Tag Archives: NGC

Markers for 1916-D Dime

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The 1916-D Mercury Dime is the key date of the Mercury series with a mintage of 264,000 coins. In 1916, the Philadelphia Mint made 22,180,080 coins and the San Francisco Mint, 10,450,000. Those two other mintages are important because scammers began added a mintmark to Philadelphia coins that year. Many also altered 1916-S dimes to make that mintmark look like a D.

Fortunately, we know much about the Denver mintmark. For starters, the Mint used the same punch tool for the 1916-D as it did for the coveted 1914-D Cent.

Look closely: The outer shape of the D is squared off rather than rounded. And the cavity inside the D has a vague triangular shape rather than oval.

Four reverse dies were used on the 1916-D Dime. If your coin deviates from these positions, it is fake.

Jack D. Young has a great Proxiblog article on fake 1916-Ds offered on eBay. He made this graphic below, which we use here. Take a photo of your 1916-D coin or a screenshot if you are considering purchasing one and then compare.

Two of the four genuine reverse dies feature a repunched mint mark (Dies 2 and 3 above).

Here is the example used earlier but now identified.

Genuine 1916-D Dimes often have tiny die scratches or die cracks near the date on the obverse.

It is important to know markers of rarities in coin collecting. Otherwise you may end up with a counterfeit or replica if not holdered by a major company like PCGS or NGC. Be sure to check out our rarity tab for markers of our most desirable coins.

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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 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.

Markers for 1955 Doubled Die Obverse

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This spectacular coin is the most famous mint variety, and as a consequence, also is one of the most counterfeited of U.S. coins. This article covers how it happened and then illustrates how you can tell if your coin is genuine.

To begin with, the 1955 DDO is dramatic! So much is doubled on the obverse. See:

The 1955 doubled die is a die variety. Even though employees at the mint made an error and did not stop production, this is a variety. The planchet was only struck once by the coining press, but the die used to strike it already had a doubled image.

In this case, during production, the hub and the die were misaligned and rotated slightly counter-clockwise, accounting for the large spread of lettering and numbers.

Coinage operators, under pressure to produce 1955 cents, failed to notice the mistake, allowing this defective die to be used in striking. Estimates are 24,000 to 40,000 coins were released being discovered.

That was the first error. The second had to do with mint officials releasing the doubled die into circulation to avoid a regional coin shortage.

Because this coin is considered an ultra rarity, it is one of the most counterfeited and replicated U.S. coins.

In genuine coins, the doubling has a large spread and is sharp, as if carved by a knife. Be wary of soft doubling and pay attention to the exact separation.

Here’s the difference between a genuine and replica, as offered by Etsy and Temu.

Note the mushy quality of the replica as well as difference in font sizes and orientation of “Liberty” and “In God We Trust.”

One more marker: In genuine coins, the portrait of Lincoln is sharp with no doubling or distortion. The above replica fails in this regard.

Any deviation or doubling on the portrait is a fake.

Only one pair of dies was used to strike the original batch, so every genuine 1955 DDO has the exact same reverse markings.

Someone claimed to have found this coin in Coinstar. Here’s how I identified it as fake:

The spread on the “55” is wrong. Hence, a fake.

One other marker. You would need a microscope to see this, but tiny vertical and polishing lines are present on the reverse in this area, along with die scratches.

Also take care to understand the difference between machine doubling and hub doubling.

FeatureGenuine 1955 DDOMachine Doubling (“Poor Man’s”)
CauseError is engraved directly onto the die.The die slipped or vibrated while striking the coin.
AppearanceBoth sets of details are raised, rounded, and fully formed.The second image looks like a flat, shaved-down “shelf”.
ScaleExtends across the date and all letters.Usually only visible on the last digit of the date.
ValueWorth thousands of dollars.Worthless face value (under $2).

Also on the reverse, a genuine 1955 Doubled Die should have a 5% slight misalignment on the die. You would need to identify that yourself.

Please do not be fooled by 1955 DDO errors as in this dramatically misaligned copy from Etsy.

All the markers in the above replica are wrong.

If you have or inherited or plan to bid on a raw 1955 DDO, make sure to check all the markers. These are expensive coins!

Holdering 1955 DDO cents is imperative to showcase authenticity. China exports tens of thousands of fake and replica examples. So if you have a raw example, or bought one, send to PCGS, NGC, ANACS or CAC for authentication.

If you like posts like this, 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 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.

Identifying 1893-S Morgan Dollar

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Fake and replica 1893-S Morgan dollars abound as only 100,000 were minted with current values in multiples of thousands of dollars. This is a summary of markers so that you can identify this coveted key date.

The basic test of any Morgan dollar is its weight: 26.73 grams and diameter of 38.1 millimeters. Any deviation is a fake.

The 1893-S was produced using a single obverse die and two reverse dies. In other words, any deviation of markers also signifies a counterfeit.

View the date. The “1” is squarely atop the fourth denticle (my illustration).

Another marker, difficult to see on worn dollars, is a faint line through the “T” in “Liberty.”

Because the reverse had two dies, they are numbered VAM-1 and VAM-2 according to the directory by Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis (hence, VAM after their names). The key marker is the mintmark. VAM-1 has a centered “S” and VAM-2 an “S” tilted slightly to the right.

Be careful if purchasing a 1893-S Morgan dollar. Run the above tests. Again, any deviation from the markers is a red flag for a counterfeit. China also exports counterfeits in fake PCGS holders. To learn more about that, see Jack D. Young’s “Counterfeit PCGS Morgan.”

If you like posts like this, 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 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.

2026 Privy Marked 25c Rarity

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To celebrate the nation’s Semiquincentennial–250 years–the US Mint produced 250,000 Declaration of Independence Quarters featuring a special “July 4th” privy mark. These quarters were sent with regular business strikes to banks and now has become a desirable variety, typically selling raw for $100 and several hundreds more if slabbed in high mint state.

In introducing the coin, Mint Director Paul Hollis said, “We hope Americans enjoy the search for these iconic quarters as they’re meant to be shared, saved, and remembered as part of this historic anniversary.”

No Washington Quarter has such a low mintage. The key dates 1932-D had a mintage of 436,800 and 1932-S, 408,000.

Let’s show where you can find the privy mark and display it next to a regular issue.

As you can see, the obverse side displays a profile of Thomas Jefferson and the reverse features the Liberty Bell. The privy mark reads “July 4th. Unlike other business strikes, these rare quarters bear no mint mark, making the privy mark the primary indicator of its rarity.

You can find raw and holdered examples on eBay and other online venues.

If you know how to grade and have an exceptional high mint state example, like this one below, then consider holdering it.

Among the highest graded examples have been MS67, as above. Gem Grades (MS65 to MS66+) have been found in rolls and also go for hundreds of dollars.

As you can imagine, counterfeits, replicas and altered coins are making the rounds. The Better Business Bureau has put out an alert about this.

Scammers have done the following:

  1. Altered Mint Marks: Criminals use standard 2026 Philadelphia or Denver quarters, grind off the “P” or “D” mint mark, and engrave or stamp a fake “July 4” text onto the field.
  2. Misplaced Privy Designs: Some fakes feature poorly defined text or put the mark in the wrong spot.
  3. Forgotten Mintmark: Scammers put a fake July 4th privy mark but forget to shave off the mintmark.

The best place to find these rare privy marked quarters, apart from pocket change, is securing or buying bank rolls … and hoping you’ll get lucky.

If you like posts like this, 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 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.

Proxiblog Featured in USA Today

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Bugeja discusses 1982-D Small Date Bronze Cent

USA Today published a comprehensive article on the hype about the 1982-D Small Date bronze cent variety, noting its rarity–only two found–and odds of finding the third, along with eBay sellers out to scam others by selling ordinary cents from that year. (In 1982, the US Mint made 16,729,361,847 cents in Denver and Philadelphia.)

Proxiblog and its founder, Michael Bugeja, figure prominently in the 8/17/26 USA Today piece.

“I’m happy to see the widespread distribution of this article by Mike Snider,” Bugeja said. USA Today has an estimated weekday print circulation of roughly 89,200 to 103,600 copies, alongside over 2 million digital subscribers, making it one of the most widely read daily newspapers in the United States. “Perhaps this will enlighten all those new collectors believing they will find the rarity in pocket change.

“There are better ways to spend hobby time.”

Excerpts:

The USA Today article quotes Bugeja and Proxiblog extensively along with these other experts: John Brush, president of rare coin trading and auctioning company DLRC;  Donn Pearlman, a spokesman for the Professional Numismatists Guild; and Mary Sauvain, executive director of the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation.

You can access the USA Today article by clicking here.

For those interested in Proxiblog’s extensive coverage of the 1982-D Small Date Bronze Cent, read:

Proxiblog.org is one of the premier coin collecting sites on the web. Founded in 2011, by Michael Bugeja, former columnist for Coin World and past member of the US Treasury Department’s Citizen Coinage Advisory Committee, Proxiblog remains one of the earliest consistently accessible coin blogs. It has the largest illustrated coin glossary as well as a directory of errors and varieties with associated articles, a “new and youth hobbyist” tab, 20 most accessed articles, and some 40 coin videos about rarities, doubled dies, and other hobby insights.

If you like posts like this, 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 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.

The Philadelphia Cent That Isn’t

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Every 1922 cent should carry the “D” mintmark from Denver, which was the only facility to produce cents in 1922. But accidents happen, and a mint employee over polished a working die, erasing the “D.”

The Denver Mint struck a total of 7,160,000 Lincoln cents that year. Due to a shortage of coin dies, Denver workers polished and reused damaged, clogged dies. That is how the mistake happened.

Coin collectors know that the Philadelphia Mint typically does not use a mintmark for coinage. So the missing mintmark has the appearance of being struck at Philly.

Only about 15,000 examples exist of the missing mintmark cent, a key date for collectors and a rarity, worth hundreds and even thousands of dollars, depending on the die pairs.

That’s why identifying the rarity is important. We’ll explore that here.

The 1922 Cent is categorized as follows:

  1. Standard 1922-D (Normal mint mark)
  2. 1922 “Weak D” (Faint, blurry, or partially filled mint mark)
  3. 1922 “No D” / Plain (Mint mark completely missing)

In addition, value is assessed by die pairs:

Die Pair #1 (Weak D / No D – Weak Reverse). Mushy or missing lines on wheat stalks.
Die Pair #2 (“No D” Strong Reverse). Clear lines on wheat stalks.
Die Pair #3 (Weak D / No D – Weak Reverse). The final “2” in the date is notably weaker than the first “2”.
Die Pair #4 (Weak D / No D – Weak Reverse): Very similar to pair 3 but typically even mushier.

Scammers find it easy to erase the “D” on a well-defined 1922-D normal mintmark coin. They do so by tooling or filling the area where the mintmark should be. Here’s a suspicioius example:

This is one occasion to use a coin microscope. Any deviation on the surface is suspect.

Also keep in mind that China mass produces replicas that dishonest sellers offer as authentic. Example:

As always, if you cannot distinguish die pairs, or are unsure, do not bid on or buy any unholdered coin.

As you might anticipate, die pair #2 values are expensive.

If you like posts like this, 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 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 Danger in Baited Dollar Rolls

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In 2017, I won in an online auction a roll of Morgan dollars supposedly from a Carson City, Nev., bank. The date 1879 was on one end of the roll and the CC Mint mark of the Carson City Mint on the reverse. I paid $2,400 for the roll and reported the results for Coin World.

If the roll was actually from Carson City, with 1879-CCs therein, it would have been a magnificent score, worth tens of thousands. I knew that would not be the case. This was research for an article. As it turned out, there was one 1883-CC low mint state (the coin whose reverse showed on one end of the roll). The rest were sliders with a few uncirculated common date Morgans. A few, though, were toned, so I did recoup some of the investment. In the end, I lost more than $1,300.

That was a baited roll. In other words, someone had access to a Carson City bank paper roll and filled it so that one end had a CC, fooling optimists (fools) that other coins therein had the same rare mintmark.

This article cautions against buying these rolls on eBay, HiBid or other auction venues. Not only because almost all of these have searched already; but because the specter of counterfeits in those rolls is increasing

For instance, Jack D. Young wrote an article titled “Bad Coin Rolls,” about a seller offering two mixed rolls of small cents with an apparent 1857 Flying Eagle counterfeit cent.

Here’s a clearly opened roll from HiBid. Note how loose the ends of the roll are, even though the seller states “SEALED. (For newbies, “sealed” does NOT mean “unopened.”)

Learn what an opened roll looks like, with loose ends that the owner could not get back into original form. Example:

Proxiblog has written about photos of rolls, important before you bid or buy. You should see both ends in any offering to identify if they show evidence of being opened. Here’s a legitimate offering of Peace Dollars with one side (left) tight and original and the other (reverse side, right), opened.

Veteran hobbyists know that you should never bid on these rolls, even if both sides look tight and unopened. A good scammer can use an Exacto knife to open and reseal a roll so that it looks original. (I won’t share how to do that; I learned from my local coin dealer, decades ago, who showed me all the scammer tricks, pre Internet.)

But now, with the onslaught of Chinese fake Morgan dollars, the risk has increased. Many hobbyists cannot identify counterfeit coins. Consider this Etsy copy (right) if inserted into a Morgan roll. Would you be able to tell the difference?

In the past, scammers had to shell out for at least one uncirculated Carson City 1882-1884 Morgan dollars. Now, counterfeits are in play. This, in itself, is a good reason NOT to purchase these rolls.

Recommendations:

  1. If you want to stack silver or buy Morgan and Peace rolls, purchase from reputable online sellers using their own plastic rolls, like APMEX:

2. Do not bid or buy any roll on eBay or other online venues if one end of the roll looks opened or if the seller doesn’t show both ends of that roll. Classic bad example with no ends of roll depicted:

3. Do not fall for baited Carson City bank rolls. Those are almost always opened. Below is a 10-coin roll from eBay. (Note for newbies: Morgan and Peace dollars are routinely offered in 10-coin and 20-coin rolls. Do not assume all rolls have 20 coins.)

Finally, learn about Etsy replicas. Proxiblog has documented these in several articles. CLICK HERE FOR EXAMPLES.

The more you learn about coins, the less chance of your being snookered.

If you like posts like this, 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 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.


9 Official Illustrated Examples of Hub Doubling

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For the veterans looking for specific classes of doubled dies, here are nine with illustrations. While it is important to know these, beginners are discouraged from trying to learn these via memorization. They should access the three main types of doubling. That said, they might still want to see the visuals to grasp all the types of hub doubling creating varieties in coin collecting.

Class I: Rotated Hub Doubling

  • Cause: A rotated die.
  • Appearance: Dramatic uniform doubling.
  • Example: 1955 DDO Cent

Class II: Distorted Hub Doubling

  • Cause: A hub or die is distorted by heat during annealing.
  • Appearance: Irregular doubling spreading toward rim.
  • Example: 1971 DDO Cent

Class III: Design Hub Doubling

  • Cause: A die struck with two different master designs.
  • Appearance: This type creates dramatic “overdates” or design overlaps.
  • Example: 1918/7 Standing Liberty Quarter

Class IV: Offset Hub Doubling

  • Cause: The die shifts in a straight line.
  • Appearance: The doubling shifts evenly across the entire surface in one direction.
  • Examples: 1983 DDR Cent

Class V: Pivoted Hub Doubling

  • Cause: The die rotates between strikes, affecting the rim.
  • Appearance: Clear doubling on the opposite side of the rim.
  • Example: 1995 DDO Cent

Class VI: Distended Hub Doubling

  • Cause: A hub defect causes devices to flatten out and widen.
  • Appearance: Extreme extra thickness on letters and numbers.
  • Example: 1934 DDO Quarter

Class VII: Modified Hub Doubling

  • Cause: A portion of the design is modified on the hub before striking.
  • Appearance: Portions of the original, unmodified design peek out from underneath the newly altered layout.
  • Example: 1941 DDO Cent

Class VIII: Tilted Hub Doubling

  • Cause: Either the hub or the die is slightly tilted at an angle during striking.
  • Appearance: Doubling is usually tightly contained in a centralized area of the strike.
  • Example: 2009 DDR Extra Finger

Class IX: Single Squeeze

Values of the above depend on rarity and condition. Check PCGS CoinFacts for particulars.

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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 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.

2004 Doubled Die Reverse Cent

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True doubled dies are becoming difficult to find ever since the US Mint installed new machinery (sing-squeeze hubbing) in 1997, virtually eliminating true doubled dies. But they still occur because the machinery requires several presses per working die, and if that is improperly align, viola!: Doubled Dies.

Also, because of the power now of the coining machines, pressure can cause a slight slip and even result in a ghost image.

One of the first examples in the Lincoln Memorial Cent category is the 2004 DDR (also known as 2004 DDR FS-801).

Like the 2006 DDO cent, the misalignment of the 2004 DDR cannot always be easily spotted with a naked eye. You’ll need a loupe or, if you prefer, microscope.

You will be looking for distorted, thick, somewhat bulb-like lettering in “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”

Let’s review the markers.

Here are the main pickup points on “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”

After that, check the word “States” for thickness and doubling, as shown here:

Also look for any deformed dots, as here:

To help you visualize differences, compare thickness and doubling next to a regular 2004 reverse.

Based on condition, PCGS Values range from $30 to $500+ in red uncirculated condition. Red-brown examples are exceedingly lower in worth.

Because the markers may need magnification, we do not recommend buying raw examples from eBay and online auctions. Photos just cannot identify the above markers unless crisp and large. Never pay hundreds of dollars for any coin, especially a purported doubled die, unless holdered.

Here’s an example. No way to verify if this is a DDR.

Mintage of the 2004 cent in Philly was 3,379,600,000; so thousands of these doubled dies should be in bags, rolls and circulation. Coin shops and eBay often sell unopened mint bags like this one, identified by date. My local coin dealer years ago had a $50 bag of 1995 DDO cents! Several years ago I bought an unopened 1982-D cent bag. Great grades but, you guessed it, no 1982-D Small Date 3.1 grams.

If you like posts like this, 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 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.

GreatCollections on fake PCGS coins

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I have known Ian Russell for a quarter century when he worked for Teletrade, an early pioneer in the certified coin market. He served as president of Teletrade from 2005-2010. He then founded GreatCollections Coin Auctions, which I whole-heartedly recommend. Good buyer and seller rates. I have used the site for years.

If you don’t known Russell, you can read his biography by clicking here.

Russell is treasurer of the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation, which raises awareness about counterfeit coins and bullion and works with authorities to track down sources of fake lots and sales.

I asked Russell to comment on what Jack D. Young, Jack Riley and I have been documenting on eBay and other online venues, i.e., counterfeit coins in fake PCGS holders whose certification numbers open to a Chinese site.

One of the first to note that development was Young, writing for Proxiblog in “Trifecta, CN Counterfeit Coin, Slab and Website.”

Here is a summary:

  • The Elements: The scam consists of three parts: a cheap base-metal counterfeit coin, a slab designed to mimic an authentic PCGS holder, and a fake URL/QR code.
  • The Fake Website: Scanning the QR code on the slab directs victims to a mirror website that falsely “verifies” the fake certification number as legitimate.
  • Prevalence: Investigated by numismatists on Proxiblog Coin News and Views, these scams heavily flood online marketplaces like eBay.

Proxiblog recommended these actions if encountering the sale of fake coins:

  • Verify Directly: Never use the QR code or URL printed on a suspicious slab’s label. Manually search the certification number on the Official PCGS Verification Portal.
  • Compare Markers: Scrutinize the coin’s die markers and weight, as counterfeiters often use stolen images of genuine coins for their listings.
  • Report Fakes: You can read investigative articles by numismatists at the Proxiblog Counterfeit Archive to stay up-to-date on current fakes.

The sheer number of “Not PCGS” counterfeits has reached epidemic proportions. See this video for examples:

Proxiblog recently contacted PCGS President Stephanie Sabin, who provided this statement:

“Since founding PCGS in 1986, our mission has been to protect collectors through leading authentication, grading, and the most secure holders in the industry. However, a powerful brand inevitably attracts counterfeiters, and we treat combating these fraudulent holders as an aggressive, ongoing priority. True security requires staying multiple steps ahead, which is why we continually invest in advanced overt and covert security features across all our product lines. We applaud the dedicated individuals and organizations within our community who work tirelessly to educate collectors on the dangers of counterfeit holders; their vigilance to eliminate altered and fraudulent collectibles is essential to protecting consumers and preserving the integrity of the numismatic marketplace.”

You can read more about PCGS fake holders in “Protecting the Good Name of PCGS from eBay Counterfeits.”

After that article ran, Proxiblog began getting emails and messages about whether their actual PCGS-holdered coins were legitimate. That shows the damage being done to the main reason that holdering companies exist: authentication. Proxiblog viewers also wanted to know what the big auction houses are doing to ensure that coins holdered by PCGS, NGC and other companies contain genuine coins.

So we contacted Russell to find out.

“The rise in counterfeit coins housed in fake PCGS holders has become one of the most serious threats facing the numismatic marketplace today,” Russell says. “At GreatCollections, every coin is carefully reviewed before it is offered for sale, and our team is highly experienced at identifying counterfeit holders, altered labels, and fraudulent verification schemes. Protecting bidders and maintaining confidence in third-party grading are top priorities.”

When questionable material is identified, GreatCollections removes it from consideration regardless of its source. While most consignors are acting in good faith and are often unaware they possess a counterfeit item, Russell says, “we will not offer any coin whose authenticity cannot be fully verified. The integrity of the marketplace depends on strict authentication standards and consistent enforcement.”

Russell is concerned about the growing sophistication of counterfeit holders. This has understandably caused some collectors to question genuine certified coins. “That is why auction houses, grading services, dealers and collectors must remain vigilant and work together to identify and remove counterfeit material whenever it appears. Confidence in certified coins is built on trust, and that trust must be protected.”

Jack D. Young also was among the first to report counterfeit coins in fake PCGS holders with GreatCollection labels. The label on the left side below is fake. Compare it to the real label, right.

Russell says, “We’ve also encountered counterfeit PCGS holders that use fake GreatCollections labels. Ironically, the counterfeiters often print a GreatCollections inventory label inside the sealed PCGS holder, as though it were inserted during the grading process. It’s almost comical, but it also illustrates how far these operations are willing to go to create a false sense of authenticity.”

As counterfeiters continue to refine their methods, Russell recommends reading Proxiblog and other numismatic publications, paying attention to careful examination and buying from reputable sources.

For an inventory of Proxiblog counterfeit articles, click here.

If you like posts like this, 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 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.