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I'm looking for some guidance on this trade dollar...Fake or Real?
Weight is right, non-magnetic, rings like silver, and LCS says it's legit...but I'm not too sure how well versed he is...
Any faults you note that I can verify either way?

thanks....hags

Everything looks authentic... compare it to the images of this 75-CC graded by PCGS, AU50
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1875-CC-Trade-D ... 1162314395

mint mark placement matches
weak strike on eagle's left leg matches
weak A in America matches

Here are some Trade Dollar finding fake tips:

1.) You can find a hole behind the ladies head where the ribbon curls, where the metal is chipped out manually.

2.) From 1873-75, all trade dollars shared a common obverse design. The ribbon with "LIBERTY" on it has its tips pointing to the left. Also, the hand holding the branch has 3 fingers visible.

3.) The true way to identify fake coins is through their weight, fake coins are silver washed over copper, and weigh around 18 grams - 27.22 grams. Of course, you should always weigh a raw Trade dollar, but the better fakes have the correct weight. It is often helpful to ask the seller what the weight is, in grams. If they immediately pop back with, "27.22 grams," the 'official' weight, that makes me a little queasy, since most of the genuine ones are off just a tad. If it's an honest person who has a coin they know nothing about, you may get an answer like "23.4 grams" which should lead to an exchange of useful information! Those who don't reply at all, or who reply with a smart remark, are best avoided.

4.) Check the coin’s numbers and letters for the same design or font of other like coins.

5.) You could also identify fake ones through coin turn. Most of the fake coins does not have a coin turn, in other words when you flip the coin normally the reverse is almost upside down.

-The Great

CLINT-THE-GREAT wrote:5.) You could also identify fake ones through coin turn. Most of the fake coins does not have a coin turn, in other words when you flip the coin normally the reverse is almost upside down.

-The Great

Coin turn?...When I flip the coin top to bottom it's like any other American coin. With the obverse in right reading, flipping top to bottom, the reverse is right reading...The obverse and reverse design are not exactly 180 degrees to each other, if that's what "almost upside down" means?

Any idea what "almost upside down" means?

hags

hags wrote: I flip the coin top to bottom the reverse is right reading.., if that's what "almost upside down" means?

hags

Yup that's what I meant. Some fakes don't even go thru the effort to make the coin "flip" correct. LIke what you said flipping it top to bottom should show the reverse as the correct reading. And the slight turn, if it has one, is just a slight die rotation, which is fine as alot of US coins have a slight die rotation. Actually is Probably validates it even more as I doubt a fake would have put a slight rotation in it, would probably be perfect more that likely.

-The Great

Not sure what I think. I have a question. Click the pic.

I am far from an expert on these but from what I can tell it looks real to me. The wear on the first A in America is what stands out to me. The fakes normally make the lettering look worn..with it having slight wear I think you are good to go. (as long as it weighs right.)

Rodebaugh wrote:Not sure what I think. I have a question. Click the pic.

After a close exam and touching the spots with a toothpick I would have to say yes....extra metal at the spot below the arrows that you point out.
There's also a spot of extra metal after the "R" in dollar, and a spot of extra metal on the obverse after the "5"

hags

hags wrote:

Rodebaugh wrote:Not sure what I think. I have a question. Click the pic.

After a close exam and touching the spots with a toothpick I would have to say yes....extra metal at the spot below the arrows that you point out.
There's also a spot of extra metal after the "R" in dollar, and a spot of extra metal on the obverse after the "5"

hags

UPDATE: Doc PM'd me and said I should walk away from buying the trade dollar after finding the extra metal....

Thanks again Doc for taking the time to look at this coin....

hags