So, having seen the outrageous prices that some (often fake) coins bring, they want to get a piece of the action. INTRODUCTION While most counterfeit coins are easy to spot -- due to improper weight, color, even design details -- the truth is there are many good copies that have fooled some of the most seasoned coin collectors! You are making a mountain out of a mole hill of worry with this one. If the coins are fake they will be composed of copper or a base metal alloy that is plated with a thin layer of gold. Perhaps it would be good to define some terms at this point. Here's what to look for in order to avoid buying fake coins. Even the most obvious fakes can easily fool anyone who is not a trained expert. ... As I have previously stated in other articles one of the best ways to protect yourself from this type of fake … Fake slabs are easier than a really good fake coin to spot. Over $3,000 of "gold" coins have been sold by these sellers in less than 24 hours. So, how can you spot a fake Morgan Silver Dollar? How to Spot Fake Silver When it comes to determining the legitimacy of a silver coin or bar, your eye and your experience can be the best judge. Fakes contain a number of giveaways when you look at the design of the pagoda on the tails side. Struck Counterfeit Coins: A Family of Struck Fake Draped Bust Dollars. As a result, every fake struck from these counterfeit dies will have the same depressions (marks are called “depressions” on counterfeits). Ironically, the fakes out there can degrade or artificially boost the amount of money they may get for their genuine coins. Most of the time, you probably can’t. REAL, COMMEMORATIVE, GENERIC or FAKE COINS . Analysis of the metal content showed the coin had a .918 silver fineness, above the US Mint standards for a silver circulation coin of the age. A genuine coin is used to create a die that is an exact mirror image of the coin. Spotting a fake: the pagoda. ANCIENT COINS & MODERN FAKES How To Tell The Difference An Authentication Primer by Dennis J. Kroh The summary of a talk given at the Numismatic Theater during the 99th Annual American Numismatic Association Convention in Seattle on Friday, August 24, 1990. All of the counterfeit coins/holders seen so far are coming out of China. So, before you start applying corrosive chemicals and tests to your potential silver (we’ll discuss these shortly) be sure to follow these steps: With Morgan Silver Dollars as popular as ever, counterfeiters are trying to cash in with advanced forgeries. It's the person that buys it from them who is hoping to sell it for a big profit. Step 1: Read Up on Known Forgeries They're also older slabs. Alert members of the PCGS Message Boards were the first to notify PCGS of the counterfeit coins/holders. In recent days, counterfeit coins in counterfeit PCGS slabs have begun to appear on eBay, the online auction site. 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