Counterfeit Indian Head Cents

wavysteps2003 · Expert Member

I attended a coin show today and was able to hook up with Randy Campbell from ICG. While the main choice for encapsulating coins is PCGS and NGC, I have a tendency to stick with ICG since Randy is a friend and just so happens to be a great source of information.

SO!

The word is; watch those Indian Head cents. There are a lot of counterfeits around and it seems to be increasing. And not only on the rarer dates (1877, 1872, 1869, etc.) but on the semi keys as well. Authentication is the key word. The average collector is not able to detect today's counterfeit, which is a shame. If you are buying a key or semi key coin, have it authenticated before you buy it. Or at least have it in writing that if it is not real, it can be returned for a refund.

BJ Neff

smed · Senior Member

wavysteps2003 · Expert Member

I do agree with you. Caution is the key word in this time of trouble for the coin enthusiast.

BJ Neff

eagames · Expert Member

If you buy a slabbed coin you run the risk of getting a fake slab. The fake slabs are getting very good and hard to detect and they are widespread nowdays so everyone needs to be careful.

Dick · Expert Member

Gentlemen, while I agree with your line of thinking, there is another solution:Declare all the fakes, to be genuine, and let the Chinese keep making them. Then we could give them back to China, as part of the trillions of dollars we owe them!

ken · Senior Member

I have a buyer friend that just got burned on a 1909s Indian from a guy in Washington.I saw pics of it as I was asked to check it out and it wasn't even that good.1st flag was price,only $50.00 and looked like a full Liberty coin Surprised

.Here's a link for pics.
http://wensy.com/detail.asp?id=8121495

Dick · Expert Member

Ken, My policy is if the seller doesn't have four figures as feedback score, I won't any item that is even scarce, let alone rare!
I would not have touched that item with a ten-foot pole!
On top of the rest, the price for a comparable item is way too low. RED FOAGS galore!
Is there a return right?

ken · Senior Member

Hi Dick,She was supposed to be able to return,but I don;t know if hwe let her.She hasn't gotten back to me after I gave my opinion.I also suggested she take it to a local coin shop/dealer to have looked at in person.No reply yet.

wavysteps2003 · Expert Member

The pictures are to blurred to make any kind of call. Plus, unless it is a blatant forgery, it would have to be examined in hand for a proper analysis.

BJ Neff

ken · Senior Member

Hi BJ.Pics are blurry but 2 different 9's and the "S" looks wrong as best as I can make it out.I agree,should be looked at in-hand for a definite decision.At $50 though,should tell the story I think. Rolling Eyes

Dick · Expert Member

Ken, FYI, i sent that link to the Fly-in-Club, for comments. They know the IHC like the back of their hand!
I'll let you know what they think.

ken · Senior Member

Thanks Dick.Could be a bit tough as pics aren't clear,but I think there's enough to tell.

smed · Senior Member

True, there's not enough detail to be able to tell anything for sure, but those pics suck well enough to be able to tell that all is not kosher in Denmark and that any claims made by the seller should be taken with a grain of salt the size of Washington DC.

It's exactly the type of pics used in a counterfeit coin auction designed for a semi-knowledgeable collector looking for a steal... and you can bet your bottom denarius that the seller knew that.

Cynical? Maybe. But it saves me lots of money.

wavysteps2003 · Expert Member

Smed - you hit the nail exactly on the head!!!!!

BJ Neff

ken · Senior Member

ditto