Any pointers on why this is an obvious fake. I do not collect US coins, and have not looked at much US gold, but this looks OK to me.....Any help would be appreciated.
I don't know enough about US gold coins to tell, but I just saw what looks like verdigris under the "TE" of "STATES", Gold doesn't get verdigris, but it could be an incorrectly mixed alloy and there's a little bit of un-mixed copper on the surface. I'm happy to bow to the expertise of anyone who knows better than me though.
Thanks for the quick reply. I agree that the verdigris should be a concern on any gold coin, just wondering if there are any other obvious signs that I am unaware of.
I've been burned a few times by fakes of high value coins, and it's impractical for me to get everything slabbed, so have to rely on instinct somewhat.
Put them side by side, and you start to see the fuzziness of the surfaces and missing detail. The font is also slightly thicker in my opinion. Probably easier to see on the reverse side. Look at the eye of the eagle for example.
It just lacks sharpness. You see it a lot in chinese/russian coins.
Bear in mind it's not conclusive to determine authenticity. Some coins have extremely good counterfeits out there. The gothic crown is one; silver composition is exactly right and it's obviously laser cut. It's a good guide for coins in the 'mid' value range though that the russian/chinese forgers would be looking to exploit.
引用する: "neilithic"[...] I just saw what looks like verdigris under the "TE" of "STATES" [...]
If it is verdigris, there seems to be two small spots also on the top edge of the right wing, and one more on the top edge of the third arrow.
I suppose the weight of the coin would be a good indicator. It's not easy for counterfeiters to match the weight of a real gold coin since gold is so much heavier than almost any other metals that one can use in striking coins.
Hi,
This coins has been in family possession during at least 50 years and it had been stored during all that time in a leather purse with a copper closure, which may have become wettish somewhere back in time. The green stuff must be some residue from the pusre. It was all around the stars on the obverse and it went easily away just with an oil bath - no rubbing or other mechanical action used.
On the reverse I think I can spot some hairlines above and below the eagle. That was the reason I posted the coin.
This being said, I am impressed: so sais it could be a fake as I see traces of verdigris. Immediately there is evidence for a fake: details missing, fuzziness, ...
The picture from ngc is obviously from a high grade coin with full strike made by a professional photographer.
This one is a scan of a coin with somme little wear, random quality strike.
These coins were mass production (more than 1 million) made from different dies at different states of fatigue.
Look at the pearls they are not touching the rim, which is always very difficult to achieve for counterfeiters. Laser cut techniques for counterfeiting coins was just science fiction back in time when my granddead received this coin.
I am currently away from home and am not able to give the exact weight of the coin but I have no concern.
To make sure that it is genuine, I would like to point out that a book came out in the 1970s about fake American gold coins -- I mean, fake coins actually made of gold. I happen to have that book somewhere in a box. I'll try to find it tonight and see if there is anything about fake 1899 eagles.
