decided to find out what one actually receives when buying the Ali “9088” listed version!

And I received this 11-05-24 in a package marked “Storage box” for US Customs:

Package received

And the “coin”! Advertised off Ali’s site on the top, received on the bottom:

Advertised (top) received (bottom) See any differences?

I have started the return/ refund process; but, from a previous article I wrote about reporting bad coins listed on Ali through their process I have little confidence much will come of it.

I did determine “counterfeit” is not an acceptable reportable topic there.

So ends another journey; it is getting really hard to keep up with all the ways scammers and the like are challenging the Hobby.

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