What was the most expensive FRAUDULENT coin you ever saw?

[lclugza]

I would appreciate a story about it.

[Dermott]

Best I can do is that I have a "1914D" wheat cent that's really a 1944D that was altered. Found it in one of the many 5000 count bags of wheats I've purchased from my local coin store over the years. I've kept it since because I personally enjoy finding and collecting alterations and other, not quite kosher, coins... however not in the since to pass them off as real or to buy them and be duped, but fully knowing what they are and labelling them as such. No, I don't plan on selling any.

[Hoot]

How about the most expensive one I ever bought?

 

I bought a 1912 Indian 2 1/2 dollar gold in the raw for $180 and it turned out to be a fake! ARG! Nice coin, still mostly gold, but fake. Still have it as a reminder to me of what a lack of education in any given series can produce. It's also pretty cool!

 

Hoot

[gmarguli]

The 1913 Liberty nickel.

 

Edited to add the story. A mint employee looking for a few extra dollars made 5 fake 1913 Liberty nickels. PCGS graded a really ugly one as PR66. It sold for something like $1.3M.

[mrDQ-migration]

In the mid 70's I became interested in coins and my father became interested after me so we'd have stuff to do together (i was 13 or so). He had the $$ and I had the enthusiasm so we got along fine

 

We own a business in Tampa FL and when he'd go down there to check on it he'd visit the local coin shop and buy something cool. One of his "finds" was an 09SVDB in vf-xf that i've cherished and showed off my whole life. Last spring I sent it in for slabbing to PCGS and it came back fake. Glued on S.

 

Dad was/is MMMMMMMMAD!! and i was pretty bummed. Dad wants to go down there and raise hell but i'm saying let it go. It was 28 years ago. I still have the 2x2's from every coin he bought there but $300 means a whole lot less to me now. I'm sending the coin to a few forum members who expressed interest in showing a genuine FAKE at their local club but i'll keep the coin as a reminder of the evil side of collecting.

 

 

[Dermott]

Heh... I would settle for one altered (assuming it was well done) to 1913 or even a replica... I doubt I'll get the chance to even attempt to own one of the "real" ones.

[Dermott]

Ouch!

[jtryka]

Two of the more significant ones I've seen, one was an 1894 Morgan which was an 1894-O with the mm removed. The other was more recent, a 1903-S Liberty $20 that was a struck counterfeit, probably the best I've seen (there was a thread on it here somewhere). Very hard to tell on the Lib, but the Morgan was obvious. Got a refund on both of them.

[Julian]

Regardless of the elapsed time, it is illegal to sell a counterfeit or altered coin. I would take it back to the dealer, who may choose to give you a refund or credit. I know that I and other colleagues have done that in the past when something slipped by us. If the dealer says no, it's been too long, then you can decide whether or not you wish to get the Secret Service involved.

[Hoot]

it is illegal to sell a counterfeit or altered coin

 

Julian - Isn't it only illegal if it is not clearly and plainly noted for the coin in question? Just hoping to clarify.

 

Hoot

 

p.s. - I saw you in the History Channel's Modern Marvels "U. S. Mints: Money Machines" that I purchased from ANA. I could only conclude it was you, yes? I know we have not met, but I hope so one day. Mark.

[lclugza]

I saw an 1895 dollar on EBay or somewhere recently. It looked EF but had had its mintmark removed! I guess somebody ruined an 1895O or 1895S that would have been worth quite a bit otherwise!

[Oldtrader3]

I once owned an 1886-S, MS64, Morgan that had a fake MM. (soldered on). PCGS Bodybagged it.

 

When I worked in Costa Rica (back in the late 1960's) there were literally hundreds of fake Indian Quarter-Eagles and Half-Eagles floating around in Jewelry stores.

[jtryka]

A few months back I bought a struck counterfeit 1903 double eagle, second place was an 1894 Morgan with the O removed.

[TomB]

It's funny, my first reaction was the 1913 Liberty nickel and then Greg beat me to it. I am sticking with that answer.

 

Hoot, I am probably wrong as I don't know anything about the law, however, I think you can legally sell altered coins if you clearly state that they are only for education purposes and the buyer agrees. Again, I am probably wrong but this is what I have been told by more than one major dealer who will occassionally sell counterfeit or altered coins as such.