{"id":38352,"date":"2025-12-23T01:06:55","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T01:06:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/fun-with-fakes-the-ongoing-battle-against-counterfeit-carson-city-dollars\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T01:06:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T01:06:55","slug":"fun-with-fakes-the-ongoing-battle-against-counterfeit-carson-city-dollars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/fun-with-fakes-the-ongoing-battle-against-counterfeit-carson-city-dollars\/","title":{"rendered":"Fun With Fakes: The Ongoing Battle Against Counterfeit Carson City Dollars"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jack D. Young<\/strong> \u2013 Special to CoinWeek<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Counterfeit U.S. coins are nothing new. But in today\u2019s market, modern Chinese-made fakes, often housed in convincing counterfeit holders, are pushing the boundaries, and threatening unsuspecting collectors at every level.<\/p>\n

This article highlights just a few of the Carson City (CC) dollar counterfeits<\/strong> currently circulating, many of which were reviewed during a FrostByte \u201cChit Chat\u201d session<\/strong> on December 7th. These fakes aren\u2019t just poor reproductions; they\u2019re often sophisticated deceptions that exploit gaps in collector knowledge and marketplace oversight.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dig into some examples, and more importantly, how to spot the red flags.<\/p>\n

The \u201cImpossible\u201d Seated Liberty Dollars<\/h3>\n

Among the most glaring examples are Seated Liberty dollars allegedly from Carson City, but dated before CC coins were ever struck.<\/p>\n

\"1861-CC
1861-CC Seated Dollar with motto \u2013 Counterfeit<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is a\u00a0 historical impossibility. The \u201cCC\u201d mintmark wasn\u2019t introduced until 1870, and the \u201cIn God We Trust\u201d motto wasn\u2019t added until 1866. Yet here we are, with afantasy coin boldly sporting both the wrong dates and design elements.<\/p>\n

\"These
These fakes often feature what\u2019s known as the \u201cDotted N\u201d in \u201cUNITED\u201d<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These fakes often feature what\u2019s known as the \u201cDotted N\u201d in \u201cUNITED\u201d<\/strong>, a telltale marker I previously discussed in a CoinWeek article on counterfeit diagnostics. Additionally, the reverse dies don\u2019t match any known genuine Trade dollar varieties, but they do match each other, suggesting a shared counterfeit origin.<\/p>\n

The \u201cCommon Reverse\u201d Trick<\/h3>\n

A deeper dive reveals that many of these fakes, whether Seated Liberty or Morgan dollars, share identical reverse dies, especially around the \u201cCC\u201d mintmark area. That\u2019s a major giveaway.<\/p>\n

This tactic of using a generic counterfeit reverse across many dates is common in these modern fakes. Once you\u2019ve identified the reverse as bad, you can often dismiss any coin using it.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s one from my own collection:<\/h3>\n
\"1874-CC
1874-CC with counterfeit reverse,\u00a0 note the recycled die traits<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And why stop at 1874? I\u2019ve seen \u201cCC\u201d dollars as early as 1791, a date that never existed for any U.S. dollar, let alone from Carson City.<\/p>\n

The \u201cNotched R\u201d and More Fake Varieties<\/h3>\n

Another family of fakes uses what I call the \u201cNotched R\u201d<\/strong>, found in Liberty Seated fakes like the 1875-CC dollar Trade Dollar. I covered this in detail for the Gobrecht Journal<\/strong>, published by the Liberty Seated Collectors Club<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

These fakes again feature the same bad reverse die, making the shared traits easy to track once you know what to look for.<\/p>\n

\"Microscope
Microscope image showing the \u201cnotched R\u201d feature on a counterfeit 1875-CC<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Morgan Dollar Epidemic<\/h3>\n

The Morgan dollar series, especially Carson City issues, is rife with counterfeits. The 1881-CC has become one of the most commonly faked dates, though all CC dates have been targeted.<\/p>\n

In fact, during an earlier investigation, I tracked at least 13 different sellers offering fake 1881-CC Morgans, all using the same counterfeit PCGS certification number: 27886283. The labels were high-quality forgeries, but the coins, once compared, all showed the same incorrect reverse for the date.<\/p>\n

\"1881-CC
1881-CC is currently one of the most counterfeited coins<\/strong> \u2013 I\u2019ve found 13 examples all using the same certification number 27886283<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This eventually connected with a Coin Community forum thread from 2018, which discussed raw fake 1881-CC Morgans, again using the same bad reverse.<\/p>\n

IMAGE
\nCaption: Counterfeit 1881-CC Morgans using shared die characteristics and forged holders<\/p>\n

Know Your VAMs \u2014 They Can Save You<\/h3>\n

When vetting a Morgan dollar, I always start with the reverse design and the mintmark placement. For Carson City coins, the size and position of the \u201cCC\u201d is often the easiest way to rule out a fake.<\/p>\n

One of the most valuable tools I use is VAMWorld<\/strong>, an online database of known die varieties (VAMs). I\u2019ve even created crib sheets for myself that show what legitimate Carson City reverses should look like.<\/p>\n

\"1881-CC
1881-CC Morgan dollars<\/strong> with the same wrong reverse for the date as some other dates\u2013another \u201cfamily\u201d of counterfeits<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By comparing the fake\u2019s reverse to genuine examples, the differences become obvious. However, I\u2019ll refrain from detailing all of them here. The purpose of this article is to protect collectors, not help counterfeiters improve their product.<\/p>\n

1921 Morgans: Genuine Certs, Fake Coins<\/h3>\n

One of the most deceptive examples I\u2019ve seen is a 1921-P Morgan dollar<\/strong>, graded MS64 by PCGS.<\/p>\n

The genuine coin\u2019s label reads \u201c1921 Morgan\u201d to distinguish it from 1921 Peace dollars. However, counterfeiters cloned this label and used it to house their fakes\u2014complete with forged coins inside.<\/p>\n

\"1921
1921 Morgan Dollar<\/strong> \u2013 Genuine example for the cert# on top \u2026.. Counterfeit below<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eventually, counterfeiters adapted, and newer versions of these fakes began appearing without the \u201cMorgan\u201d label, trying to stay ahead of the hobby\u2019s scrutiny.<\/p>\n

Recent Listings: Spotted and Flagged<\/h3>\n

Counterfeit Carson City dollars continue to surface in online auctions. Just recently, an example of a fake 1879-CC dollar<\/strong> was listed on HiBid, complete with counterfeit certification and packaging.<\/p>\n

Thanks to vigilance from collectors and the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation<\/a><\/strong><\/span> (ACEF)<\/strong>, the listing was flagged and pulled.<\/p>\n

\"1879-CC
1879-CC Dollars<\/strong> \u2013 Counterfeit on the LEFT<\/strong>\u00a0 \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.and a Genuine Dollar on the RIGHT<\/strong><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is the reality we live in. These coins look legitimate at a glance and are often sold through high-traffic platforms to reach unaware buyers.<\/p>\n

Final Thoughts: Knowledge Is Your Best Defense<\/h3>\n

The counterfeiters aren\u2019t slowing down. They\u2019re getting better, faster, and more coordinated. As they refine their dies and fake slabs, it\u2019s up to us, the collectors, dealers, and researchers, to stay ahead.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re buying a Carson City coin:<\/p>\n