Is this gold coin real or made to deceive?

Yes, they are. Coin Talk is an amazing site!

 

Well, still don't know much more now than I did after receiving the help from this forum last night.

Took it to the local place with "rare coin dealer" in their name and when I asked the guy behind the counter if he would weigh the coin because I didn't have proper scale to do that. He said "sure" and when I handed it to him, he literally dropped it from a height of about 8 inches onto the pan of one of his scales and told me that it was 4.1g. I mentioned that I was looking for someone with a scale that was able to read grams to two decimal places. He informed me he didn't have any like that. Won't be visiting there again.

Drove another mile down the road and took it to a jeweler that advertises that he buys gold and coins. He also didn't have a scale that would weigh grams to 2 decimal places (is this asking too much???), and he didn't. But, he was much more personable plus he gently weighed it ... 4.2g. After warning me that it is a very counterfeited coin, he examined it and said that it looked good to him and gave me the name/address of another nearby dealer who was more experienced in old coins than he was.

Will try to get to this other place this weekend.

 

@quirkygirl Since this coin is on all the lists as one of the most counterfeited coins, You night ask this next guy if he can help you get it graded OR if you have a coin dealer (shop) nearby they will probably help. (Do not go back to the guy that dropped it,it's obvious that he knows nothing about coins). Having the coin graded, will authenticate it and assign a quality grade to it, thus helping you with value and make it easier to sell. It will always have the value of the gold content, grading can add the numismatic value to it. Grading will cost somewhere between $60 to $100. Being one of the most counterfeited coins, trying to sell it RAW (without a grade or authentication) will be difficult. I think it's worth getting graded.

The sales price difference between graded and ungraded examples of this coin is big. If you have trouble getting someone to help you get this graded, let me know, and maybe I can help.

 

Thank you, @Bdigger for these suggestions. Everything you wrote makes sense and I appreciate your advice.

I've searched for other coin dealers in this area and there are a couple that appear to be well rated and knowledgeable (one is the guy the jeweler recommended). Your suggestions will help me to ask better questions to the next guy who looks at it.

Not sure what I'm going to do with it, actually. Never owned a gold coin before (might not even own one now ).

Thanks again for your help with this @Bdigger

 

It is my pleasure to help when I can @quirkygirl

 

Coin dealers usually have an account with the coin grading services. Often times they will send a customer coin in to be graded with one of their submissions.

Meanwhile, the opinions still coming in on cointtalk are all leaning to authentic on your coin.

 

Here is a link to the cointalk thread I started for this. I think you should be able to read it without being a member. Try it anyway. You may have to scroll up to the beginning.

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/somebody-asked-if-this-is-real-on-antiquers.382164/#post-7682556

 

I don't collect gold other than a piece or two but I don't see any glaring red flags. Congratulations on an interesting find! Getting it graded through PCGS or NGC would be the way to maximize value, assist you in getter better offers if you intend to sell. A reputable coin dealer should be able to submit it to grading for you.

 

Good luck, @quirkygirl -- Interesting.

 

That guy that dropped the coin from a height was handling it as if it was worthless. Likely the start of a psychological process he uses to devalue what he has interest in.

 

Yeah I seen plenty of coin dealers be really nonchalant about collections brought in for their evaluation. They try to show as little interest as possible and will often pour the coins, bullion onto the counter and then briefly glance at a price guide at a few moments before making their offer -- Definitely not enough time to search for better pieces or make a fair offer. Amazingly some people will leave their coins with the dealer for a few days or weeks before he decides what he is going to pay them. On the silverwares some of the cash for gold places will acid test everything ruining any collectable value over the melt value of the silver.

 

Hi all! Sorry, no updates yet. Never got to go to the better coin guys because 'life' got in the way (nothing major, just car issues and tooth issues) ... Hopefully this week I'll find something out.

Thanks for the link to the coin talk thread @Bdigger ... didn't know that I would be able to read stuff over there (not a member), but looks like I can .

 

This is such an exciting thread! I am rooting for you, hope it's the real deal! I have a gold coin that is set in one of those bezel things they use to make them pendants. I keep it in my safety deposit box in case of a rainy day.

 

What a wide range of experiences with coin dealers/buyers I’ve been having.

Took it to the nearer of the two we are planning to visit yesterday. Small but busy one man operation. Took the coin out of my pocket, handed it to him … he glanced at it, handed it back and said it’s worth $300. Never weighed it. Didn’t even loupe it.
My comment was “Soooo you think it’s authentic… because I’ve heard that these are highly counterfeited….” To which he replied “not this year … I’ll give you $300 for it and I’d retail it here for like $350.

I told him that I wasn’t even sure that I wanted to sell it. I then asked him about having it graded and he didn’t even let me finish the sentence before saying that it wasn’t necessary since it’s not uncirculated.

Then he said “stop doing that”. While he was talking, I was absent-mindedly rubbing my thumb over the coin’s surface … Odd that for a coin that isn’t worth the expense of grading my thumb rubbing across it would hurt the value. Not saying he’s not right .. I’ve heard that it’s better to handle coins by their edges … just seemed odd after what he just said.

Right now, all I can say is that I’m glad I don’t collect/sell coins.

Is coin collecting a man’s world? Should I have my husband do all the talking to these guys or what?

 

Think you don't want to create an irregular area in any patina it has developed.

My stepmother collected coins, but not really seriously. It does seem to be more of a guy thing. In the 18th & 19th, the collecting of ancient coins & engraved gems was definitely a man's world. Catherine the Great was an exception.

 

you'd have to rub that coin long and hard to mess it up......

 

Coin collectors are generally male although there are some female collectors and coin dealers out there. For every female collector there is probably ten males. Ancient coins, bullion, and some of the newer commemorative coins seem to attract more diverse groups of collectors than early U.S. type coins.

 

Actually it is surprisingly easy to mess a coin up. At a coin show a dealer was showing a customer a coin when he dropped it hitting a metal corner of the display case, causing a noticeable gash in the coin. Needless to say the customer was no longer interested.

Any cleaning or hairline scratches on a coin is a surefire way to decrease value. Sometimes even old fingerprints that can't be "conserved" may significantly impact value.

 

Yeah, fingerprints can be terrible. They leave initially invisible salts and oils, but over the years they discolor the coin, turning the invisible fingerprint quite visible. Once visible, they seriously detract from the coin's looks.
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/fingerprints-on-coins.343246/

 

I disagree with the dealer who told you it was not necessary to have the coin graded. In order to sell a coin of substantial value, in my opinion online is the way to go. Online buyers will bid with confidence for a coin authenticated by a grading service. I would only sell to a dealer if a coin were in "poor" condition, such that it had only scrap value.

My father was a coin collector, and he referred to badly worn coins as "washouts." Your coin on the other hand is in nice collectible condition, which is why the dealer commented on your handling -- hoping to acquire it. There are many collectible grades for a gold coin BELOW "uncirculated," from "AU-50 About Uncirculated" on down. Best wishes.