• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Suprised result from across the street - 1885 Half-eagle

Started by bit1work,

27 posts in this topic

MikeInFL

MikeInFL

Posted
Posted
No grade because of the scratch on the reverse at 10 o'clock.... not sure if that was damaged over at pcgs because it wasn't there

 

Fooled by a scan again! :makepoint:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MarkFeld

MarkFeld

Posted
Posted
Beautiful coin, by the way. That is such a minor scratch I don't see why they would bag it. Bummer
I don't think the image allows us a good look at the scratch, in order to be able to tell if it is "minor" or not. ;)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
bit1work

bit1work

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thank you for all of your opinons. In fact, I was lucky to ask my dealer to cert it. Since he claimed this as MS64, and I have doubt. He send it over to PCGS and received no grade (not sure if PCGS mis-handled this or the dealer did not protet it well). Since we both agree that this is a genuine coin, therefore, he sold it to me spot + $50. I am sure he already made his profit with the current spot gold price. It is a happy ending for both of us.

 

As always, the lesson is if in doubt on raws, send it to 3rd party. But this is really something we both never encountered before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bit1work

bit1work

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yes, I will buy this coin based unless it is cert. The Dealer claimed this as a 64, but I disagree otherwise. When I examine this coin, the scratch was not there. I am 99% sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Oldtrader3

Oldtrader3

Posted
Posted

Dealer may have scratched it. If PCGS had damaged it, they would have told the dealer and made good with him if he does much business with them. Maybe that is why he sold it to you close to melt, is because PCGS paid him damages and made him right financially on the coin? Just a thought.

 

Picture is so juiced that it is hard to see the scratch well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bit1work

bit1work

Posted
  • Author
Posted
If that's a counterfeit, its a darn good one. The coin looks geniune to me, but it is very hard to tell if a coin is counterfeit on photos alone.

 

OK. All mystries solved.

I just hung up the phone with the lady over at NGC, this coin is on its way back to be with no grade because it is a COINTERFEIT.

 

This time I am really shock because it look 100% perfect to me. But come to think of it, and try to put the whole story back together......

 

This dealer is in Chinatown and I have known him for almost 20 years. For all these time, I only bought Penda and Maple Leaf from him. This is the first time I bought old US gold from this guy.

One day, I spotted this coin and try to get a price from him. He quoted me with such a high price becasue he think this is a MS64. I doubted it, and agree to purchase this coin after it slabbed. Few weeks later, he called me up and told me that this coin was scratched by PCGS on the reverse, possibly with a staple.

(Come to think of it, does anyone submit a coin in a stapled flip?)

Since it was a no grade, and he is willing to sell it to me now at spot + $50. For $300, I accepted the deal.

After further viewing, I still cannot understand why this coin cannot be graded even with the scratch (it was not that that that that that bad). Obiviously, I also did not notice this is a fake coin.

I packaged it and send it to NGC. Until yesterday, I was shock that this comes in as no grade. So I called customer service and received this bad news.

 

1) I should have known this that the story about PCGS does not make any sense;

2) I should have known this when I look at this coin over and over again;

3) I should have known this when he first offer me at $1500, and two week later for $300;

4) I should have know this because he is in Chinatown (not racial slur, I am from Hong Kong)

 

On the otherhand, I am very impress with these counterfeiter. I really cannot see anything wrong (I also had couple Half Eagles ---- slabbed, thank God for that).

 

I am also very impressed with graders over at NGC who can tell the different.

 

My next step is to get the coin back and bring it back to the dealer - hope for the best. Although it is not expensive, But I am really feeling embrassed with this.

 

 

PS: My 100th post should have been a better one.

 

 

Thank you all!

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MarkFeld

MarkFeld

Posted
Posted

My next step is to get the coin back and bring it back to the dealer - hope for the best. Although it is not expensive, But I am really feeling embrassed with this.

If the coin is counterfeit he is obligated to refund your money. And HE should be embarrassed, if not ashamed of himself.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
astrostu

astrostu

Posted
Posted
After further viewing, I still cannot understand why this coin cannot be graded even with the scratch (it was not that that that that that bad).

 

I hadn't seen this thread until today's post. As I was reading it, this was confusing me, too - I've seen hundreds of coins in slabs with scratches ... I mean, it's almost a given that a coin will have a scratch on it unless it's MS/PF-70. So, that's when I would've walked away.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Houston Investor

Houston Investor

Posted
Posted
No grade because of the scratch on the reverse at 10 o'clock.... not sure if that was damaged over at pcgs because it wasn't there

 

Try another grading service. From the scan the coin looks nice despite the contact mark.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MarkFeld

MarkFeld

Posted
Posted
No grade because of the scratch on the reverse at 10 o'clock.... not sure if that was damaged over at pcgs because it wasn't there

 

Try another grading service. From the scan the coin looks nice despite the contact mark.

Could someone please let Parker know that the coin was determined to be counterfeit and that that was the reason for the body-bag. Hence trying another grading company would probably be a bad idea.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CHABSENTIA

CHABSENTIA

Posted
Posted

Do you know for a fact that he submitted it to PCGS?If NGC says it is counterfeit then based on this the dealer needs to refund your Money and expenses.

 

From $1500.00 to $300.00 which is a 80% drop in price? Could he have submitted it to PCGS and they said it was Counterfeit. Would explain the " spot " price.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Oldtrader3

Oldtrader3

Posted
Posted

Don't be embarassed, just be more careful. We all have lessons similar to yours in the past. If the coin is gold, you got out of the sale without too much harm or much monetary loss. Maybe since the coin is counterfeit, you can return it for a refund without the dealer losing face. Just show it to him and say that both of you were fooled by this coin but you want your money back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Oldtrader3

Oldtrader3

Posted
Posted

I need to be more attentive to these posts. This gold coin was so juiced in the picture that I did not look closely at the coin. The height to width aspect of Liberty's head is wrong (Liberty's neck is too thick). The line behind the denticles on both sides are rough instead of a smooth transition. The first "T" in states is too thick. The "1" is shaped wrong on the bottom crossbar. The hair indentations on the back of Liberty's neck are wrong. The shield aspect is slightly too wide (maybe it is the scan?). The "V" in FIVE D. is wrong, as is the spacing between the D. and the dot next to the "A" in America. Some wing feather detail is incomplete. I have included a half eagle scan for your reference. My coin's edges are distorted by the NGC slab so disregard that please.

 

07-DHfeagle.jpg07-DHfeaglerev.jpg

 

The 1885 photo/scan is too juiced to see the coin too well. That makes it hard to determine diagnostics for the coin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bit1work

bit1work

Posted
  • Author
Posted
If the coin is gold, you got out of the sale without too much harm or much monetary loss. Maybe since the coin is counterfeit, you can return it for a refund without the dealer losing face. Just show it to him and say that both of you were fooled by this coin but you want your money back.

 

 

 

I just got the coin back from the Post Office today and will take it back to the dealer this weekend.

Beside weighting the coin, is there a easy way to tell if it is gold?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing