Mohawk

It's not just China.....Israel and Russia have thriving counterfeit coin industries as well.  The fake Ottoman gold 100 Kurush I bought 11 years ago likely came out of Israel.  And that fake actually wasn't laughable......it was frighteningly good.  I was working at the coin shop then, and I ended up selling it to my boss for gold scrap.  He initially thought about keeping it for his counterfeit collection, but ultimately decided it had to be destroyed....it was that deceptive.  Many Chinese counterfeits are laughable but Israeli counterfeits are often frighteningly good.  Many more of them likely evade detection than Chinese counterfeits.

Sadly, that's very true.  And the more outlets to sell the fakes that pop up and the more stupid, useless, lying coin videos that pop up on YouTube, the better the fake coin business will do.

YouTube is filled with garbage about coins. Very little posted there about coins is true and there is no way for a novice to separate the very few truthful posts from all the lies. Your Ike dollars are worth $1 each -- nothing more. There are a very, very few -- possibly 5 coins - that are valued highly because they are patterns or in close-to-perfect (MS-70) condition. Other people own them.

At the very least, it appears to be a slight MAD even with the 'thin' rim side partially under the flip. Pretty neat.  

I may try to dip it and see what happens. Have coin cleaner apmex

That certainly could be possible I'll check it out more.

The coin could have been sitting on something for a long time that had a honeycomb pattern.

The counterfeit business is thriving.  

You are under no obligation to believe us; you are free to send in your coins for grading no one is stopping you.   We are only telling you that it will be a huge waste of money as the coins you have posted have no value over the face value.

I'm with Coinbuf, Patman.  It looks like a stain or some kind of residue on the surface of the coin that is causing what you are seeing.

I'm with Coinbuf, Patman.  It looks like a stain or some kind of residue on the surface of the coin that is causing what you are seeing.

Don't forget Mercari.  Lots of fake coins and other garbage coins popping up there now as well.

Are you just looking for coins that are worth money in order to make a buck, or do you actually want to collect coins?  That's an important thing to know going forward here.  

As the others have said DO NOT believe anything you hear about coins on YouTube, unless the videos come from a reputable numismatic organization like NGC, PCGS, ANACS, the PNG or the ANA.  Coin-wise, YouTube is a hive of liars and sensationalists that will say anything to create click bait in order to increase the numbers of viewers they get.  But it doesn't change the fact that these people are liars and frauds.  Definitely stay off of YouTube when looking for good coin information.  Signing up here at NGC is a good step forward in getting better coin information.  

I'm with Coinbuf, Patman.  It looks like a stain or some kind of residue on the surface of the coin that is causing what you are seeing.

The little counterstamp R indicates that it is a replica.

Depends what you like to collect, and what your ultimate goals are. No one can answer that question without knowing those things.

I'm going to add the 1949 pfennig coins to my eBay hunts for sure.  It's probably a variety that not many people are aware of, so I may actually have a shot at finding one.  I guess we'll see!

High marks to you for realistic expectations. I agree with the previous posters, but for your sake I wish we were wrong. You cannot imagine the legions that march in here with crummy counterfeits insisting that they might be authentic; arguing, trolling, and ultimately becoming protracted butt-pains. It is refreshing to be able to tell someone the truth and feel confident we will be believed, and that therefore, we really helped someone.

Sometimes, a coin just isn't the right one for you, Lem E.  And there's nothing wrong with admitting that and taking action based on that decision.  I had that happen to me a few times, but one stands out in particular.  It was an 1894-A German New Guinea 2 Mark.  It was an attractive coin, but it had been cleaned.  As much as I tried, all I could see on the coin was the cleaning and I eventually ended up selling it.  There's nothing worse collecting-wise than having a coin that makes your heart sink every time you look at it.  It's probably a good idea to return the coin and keep searching for the right coin for you....and it is out there!! Best of luck on your continued hunt!

Hi TJ!! 
What an amazing article!!! I really enjoyed reading that....it even mentioned my beloved DDR "Aluchips"!! But the whole article was very interesting and has me giving some thought to adding the BRD's pfennige to my collection at some point here, though that could get tricky to house as they are 16.5mm compared to the DDR's even 17mm.  I do have a couple of the BRD pfennige in proof sets....I have a 1974-J and 1980-J proof set from the BRD.  That 1949 brass pfennig is certainly something that is going on my radar....how cool would it be to find one of those!! 1949 is also my dad's birth year, so it'd be additionally special to me.  I'm so pleased that article made you think of me and I thank you greatly for sharing that with me and the whole community!

Sometimes, a coin just isn't the right one for you, Lem E.  And there's nothing wrong with admitting that and taking action based on that decision.  I had that happen to me a few times, but one stands out in particular.  It was an 1894-A German New Guinea 2 Mark.  It was an attractive coin, but it had been cleaned.  As much as I tried, all I could see on the coin was the cleaning and I eventually ended up selling it.  There's nothing worse collecting-wise than having a coin that makes your heart sink every time you look at it.  It's probably a good idea to return the coin and keep searching for the right coin for you....and it is out there!! Best of luck on your continued hunt!

Hello and Welcome!!!
Unfortunately, the others are correct....the coin pictured is a fake.  

AliBaba etc.  all purveoys of counterfeit junk and not just coins.