Counterfeit Morgan Silver Dollar?

Hello, I am fairly new to coin collecting and believe I may have purchased a Counterfeit 1901 S Morgan Silver Dollar. I won this coin at an online auction on the “Whatnot” platform. I paid $40 with shipping. 
 

I wouldn’t have even examined this coin as I trusted the vendors would not participate in selling counterfeit goods, but in my research into all types of coins, I was surprised at the amount of fake Morgan Dollars experts estimate are currently entering the market and just wanted to gain peace of mind about this purchase. 
 

Attributes of this coin:

Weight  26.2 grams

Diameter  37.46 mm

Thickness  2.41 mm

Magnetic  Negative

In closing, I am humbly asking if someone can please advise me if there is a high probability that I have received a counterfeit coin. As I am just a novice in this intriguing pastime, I am leaving the judgement of this coin to folks with much more experience than I currently possess. And, I want to be 100% certain of the coin‘s authenticity before I pursue the vendor to refund my purchase price. 
 

I thank you so much for your help. 

Welcome to Numista. For guarantees of authenticity you would have to spend more sending it in to a grading company than you paid for the coin. Here, the opinions are  free. Visually, I see no red flags. Although heavily circulated and in my judgement this example is in VG8 -VG10 condition, the details look right, has honest wear and honest patina. The slightly different weight could be attributed to the fact that it is heavily circulated and a question of scale accuracy but is certainly within acceptable tolerances. You can also try the ping test and ice test on the coin for more reassurance of silver composition. Just google those techniques if you are not familiar with those methods. The diameter given is a little concerning as it is slightly off. Should be 38.1mm  Was that information provided to you or did you measure it yourself and with what? Overall, I lean authentic except for the diameter issue. Good luck with it. Compare to a certified 1901S VG8

I agree with what harryg has said - it looks fine to me. It definitely has the look of a genuine circulated silver coin of that period and there is nothing that would indicate to me otherwise.

What was it that originally made you believe it is a counterfeit? Is it primarily due to the amount of fakes you have heard about? As much as it is important to be cautious of these fakes, there were 100s of millions of Morgan dollars produced, so it is more than likely yours is real.

Ping Test.

Here is a bit more on the ‘ping test.’ If you have access to a confirmed genuine silver dollar, you can balance the coin on your fingertip along with the suspected counterfeit one and tap the edge of both of them with another coin - listen to the sound they produce. Different metal compositions will make different sounds. I am sure there are videos on YouTube of Morgan dollar pings if you do not have another coin to compare it to. You can even drop it from a few centimetres above a hard surface like a table and see if it is similar to the sounds online. The majority of counterfeit Morgan dollars would be a cupronickel or brass core and silver-plated, so you should be able to tell right away based off the sound.

harryg

Welcome to Numista. For guarantees of authenticity you would have to spend more sending it in to a grading company than you paid for the coin. Here, the opinions are  free. Visually, I see no red flags. Although heavily circulated and in my judgement this example is in VG8 -VG10 condition, the details look right, has honest wear and honest patina. The slightly different weight could be attributed to the fact that it is heavily circulated and a question of scale accuracy but is certainly within acceptable tolerances. You can also try the ping test and ice test on the coin for more reassurance of silver composition. Just google those techniques if you are not familiar with those methods. The diameter given is a little concerning as it is slightly off. Should be 38.1mm  Was that information provided to you or did you measure it yourself and with what? Overall, I lean authentic except for the diameter issue. Good luck with it. Compare to a certified 1901S VG8

 

Harryg, 

Thank you so much for your warm welcome and taking the time out of your day to respond to my concerns. 
 

It looks like I, at the minimum, have a silver coin. I know this because I downloaded an app called ”Precious Coin Tester” which uses a simple ping test and AI to determine if the contents of the test coin is within spec of the coin template used for testing. I have attached a copy of the app if you would like to check it out. There is no charge for basic tests. 
 

And, yes, I did the tests using equipment I am familiar with. The scale was zeroed out and I used a dollar bill to determine it was accurately registering one gram, which it did. 
 

For the diameter and  thickness, I have a digital caliper micrometer which I also zeroed prior to use. The diameter and the weight is making me cautious, but with your belief the coin is authentic, I will allay my fears.

Thank you again for your help. For without it, I know I would have been spinning my wheels.
 

IM94

I agree with what harryg has said - it looks fine to me. It definitely has the look of a genuine circulated silver coin of that period and there is nothing that would indicate to me otherwise.

 

What was it that originally made you believe it is a counterfeit? Is it primarily due to the amount of fakes you have heard about? As much as it is important to be cautious of these fakes, there were 100s of millions of Morgan dollars produced, so it is more than likely yours is real.

Ping Test.

Here is a bit more on the ‘ping test.’ If you have access to a confirmed genuine silver dollar, you can balance the coin on your fingertip along with the suspected counterfeit one and tap the edge of both of them with another coin - listen to the sound they produce. Different metal compositions will make different sounds. I am sure there are videos on YouTube of Morgan dollar pings if you do not have another coin to compare it to. You can even drop it from a few centimetres above a hard surface like a table and see if it is similar to the sounds online. The majority of counterfeit Morgan dollars would be a cupronickel or brass core and silver-plated, so you should be able to tell right away based off the sound.

IM94,

The concern for me started with all the news I have been reading online about counterfeit coins. And as this is my very first Morgan Dollar, I decided to try to test it to ensure mine was genuine. 
 

My concerns were enhanced when the coin came in under weight and undersize in diameter. But, thanks to y‘all‘s, I am pretty confident I own a genuine article. 
 

Oh, for the ping test, I downloaded an app called “Precious Coin Tester” and it confirmed the silver content of my coin. And the good news is that for basic testing there is no charge from the app. 
 

I appreciate your opinion and as I newbie to coin collecting, I respect your opinion. So, thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my dilemma. 

You are welcome. In another positive note, although not rare, generally speaking the 1901S Morgan dollar is a lower mintage 1901 Morgan dollar overall making it slightly more desirable and a little more difficult to acquire to collectors of this type. 1901P - about 7 million. 1901O about 13 million, and the 1901S at about 2.25 million. I think you did well for your first Morgan Dollar.

Thank you again. I’m feeling pretty confident about my purchase and am happy y’all were available to assist me. 

I have a quick question. Is there any coins for sale on this platform? If so, where can I find them? 
 

Much appreciation. 

Berniekup1

Thank you again. I’m feeling pretty confident about my purchase and am happy y’all were available to assist me. 

 

I have a quick question. Is there any coins for sale on this platform? If so, where can I find them? 
 

Much appreciation. 

Congrats on the successful purchase!
 

Numista primarily operates as a trading medium. If you go to the ‘swaps’ section, you are able to search by particular coins of interest and request to trade with other members who have them. 
 

If you are just interested in purchasing, I would recommend EBay.

Berniekup1

Thank you again. I’m feeling pretty confident about my purchase and am happy y’all were available to assist me. 

 

I have a quick question. Is there any coins for sale on this platform? If so, where can I find them? 
 

Much appreciation. 

No, no sales here on Numista. Swaps only of which I have many here. I also  purchase  many coins from a variety of resources but a few really great TRUSTED  dealers are in Florida very near you, check out USA Coinbook sales and auctions. I have a history there as well. A few sales because I hate to sell coins but overwhelmingly satisfying purchases. If you need guidance just private message me.

-Harry

Harry, 

Thank you once again for your suggestions, I am learning quite a bit and you have been instrumental. 
 

Btw, I will be taking you up on dm later today, as soon as I can take a break. 
 

Talk  to y’all later. 
 

Bernie