A good recommendation?

[stinkycheese1]

Basically here's whats going on with my life:

 

I posted a thread earlier on how much confidence I gained in the authentication class with Brian Silliman on counterfeit detection. I was able to spot spikes from the denticals of the coins, toolmarks were a bit harder to spot, pimples and depressions on most of the coins. I then had brian look at a few of them to confirm if they were depressions or contact marks.

 

On an unrelated note, today I went to the dentist and found out I have 2 cavities. I had them filled and also had a cleaning. I also now have to set an appointment to have 2 or more of my wisdom teeth pulled. I'm a bit worried that they won't give me a general anestic.

 

So while cleaning out my room today I pick up a copy of the numismatist and look at counterfeit $10 eagle that brian had in the magazine. (It was a picture of it in the magazine). There was a depression in the letters on the R that looked just like a contact mark. Literally I could not tell if that was a contact mark or a depression. That scares me.

 

He mentioned 2 great tips in the article. A) Depressions have metal flow in them (where I assume, contact marks do not). Im still not sure what he means by metal flow. I assume it's where under magnification you can see metal flow lines go INTO the depression, rather than around it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

B) He mentioned to me in the class and also in the article that depressoins have luster in them. He told me that contact marks were "shiny". For me it seems hard to differentiate "shine" and "luster" since they sound the same to me.

 

So just for kicks, I decided to take a look with my 10x or 14x loupe at my british sovereign I scratched (long story heh). I still have it. It was orginally graded about 2 or 3 years ago (with the old ANACS before they were re-bought) as NET Au55 UNC details and slabbed. It was slabbed by ANACS, despite having a problem (the scratch) so I can only assume it is indeed geniune and they looked at the coin for those dianostics.

 

Anyway, I looked at the coin and immediately spotted some contact marks and a few depressions. They were very light and circular and I spotted one of them.

 

For all I know it is probably a contact mark of some sort. A long time ago I cracked the coin out of the ANACS slab and handled it alot, just taking it out, and looking at it.

 

But is there any definitive way to tell the difference? It's something I just can't grasp it seems. I'm sure its geniune since ANACS slabbed it but I don't understand why I appear to be seeing a depression on it. I didn't see anything on the letters, I didn't see any spikes from the denticals just one spot on the fields.

 

Tommorrow I might be able to hook up my computer and take a picture of it with my microscope if needed.

 

I guess its because I have no job anymore and I'm bored all day, my mind begins to wander and I get worried over little things. I apologize for making this thread I just needed to vent. I'm just a bit upset because I HAD so much confidence, and now I think I see something when it's probably nothing. My confidence just goes down the drain.

 

I hope you folks understand and I wanted to say this forum has treated me so nice, even with my worrying antics.

 

Best regards

kevin

 

oh by the way, here's a picture of the coin in the ANACS slab before I cracked it out

[cpm9ball]

Kevin, I think it is a natural tendency for someone who has learned something new to begin looking for the telltale signs everywhere. I guess it is like seeing a mirage in the desert. You keep walking toward it but never reach it. Don't let the little things get you down. They shall pass in time.

 

Chris

[MarkFeld]

Kevin, plenty of depressions exist on GENUINE coins too. They can be mint-made flaws/depressions or man-made, the latter being caused by contact with other coins or objects, etc.

 

Yes to flow lines/metal flow as you mentioned. Also, a contact mark (as opposed to a mint-made depression on a genuine coin or a depression on a counterfeit coin) is likely to result in a shiny appearance that stands out from the surrounding surface area of the coin. However, sometimes a contact mark tones over and does not look shiny.

[TomB]

A way to think of the difference between luster and shine might be to realize that depressions within a coin that have luster will have a surface characteristic within the depression that generally matchs the surface characteristic of the surrounding coin whereas a hit, bagmark or scratch will shine since it's surface reflection of light will be different than the surrounding metal. I hope that helped.

[physics-fan3.14]

Take a good look at those scratches with your loupe. Notice how the metal appears disturbed, and the metal appears reflective and smooth. Look for a bagmark, and again, notice how the metal appears shiny. The bagmarks will not match the surrounding area, just like TomB said - this is a very good way to tell bagmarks from something else.

[stinkycheese1]

So a depression would blend in with the fields of a coin where as a scratch or bagmark would not?

 

Do you think there's any good reason I should take a picture of it with my microscope and show you guys?

 

Mark, thanks for telling me there's depressions on geniune coins too. I didn't know that.

 

[ant]

if you can get a pic that would be awsome to see. i would like to know this info also

[stinkycheese1]

if you can get a pic that would be awsome to see. i would like to know this info also

 

Yes, no problem. I will try to later today. Maybe other members can point out the bagmarks or point out the metal disturbances so we can better learn.

 

 

[stinkycheese1]

Quick question. Since ANACS encapsulated this coin, (even though it was a problem coin with scratches) do you thinkit is fair to say this coin is geniune?

 

 

[MikeInFL]

yes

[MikeInFL]

p.s. getting your wisdom teeth pulled is no big deal -- without general anasthetic -- or at least it was for me.... It actually went very quickly. The area hurt for a few days, but eating nothing but ice cream and milkshakes for a few days was fabulous.

[PerryHall]

None of the major grading services would intentially slab a coin that was not authentic so you can assume the coin is real.

[MunkyMan95]

Quick question. Since ANACS encapsulated this coin, (even though it was a problem coin with scratches) do you thinkit is fair to say this coin is geniune?

 

Kevin, we've been down this road before, and I even believe we've been down this road with the EXACT SAME coin.

 

For God's sake you scratched it up to see if it was real, ANACS agreed it was real, IT'S REAL!

[TomB]

Quick question. Since ANACS encapsulated this coin, (even though it was a problem coin with scratches) do you thinkit is fair to say this coin is geniune?

 

Dude, please give it a rest!

[stinkycheese1]

if you can get a pic that would be awsome to see. i would like to know this info also

 

Here you go ant. I'm thinking maybe its a contact mark. It is a bit shiny and does not seem to blend in with the rest of the metal like a depression would.

 

Oh, the depression/contact mark is directly left of the mustache of George.

[stinkycheese1]

Anyone have an idea what this could be?

[MarkFeld]

Anyone have an idea what this could be?

Kevin, it's either a mint-made or post strike flaw on a genuine coin, just like countless other marks on countless other coins.

[MikeInFL]

Anyone have an idea what this could be?

 

Looks like a circulation mark to me.

[stinkycheese1]

Anyone have an idea what this could be?

Kevin, it's either a mint-made or post strike flaw on a genuine coin, just like countless other marks on countless other coins.

 

Thanks mark. How do you know these things?

You're good...

 

Lots of experience I guess.

 

I guess the best way to spot counterfeits is to look at tons of GENIUNE gold coins, then when you look at a fake one it just doesn't "look" right.

 

Mark, I think the reason you are so good is because at your job at NGC you got to look at probably thousands of coins a day. This would make you very good at stuff like this.

 

There is a local coin show I go to that has about 40 tables every month. I always look at alot of the certified coins there to get a feel for them.

 

[stinkycheese1]

I was looking at a few contact marks on a few of my coins, and noticed that around the contact marks/bagmarks (not in it) it is shiny, reflective.

 

This is how to tell its a bagmark right?

 

Note it was not shiny IN the contact mark, only around it.

 

[stinkycheese1]

is that correct?

 

I'm not worried about my coins anymore I was just wondering if that is a good way to tell what a contact mark is and its difference