Buyer Beware; 1873 IHP off center

[trails]

This seems to be one of the more typical "error" coins that is seen from China. It is more than likely a counterfeit.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260610119119

BJ Neff

[jupiterkm1]

How does someone counterfeit an error like that with enough detail to pass scrutiny?
Kevin

[trails]

In this case, they made cast dies of an original coin. Once the dies are made, you are in business if you have a press.

Fred Weinberg was the person who pointed this out on E-bay and he believes that it is from a batch that was made about 30 years ago on the East Coast of America. I thought that it was a Chinese import, but I do bow to Fred's overwhelming knowledge and experience in this matter.

Either way, it is a counterfeit coin.

BJ Neff

[jcuve]

There's almost no safe way to buy errors of older issues such as this unless they are slabbed or sold by a reputable dealer. It's unfortunate, eBay won't pull it, and even though there will be warnings against bidding, someone will end up with this in their collection...

Thanks for the warning BJ.

[lineop3]

I see if you lined that coin up North to South, you'd have a rotated die right?
(Just making an observation)
The seller didn't mention that so...it very well could be a fake.

Aisha

[trails]

Actually Aisha, the coin does have the proper rotation and the dies do match correctly. Being off center does add a bit of an optical illusion into the mix.

BJ Neff

PS - I just noticed that the coin is at $70.00 + which is discouraging and I also know for a fact that the owner of the coin has been notified that the coin is counterfeit. The answer given in return " I bought it at a coin show about a year ago" !?!?!?