Tag Archives: PCGS CoinFacts

Venus, a Comet, and Caesar’s Assassination

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A few months after Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March 44 BC, a comet streaked through the skies, making him a god in his followers’ eyes.

Some historical background: On March 15, the great Roman statesman and reformer, Gaius Julius Caesar, was assassinated. The historical record notes his military brilliance as well as his less popular role in ending the Roman Republic.

The celestial object, now known as Caesar’s Comet (C/-43 K1), appeared in July of that year and was seen as a sign Caesar’s deification. 

The brilliant comet was visible for seven days. Romans interpreted the cosmic event as a sign that Caesar’s soul was ascending into the heavens and that he had joined the gods and Venus mother–a reference by the Roman poet Ovid.

Ovid describes the deification in Book 15 of his epic poem, Metamorphoses. In the passage, Venus takes Caesar’s spirit from his murdered body and carries it to the heavens, where she transforms it into a star.

This provided a propaganda occasion for Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian (who later became Emperor Augustus). He claimed to be a son of the now god Caesar, legitimizing his own rise to power.

The recognition had been put in place by Caesar before his death.

By placing Venus’s image on coins during his lifetime, Caesar had already reinforced his divine right to rule. Here are representative coins featured in a Coin Week article.

By imitating Caesar’s use of Venus in his own coinage, Octavian symbolically inherited not just his father’s name and legacy, but also his divine mandate.

Collectors covet these coins because of the heavenly history. They are pricey, too, because of the demand. Here is a retail example:

As with all coins, the marketplace is full of counterfeits. This is especially prevalent with Caesar’s military coins. His “Elephant” silver Denarius, minted circa 49–48 BC, typically weighs between 3.5 and 4.0 grams (commonly cited around 3.78g to 3.98g) and has a diameter of roughly 18mm. 

eBay is full of counterfeits, especially from China and Bulgaria. Etsy and Temu offer these as replicas and they have flooded the market as authentic with scammers counting on buyers not understanding how to detect fakes.

If you are unfamiliar with ancient coins, only purchase ones slabbed by NGC (the best for ancients):

If you do not know ancient coins and want to add a Caesar coin to your collection, bid on or buy an example holdered by NGC. Also note these attributes of fake ones:

  • Seams: A genuine ancient Roman coin was struck between two metal dies, not cast in a mold. Counterfeit coins that are cast often have a raised line or seam on the edge.
  • Soft details: Cast fakes tend to have a soft, “soapy,” or indistinct appearance, especially in the fine details of the portrait and lettering. Genuine struck coins show a much sharper impression, even if worn.
  • Uneven surface: Pores or small bumps on the coin’s surface can indicate that it was cast. These marks are caused by trapped air bubbles in the mold during the casting process.
  • Weight and size: Casting can cause metal to shrink. As a result, cast fakes are often slightly smaller and lighter than their genuine counterparts.
  • Artificial patina: Forgers often apply a chemical patina to make a coin look ancient.

Consider the difference between a genuine and fake Venus Caesar coin:

If you are interested in ancient coins, visit the portal Vcoins.

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Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentaries, click 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.

Fake 1918 Half: “Ruptured ‘N’ Family”

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By Jack Riley

A counterfeit 1918 Half Dollar–part of what I refer to as the “Ruptured N Family”–has been documented for several years and recently surfaced on Facebook, prompting this article. As is common with many modern counterfeits, the piece displays grainy surfaces, raised lumps within the fields, and design elements that appear inconsistent with genuine examples and poorly executed.

Another example offered online from a non-reputable source.

A comparison of the obverses show repeating marks with a prominent depression of the “N” and a noticeable dent in the lower gown.

Of course, this would not be considered a “family” without additional dates. Evidence suggests a large-scale operation, with counterfeiters mixing and matching both obverse and reverse dies. Notably the 1920 and 1947 dated examples also display the distinctive large dot on the sun (highlighted in red).

Given the mix of various date and mintmark combinations, I did not provide an overview of the reverses, as they differ significantly. On the obverse, however, two consistent diagnostics are always present.

Once again, this counterfeit family reminds me to advise newer collectors to follow these general guidelines:

  1. If you are ready to bid hundreds of dollars on a coin, resist buying a raw one and shop for one holdered by PCGS, NGC, ANACS and CAC.
  2. Be especially careful when purchasing raw coins from eBay and other online venues. TAI bots cannot detect counterfeits, so you are on your own.
  3. Make sure the seller takes returns and has good reviews. Also, the number of positive reviews is a good indicator. If someone has 0 sales or even fewer than 100, do not take a chance.
  4. Weigh the coin and go to PCGS CoinFacts for the date and mintmark, checking your coin against weights and dimensions.
  5. Read this article about detecting counterfeits.

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 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.

Photoshopped OGH Morgans

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To this day, many Morgan Dollar collectors believe coins in Old Green PCGS holders were under-graded. PCGS in the 1980s was inconsistent in its grading. True, many coins were graded a point or even two points under where they would be today. But then almost as many were accurately graded according to current standards. However, because so many people believe OGH Morgans are under-graded, several eBay sellers have been photoshopping their OGH wares, especially since the older PCGS number doesn’t also result in a TrueView photo where flaws can be readily seen.

Even though we discovered these doctored examples, knowing how the process is done can help you with any coin, especially Morgans with its generous fields.

Using a tool on Photoshop, you can easily turn an MS64 coin into a supergem:

I did that with this coin:

While it is common knowledge that eBay sellers in particular often doctor their coins, removing flaws with photo-apps, Proxiblog calls attention to this practice with PCGS green holders. Book author Scott Travers, and others, have touted OGH coins as under-graded. If you believe that, you are also apt to believe the Photoshopped coin can be resubmitted for an upgrade.

Not.

One of our followers, Craig Frick, brought this practice to our attention with this doctored photo:

You have heard the phrase, “Buy the coin, not the holder.” That is especially true with Old Green Holders.

One final point. If you collect Morgan dollars, you must know how to grade. See this article for instructions. Otherwise you will likely be scammed at one time or another by unethical sellers as profiled here and elsewhere on Proxiblog.

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.

Another Peace Dollar Counterfeit: “Dotted Rays”

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By Jack Riley

Another group of counterfeit Peace Dollars has surfaced. During my routine browsing of various Facebook groups and online marketplaces, I frequently encounter counterfeit examples of various series. In one of the larger groups, a 1928 Peace Dollar was shared with many commenters claiming this to be genuine and stating it “should be certified”. At first glance the overall appearance is that of many modern cast counterfeits. This prompted me to investigate further.

Several weeks ago, I was contacted by my colleague Dave Jordan, regarding a counterfeit 1928 Peace Dollar we had the opportunity to examine. At the time, I hadn’t documented this particular counterfeit. The recent example of another specimen, however, suggests that there are additional pieces in the market.

Upon comparison,it became evident that both examples originated from the same counterfeit family , which I refer to as the “Dotted Rays.” Several repeating marks are consistently present on the reverse, highlighted in green for reference :

  • Two dent in the ray below A of Dollar
  • Diagonal slash through C of Peace
  • Depression in U of UNUM

This wouldn’t be a “family” with just one date. Following the search yielded at least 2 additional dates (1922 and 1927). Both of which share the “Dotted Rays reverse.”

I recognize that examining these markers in detail can be challenging. To assist readers, I have prepared a collage of close-up images highlighting the key diagnostics.

I share the news about these counterfeit dollars because you can lose many dollars bidding and buying them, only to find out later that you have been scammed.

In Proxiblog’s recent article about bidding online, titled “Bidding Basics,” we recommend working only with trusted sellers, especially on eBay, making sure you can return your purchases.

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 other venues. 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.

The Carson City Morgan that Isn’t

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The Carson City mint closed in 1893, but 7 years later, the mintmark appeared on a Morgan dollar in New Orleans, making this variety one of the most popular in the series.

So how did the 1900-O/CC Morgan Dollar happen?

When the Carson City mint closed, its dies and other minting equipment were sent to Philadelphia Mint. To save funds, rather than make and ship new dies to New Orleans, a Mint employee was tasked with polishing the die, removing the CC and adding the O. As it turns out, he wasn’t a very good employee, failing to remove the CC before striking the “O” over it, resulting in the “O/CC” variety.

Hobbyists who collect all CC Morgans typically add the 1900-O/CC to their collection. It also is required for some set registries. And VAM enthusiasts (VAM catalogues Morgan varieties) especially like the overmintmark error, designating it with these distinctions: VAM-7, VAM-8, VAM-10, VAM-11, VAM-12 and more.

We’ll use VAM designations to show the difference in prominence of the overmintmark.

Hobbyists favor VAMs 10-12 because of the prominence of the overmintmark. All of these above varieties are on the Top 100 most desirable Morgan VAMs.

All 1900-O/CC varieties are valuable, typically more than $100 in any worn condition. At VF40, value rises to $300; AU55, $450; and MS63, $1400.

If you like posts like this, 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, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentaries, click 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.

Beginner’s Guide to VAMs

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Morgan and Peace Dollars are among the most popular and widely collected U.S. coins. While many collectors appreciate these coins for their history and beauty, fewer take the time to explore the fascinating varieties of each series. These varieties, known as VAMs, are named after Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis, the researchers who carefully studied and cataloged them by their die marriage.

Learning VAMs can feel like stepping into a whole new dimension of collecting. It’s a field that rewards patience and curiosity, often taking years to master variety attribution. Thankfully, new collectors don’t have to start from scratch! Resources such as the VAMWorld website provide a wealth of information, guides, and images that make this specialized area more approachable.

VAMWorld allows users to “contribute, edit and improve” its listings, continually updated with new discoveries, delisted varieties, renumbered varieties, and other important revisions! It is the most up-to-date listing for Morgan and Peace Dollar varieties. While the site includes a dedicated tab for new collectors, this section is often overlooked. For those just beginning their journey of studying VAMs, I strongly recommend first to read the Definitions and Attribution 101 pages as it will be needed to understand various design changes, date placements, mintmark locations, die clashing and other characteristics of variety attribution and terminology.

At present, VAMs aside, the hobby focuses on errors and varieties with newcomers, in particular, hunting ultra rarities such as 1992/1992-D Close AM or 1982-D Small Date 3.1 grams. Those types of varieties for Morgan and Peace dollars are catalogued in VAMWorld. But we go one step deeper. We not only identify that variety but also the various dies that might have created it and the popularity of those varieties within a variety.

Let’s see how Proxiblog’s Michael Bugeja uses VAMs to show all the various types of 1900-O/CC Morgans. The popularity and value of this Morgan is not only the variety, but the prominence thereof. VAMs 7 through 12 identify the difference in prominence of the overmintmark.

I often stress to newer collectors the importance of learning and understanding the reverse hub types for the Morgan Dollar series. This chart represents all of the reverse hub types used for the series in detail. It mentions only 1878 but is for the entire Morgan series from 1878-1921.

Granted, the above chart might intimidate hobbyists new to VAMs. Let’s simplify everything and show how three different VAM reverses for the 1878 8TF, replete with pickup points:

Developing a strong grasp of these distinctions is invaluable not only for attribution but also for detecting counterfeit pieces, as reverse hub diagnostics can quickly reveal inconsistencies.

In my very first article for Proxiblog, I used VAMs to discover a family of counterfeits that fooled collectors and grading services for decades. I wrote, “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.”

Navigating the VAMWorld website can feel overwhelming for newer collectors, but becomes much easier when utilizing the tools and resources provided. Each date specific page includes a set of guides.

Many collectors focus on the Top 100, Hot 50, and Hit List 40 varieties. These showcase the most popular and valuable varieties, minimizing what is known as “micro-vamming,” or listing insignificant types.

Introducing the Top 100, VAMWorld writes, “Many of these VAMs have entered the mainstream collecting of Morgan dollars; it has become unheard of to claim a complete Morgan dollar collection without including the 1882-O/S, Scarface, Hot Lips, and an 1900-O over CC example among several other varieties.”

Proxiblog emphasizes this with articles on each of those above and more. For instance, click the photo below to go to these VAM varieties that are viewed, simply, as desirable and valuable Morgans:

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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.

Popular Morgan Dollar Varieties

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These varieties not only are popular and valuable but often required for complete set registries of top holdering companies: 1879-CC Capped Die, 1879-S Reverse of 1878, 1880/79-O, 1880/9-S, 1882-O/S Strong, 1882-O/S Weak, and 1887/6 and 1887/6-O.

This article provides key diagnostics so you can identify these valuable coins.

1879-CC Capped Die

The capped die variety happened when the Mint decided to change the small CC into the larger mintmark. An employee tried to tool away the smaller CC and replace it with the larger one. He didn’t do a very good job.

Hobbyists tend to prefer the clear mintmark to the distorted one. The process of effacing the die, or die cap, gave the variety its nickname. As for value, both are rare and desirable through almost uncirculated grades, with the clear mintmark bringing $4,500 in AU55, about $1,000 higher than the variety. But in uncirculated grades, the variety is more valuable, with an MS63 Capped CC commanding a retail price of $10,000 and the clear mintmark about $500 less.

1879-S Rev. of 78

While the 1879-S is a relatively common coin, the reverse of 78 is a rare and coveted variety with a mere 8,900 thought to have survived out of a mintage of 9,110,000. The production that year began with the 1878 reverse dies but were halted early in the process for the 79 variety. The 1878 reverse dies feature a flat-breasted eagle and parallel top arrow feathers whereas the regular reverse has a rounded breast and larger top feature at a slant.

The new “Reverse of 1879” dies were quickly put into production, making the Reverse of 1878 variety a notable and desirable key date for collectors.

As you might expect, the 78 reverse commands much higher values across conditions with an MS63 worth $1,600 while the regular mintmark coin goes for $100.

1880/79-O

The 1880/79-O Morgan dollar variety resulted from the New Orleans Mint reusing an older, dated die from 1879 by re-engraving it with the new 1880 date. The mint worker did not fully erase the older date, so faint traces of the “79” are visible beneath the “80.” (Note: The same happened at the San Francisco Mint with an even weaker trace of the overdate–so weak that we exclude it from this article.)

Both practices of repurposing older dies was a way to conserve resources. 

Here is the 1880/79-O overdate, compliments PCGS CoinFacts:

Because the remnant of the numbers 79 are usually faint, you may need a coin microscope to identify this variety. As for value, a regular 1880-O at MS63 retails for $90 whereas the 1880/79 goes for $800. That makes it very desirable.

1880/9-S

There are many VAM varieties (catalog of die markers) in 1880 Morgans, including 1880 VAM 6 8/7, 1880 VAM 7 8/7 Crossbar, 1880 VAM 8 8/7 Ears, 1880 VAM 9 8/7 Stem and 1880 VAM 11 Checkmark. We’ll leave those for another date. In this article we focus on the 1880/9-S because these are available and popular but may require a coin microscope to see on worn coins.

The 1880/9-S features the last digit of the date partially struck over the digit “9.” Here’s a PCGS CoinFacts photo showing remnants of the “9” in the overdate:

This variety is attractive because so many 1880-S Morgans were strongly struck and available in high mint state grades. The number of 1880/9-S Morgan dollars is not known out of a total 8,900,000.

An 1880-S at MS63 retails for $90 whereas the overdate goes for $160 at this writing.

1882-O/S Strong, 1882-O/S Weak

In 1882, the New Orleans Mint received a shipment of leftover reverse dies from the San Francisco Mint. A employee polished and overpunched an O on the S, creating the variety. The facility had three different reverse dies re-purposed for the New Orleans mint. Some overpunching was better than others, creating strong and weak versions.

The 1880-O had a modest mintage of 6,090,000. Many were melted in 1918 according to the Pittman Act and a mere 25,000 of the variety are said to have survived making them valuable. In MS63, a strong version retails for $550 and the weak version, $375. A regular 1880-O goes for $110 in that grade.

1887/6 and 1887/6-O

The 1887/6 and 1887/6-O varieties occurred because a U.S. Mint employee reused an existing 1886-dated die for striking 1887 Morgan dollars, but failed to completely erase the original “6” before engraving the new “7,” leaving a faint “6” under the “7.”

These usually are faint and may require a coin microscope to detect.

These overdates were melted in huge numbers according to the Pittman act. A regular 1887 at MS63 retails for $90 and an 1887-O, $275. An 1887/6 retails for $1,000 and an 1887/6-O for $2,400. That price difference is a reason for the popularity of these varieties.

If you like posts like this, you can read more articles on buying, selling and collecting at Proxiblog.org. Also, please subscribe to 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.


Fake Oval O on 1897-O Morgan

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By Jack Riley

In Numismatics, authenticity generally serves as the foundation in which all other qualities–such as grade, variety, and historical importance–are evaluated. Without certainty of authenticity, a coin’s value is nullified. This article was prompted by a recent eBay listing for an 1897-O Morgan Dollar offered at $250, which upon review, was determined to be counterfeit. For ethical reasons, the seller’s identity will remain undisclosed. After being contacted, the seller acted responsibly by immediately removing the listing and clarifying that they had been unaware of the coin’s illegitimacy. Their swift response and willingness to prevent the sale of a counterfeit merits recognition.

Here is a closer view of the coin in question. Immediately noticing the “Oval O” reverse which is not seen on 1897 dated coins, one can see something is wrong!

Image from an 1880-O courtesy of my friend Dave Jordan that shares a common reverse to the 1897-O listed on eBay.

A side by side comparison shows common markers related to this “Family.” Noteworthy markers include:

  • Oval O set left
  • Indent above the 2 berries below the right wing
  • Depression mark in the eagles left wing (viewers right) just above the tip of the wreath
  • Minor depression mark of the “I” in America

It is worth mentioning this reverse has been seen on 1895-O dated coins with an additional crack through the “T” of United. These are better quality counterfeits than many you may come across.

By understanding how die markers are used and by carefully examining coins for inconsistencies, coin collectors can increase their ability to identify counterfeit coins. 

If you like posts like this, please go to our counterfeit archive with reports from Jack Riley, Jack D. Young and Michael Bugeja. 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.

Family of Fake Half Cents

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By Jack Riley

The saga continues of “new” counterfeits popping up on the market. In my downtime I enjoy browsing online sites and forums. In my search I stumbled across this 1857 half cent listed by what I would consider an average seller. Plenty of listings, with a number of them being genuine coins.

With only one die marriage being the C-1 for circulation issues, this should be a simple coin to attribute. Bay listing (Top) compared to a PCGS certified example (bottom). Clearly the date doesn’t attribute!

Following this, I set out to find more of the “family.” It didn’t take long to stumbled upon this 1854 example that shares a common reverse!

Both coins share this reverse with a large depression in the “N” and a line through the H of “Half.”

Fellow Proxiblog contributor Jack Young sent an eBay link of a spurious seller, and within the listings, it yielded another date sharing this reverse!

There seems to always be a “new one” weekly!

Because of that, I urge collectors to attribute a coin if they intend to buy it or at minimal ask a second opinion.

Attribution of a coin can be done by anyone, even without books! PCGS CoinFacts app as well as NGC’s variety plus are great tools that show images of many die marriages for most series. Compare your coin to the known varieties and determine if it matches. Many things play a factor such as date position relative to the denticles, star orientation, reverse lettering spacing.

Recognizing these differences will prepare you to attribute tougher varieties!

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, 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.

GSA Dollars with Flaws

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If you have one, it may not be uncirculated or even authentic

Just because your GSA dollar is in its original US Mint holder doesn’t mean you have an uncirculated gem. Moreover, some are counterfeit and others so damaged that the government gave buyers a warning–see below–often missing when the coin is being sold online or in estate auctions:

The type of holder also indicates a potentially flawed Carson City dollar:

Here’s how the Mint categorized Carson City dollars in GSA holders:

  • Uncirculated Coins: Carson City silver dollars deemed to be in uncirculated condition were encapsulated in special hard plastic holders with “Carson City Uncirculated Silver Dollar” printed on them. These were accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity and presented in a black box with a velvet lining.
  • Other Condition Coins: Some coins showed wear or unsightly toning and were therefore not classified as uncirculated. These coins were also encapsulated in the hard plastic holders but without the “uncirculated” designation. They were still accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, however, these COAs were blank, rather than numbered. 

Proxiblog recently notified a member of Facebook’s Morgan Dollar Group about a problematic GSA dollar.

This was Proxiblog’s answer:

“The coin has issues on the cheek. You need to take photo of the holder. I think this coin came in a GSA holder that didn’t state ‘Uncirculated.’ I suspect it came in a holder like this below.

Here’s a closeup of the obverse, showing scuff marks:

Over the years GSA dollars have been manipulated by hobbyists. Sometimes sellers did it intentionally. Other times, they just didn’t know how to distinguish a flawed coin from an uncirculated one, based on the Mint’s paperwork and designations.

Here is a prime example.

The seller includes this COA:

Several problems here:

  • He is selling a 1884-CC with a certificate that begins with the numbers “83,” indicating that this COA came from an “Uncirculated” holder in an 1883-CC box. (See Proxiblog’s article, “Wrong GSA COA and Counterfeit Holders.”)
  • He isn’t showing or never received the U.S. Mint “Important” notice about the coin having flaws.
  • He is selling the flawed coin for near $600 when it should go no higher than $275 with these scuff marks on the key area of the cheek:

This is why you still need to know how to grade if buying a GSA Morgan. You can waste money on a coin like this paying MS65 prices.

Proxiblog contacted the seller:

The seller stated that he accidently switched the COAs with his other stock. And to his credit, he ended the sale.

The sale was ended because of grading knowledge. Otherwise someone else would have received this lot.

So if selling, viewing or showcasing a GSA dollar, especially on Facebook, be aware of the factors mentioned in this article.

  1. Check the holder for the word “Uncirculated.”
  2. Look for the GSA note (not a numbered COA) if the holder lacks the word “uncirculated,” noting the coin has flaws or unsightly toning.
  3. Remember that the first two numbers of the COA on an uncirculated GSA dollar should match the last two numbers of the coin’s date.

Finally, be aware of Chinese counterfeit GSA dollars housed in a smooth rather than textured holder:

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.