Counterfeits & Authentication
Spotting fakes and altered coins, and checking that a holder and its certification number are what they claim.
18 articles
Mirror-Clone Grading Websites: The Newest Counterfeit Scam Targeting Coin Collectors
When Even the Website Is Fake Most collectors know to verify a coin's certification number before buying. But what happens when the verification website itself is a counterfeit? That's the reality of mirror-clone grading websites — sophisticated replicas of the PCGS and NGC certification verificatio
The Rise of Chinese Counterfeit Coins: What Collectors Need to Know About the Scale of the Problem
An Industrial-Scale Counterfeiting Operation Side-by-side: a counterfeit coin (left) next to a genuine example. Subtle differences in detail and luster reveal the fraud under close examination. The coin counterfeiting problem has evolved from individual forgers working with hand tools to factory-sca
Counterfeit Coin Slabs Are Getting Dangerously Good — How to Spot Fake PCGS and NGC Holders in 2026
The Holder Is Part of the FraudCounterfeit coins are not new. But counterfeit slabs — fake PCGS and NGC holders designed to make a counterfeit coin look professionally graded — represent an escalation that every collector needs to understand. A convincing fake holder transforms a $5 counterfeit coin
How to Verify a PCGS or NGC Certification Number — And Why You Should Every Time
The 30-Second Check That Can Save You Thousands Every coin graded by PCGS or NGC receives a unique certification number. That number is your direct link to the grading service's database — and verifying it is the single most important step you can take before buying a certified coin. It's free, it t
How to Read PCGS and NGC Holders — and Spot a Counterfeit Slab
Understanding Certified Coin Holders Third-party grading (TPG) by PCGS or NGC is the industry standard for authenticating and grading U.S. coins. A coin encapsulated in a PCGS or NGC holder (often called a "slab") carries a professional grade and authentication that protects buyers and sel
1804 Dollar and Other "Too Good to Be True" Coins: How to Recognize Replicas
When a Coin Seems Too Valuable to Be Real Every collector has a fantasy find: discovering a coin worth millions in a junk box or inherited collection. The reality is that certain coins are so rare and so well-documented that finding a genuine example outside of major auction houses or esta
1877 Indian Head Cent: How to Spot a Fake
The 1877 Indian Head: A Key Date Under Siege The 1877 Indian Head cent has the lowest mintage of the regular-issue Indian Head cent series at 852,500. Values range from approximately $800 in Good condition to well over $10,000 in uncirculated grades. This high value and collector demand ma
1893-S Morgan Dollar: How to Spot the Common Counterfeits
The King of Morgan Dollars The 1893-S Morgan dollar is the most valuable business-strike Morgan dollar, with a mintage of only 100,000. Values range from approximately $5,000 in Good condition to hundreds of thousands in gem Mint State. This extreme value makes it one of the most heavily c
1916-D Mercury Dime: How to Authenticate the Mint Mark
The 1916-D Mercury Dime: Mint Mark Is Everything The 1916-D Mercury dime is the key date of the Mercury dime series, with a mintage of only 264,000 coins. Values range from around $1,000 in Good condition to over $50,000 in gem Mint State. The 1916 Philadelphia issue (no mint mark), by con
1944 Steel Cent: Real Transitional Error or Plated 1943?
The 1944 Steel Cent: The Reverse of the 1943 Copper Just as leftover bronze planchets were accidentally struck with 1943 dies, leftover zinc-coated steel planchets from 1943 production were accidentally struck with 1944-dated dies. The 1944 steel cent is the mirror image of the 1943 copper
1943 Copper Cent: How to Test Yours (and Why 99.99% Are Plated Steel)
The 1943 Copper Cent: The Most Famous U.S. Coin Error In 1943, the U.S. Mint switched from bronze to zinc-coated steel planchets for Lincoln cents to conserve copper for the war effort. However, a small number of bronze (copper) planchets from 1942 production remained in the striking chamb
1922 "No D" Lincoln Cent: Genuine Die Error vs. Tooled Fake
The 1922 "No D" — A Real Error That Attracts Fakes In 1922, Lincoln cents were struck only at the Denver Mint — Philadelphia and San Francisco did not produce cents that year. All 1922 cents should carry a D mint mark. However, several heavily worn die pairs produced coins where the D mint
1914-D Lincoln Cent vs. Altered 1944-D: How to Tell the Difference
The 1914-D: A Prime Target for Alteration The 1914-D Lincoln cent (mintage: 1.19 million) is one of the most valuable regular-issue Lincoln cents, with values starting around $200 in Good condition and reaching $50,000+ in gem Mint State. Its most common counterfeit isn't a struck fake — i
1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent: How to Spot a Fake
Authenticating the 1909-S VDB The 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent is one of the most iconic and sought-after coins in American numismatics. With a mintage of only 484,000 and values ranging from $800 in Good condition to over $100,000 in gem Mint State, it's no surprise that fakes are everywhere.
Why Two-Headed Coins Are Almost Always Fake — and How to Spot the Seam
Two-Headed (and Two-Tailed) Coins: Why They're Almost Never Real "I found a coin with heads on both sides — is it a mint error?" This is one of the most common questions in numismatics, and the answer is almost always no. The overwhelming majority of two-headed and two-tailed coins are novelty items
How to Spot a fake 3-legged Buffalo
1. Check the Motto (The #1 Tell)Fake (Altered): Scammers take a common 1937-D nickel and polish off the front leg. Because they disrupt the metal, the motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM" on the reverse is often pushed up or distorted enough that the letters P and U touch the bison’s spine.Genuine: The letters P
Detecting Counterfeits: Protect Your Collection
Authentication Is a Collector's Most Important SkillCounterfeit coins fall into two categories: contemporary counterfeits made to spend as money during their era (which are actually collectible historical artifacts), and numismatic counterfeits made to deceive modern collectors. Understanding both i
How to Spot a Counterfeit Coin
How to Spot a Counterfeit Coin Counterfeit coins are an ever-present concern in numismatics. As coin values have risen, so has the sophistication of counterfeits. Learning to identify fakes protects your collection and your investment. This guide covers the most common types of counterfeits and the