Fake Morgan Dollars are becoming epidemic!!!

[Heavy_Metal]

I encourage everyone to buy a scale and acid testing kit. While I have had several fake coins show up from ebay purchases over the last few years, most were steel, so they were easily detected with magnet(and those that are of the magnetic variety tend to be "easy" to spot anyway), but now the couterfeit morgans are of a whole new caliber. I recieved a batch of 10 coins today that I had bought on ebay. Of course the main picture in the auction is not of the fake coins he is selling. These coins are so close to looking authentic, but I just felt something didnt look right, so I put one on the scale. It weighed 26.3g, I then put another one on the scale and it was 25.8g. Then I knew I had a problem. The coins are all xFine so I knew it was not due to wear that they were that weight. I had bought an acid test kit a year ago, but I had yet to use it. So I rubbed a coin onto the stone, and put a drop of acid on it. To my amazement the metal simple bubbled a bit a dissolved away! The scary thing is these coins almost fooled me, and I had actually got a few extremely similar coins a few weeks back, but I only weighed those and thought they were close enough to be real and proceeded to put them into the mix, but I now believe they were also fakes. I cant do anything about the ones in the past, but this latest bunch I intend on getting my $320 back. I emailed the seller, awaiting their response.

**BE AWARE OUT THERE! The EVIL IMMORAL, UNETHICAL, FRUADULENT SELLERS ARE FLOODING THE COIN MARKET WITH "HIGH QUALITY" FAKE SILVER DOLLARS MADE OF CRAP METAL!!**

[97guns]

all 10 were fake? what are the years and are they magnetic?

[desertpir8]

Did they ring like a real one? I'd think if they were different metallurgy they would likely not sound right.

I just picked up 5 Morgans this weekend and weighed a few of them since I JUST got a digital pocket scale. The ones I checked were all 26.5-26.7g or higher but a couple have some slight wear on them. I'll be taking the scale with me when I buy new ones.

This makes me nervous though.. Going to check the rest of my morgans tonight, as I have a couple that are xFine that I got from the bay.

What are the dates on these fakes? Can you post up some photos for us?

[GenRipper]

If it is your first time using the acid test kit and ALL your coins failed, perhaps it would be good to get a second opinion.

Local coin shop might check it for free, they are probably eager to learn as much as they can about fakes.

[ConanTheLibertarian]

I have had several fake coins show up from ebay purchases over the last few years, most were steel ...

...then why shop there at all?

Years ago, decent people traded there.
Most of them have been scammed into the sidelines by now.
Until they require a buyers bond and a sellers bond - I'll avoid it like a case of the PayPal Plague.

Reputable dealers aren't all that expensive compared to pervasive fraud.

[desertpir8]

Looking at that auction, 4 sets of those sold...

[yellowsnow]

do a common sense test.
online dealers selling AU-MS morgan at 41 to 48 each, and you got them for 32 each (advertised AU-MS), all shiney ones too, with capsule, different dates, no order limit too, i'm in heaven

[yellowsnow]

Looking at that auction, 4 sets of those sold...

ya, all within 5 hrs of same day too, prolly to his drinking buddies taking a break from playing warcraft

[digbird]

Just not a Panda problem as I've been saying for the past couple of years.

Watch for fake Peace dollars as well. Everyone needs a scale and a loupe.

Heavy Metal: Hope you can share photo's with us, at least we'll be able to see the dates. Or at least tell us the dates. These guys do them in batches and will normally run 4 or 5 dates at a time. Why not cut one in half and share a photo, then return both halves as proof to your dealer when you get a refund?

Passing counterfeit coinage is a federal offence. So to those that find they have old fake Morgans...eat the loss and don't pass them along.

[Heavy_Metal]

Not magnetic. All 10 are fake.
Years are
1889
1898
1880
1883
1881
1887
1882
1879

Incidentally I do not usually agree with the ring test, in fact I think that can make some folks believe a coin is real because all coins 'ring', and the ring is not easy to discern from a real and fake coin. However..... After have these 10 fakes all together and move them around, and now that I have another stack of a few real coins, you can most defintely hear the difference in the 'chink'.