1856 $1 Gold - Real??

[Chaboo]

Someone local wants to sell this and sent the attached pics to me. Sorry they’re not very clear but hopefully they’re clear enough for someone to know. If not, please let me know and I’ll ask for better ones.

I have one request, if you reply with an opinion please state why you feel it’s real/fake so I know what to look at.
Thank you!!


APMEX has an 1856 - I guess there are slanted and upright 5 versions.
https://www.apmex.com/product/54357/185 ... right-5-au

[68Camaro]

I can't say but if it isn't real I'd better check the couple of them that I have!

[Recyclersteve]

I can't say whether it is real or not as well. I do remember going to a large coin show around 8-10 years ago. A dealer showed me 3 gold coins and asked me which one was fake. I responded that I couldn't tell as they all looked good to me.

He then told me ALL THREE WERE FAKES- AND CAME FROM THREE DIFFERENT SOURCES. I was absolutely floored.

I would want to use a Precious Metals Verifier (several people on this site have them) to give me more confidence about the authenticity of any gold coin I buy. We did a group buy of a bunch of them back in the day. A neat thing about the PMV's is that they can read through a slabbed coin so you don't have to crack open the slab. With the amount of counterfeit slabs out there, this is a valuable tool to have for many.

[Chaboo]

Thanks guys - not real encouraging!! LOL

I took part in the original group buy for the PMV and plan on bringing it plus a scale. I haven't found too much helpful info in my searches. ....I haven't tried searching with duckduckgo yet - need to remember to use it instead of the google.

One thing that makes me feel good is, when comparing it to the image for the APMEX coin, the areas where the strike is weak, it seems to be the same on both. ??

[68Camaro]

The PMV will tell you if it is gold. It just won't tell you if it is fake. If you bought at bullion prices whether it is fake or not may not matter if it was made of gold.

[smackvay]

I can't say whether it is real or not as well. I do remember going to a large coin show around 8-10 years ago. A dealer showed me 3 gold coins and asked me which one was fake. I responded that I couldn't tell as they all looked good to me.

He then told me ALL THREE WERE FAKES- AND CAME FROM THREE DIFFERENT SOURCES. I was absolutely floored.

I would want to use a Precious Metals Verifier (several people on this site have them) to give me more confidence about the authenticity of any gold coin I buy. We did a group buy of a bunch of them back in the day. A neat thing about the PMV's is that they can read through a slabbed coin so you don't have to crack open the slab. With the amount of counterfeit slabs out there, this is a valuable tool to have for many.

Problem with this thought is that LOTS of these fakes are made of the correct gold, so you have to figure out another way.
Here is my go to EVERY time, track down Rodebaugh as he is pretty qualified in this old gold and morgans.

/thread
Mike