How to Spot a Fake or Altered Coin Before You Buy
You find a coin you've been looking for.
The date is right. The mint mark is right. The coin looks good.
And the price?
Maybe it's even a little better than you expected.
That's when I think it's worth slowing down for a minute.
Is the coin really what the seller says it is?
Fake and altered coins are nothing new. They've been around for a long time. But today we can buy a coin from someone hundreds or thousands of miles away after looking at nothing more than a few pictures on a screen.
That doesn't mean you should be afraid to buy coins online—or anywhere else.
You just need to know what you're looking at.
And if you're spending real money on a coin, make sure you know what you're buying.
Fake and Altered Coins Aren't Quite the Same Thing
Here's the simple difference.
A counterfeit coin is made to look like a genuine coin.
An altered coin may actually start out as a genuine coin, but somebody changes something about it to make it appear more valuable.
That could mean:
Adding a mint mark
Removing a mint mark
Altering a date
Changing part of a number
Trying to create the appearance of a valuable variety
Changing the surface or color of the coin
That's why a coin can be genuine and still not be what it's being sold as.
For a collector, either one can turn into an expensive lesson.
The More Valuable the Coin, the More Careful I Get
There's not much reason for someone to create an elaborate counterfeit of a $3 common coin.
But take a common coin and make it look like something worth $3,000?
Now there's a reason.
That's why I'd slow down anytime I'm looking at:
Key dates
Rare mint marks
Popular silver dollars
Gold coins
Scarce varieties
Valuable errors
Coins where one small detail creates a huge jump in value
You don't have to become suspicious of every coin you see.
Just remember:
The more money involved, the more homework you should do.
Know What the Real Coin Is Supposed to Look Like
This is probably your best defense.
Before buying an expensive coin, spend a little time looking at genuine examples.
Look closely at:
The date
Lettering
Mint mark
Portrait
Rim
Design details
Spacing
Overall appearance
You don't have to memorize every detail of every U.S. coin.
I certainly wouldn't expect a beginning collector to do that.
But if you're about to spend several hundred dollars on one particular coin, take ten minutes and look at authenticated examples first.
That little bit of research can save you a lot of money.
Take a Good Look at the Date
Altered dates are something collectors have dealt with for years.
Sometimes changing one number can turn an ordinary coin into what appears to be a valuable one.
Take your time and look closely.
Does one number look different from the others?
Is the spacing strange?
Does one digit look thicker or thinner?
Can you see scratches or marks around the date?
Does the date look like authenticated examples of that particular coin?
One odd-looking number doesn't automatically mean the coin is fake.
But it's enough to make me stop and look closer.
Don't Forget the Mint Mark
That little letter can make a huge difference.
A common Philadelphia coin might be worth a modest amount, while the same date from another mint could be worth considerably more.
That's exactly why mint marks can be altered.
Look for a mint mark that seems:
Too large or too small
In the wrong position
The wrong shape
Surrounded by scratches or tool marks
Different in texture from the rest of the coin
Sometimes an added mint mark can look like it's sitting on top of the coin instead of being part of it.
If you don't yet feel comfortable with mint marks, that's perfectly normal. Learning where they're supposed to be is one of those basic skills that gets easier very quickly.
Our Mint Marks Explained article goes through what the different mint marks mean and where beginners should look for them.
A Small Digital Scale Can Tell You a Lot
One of the simplest tools you can own is a small digital scale.
U.S. coins were made to specific standards.
If a genuine coin is supposed to weigh a certain amount and the coin in your hand is way off, that's something worth investigating.
Now, don't get carried away with this.
An older circulated coin can lose a little weight through normal wear.
Weight alone doesn't prove a coin is real or fake.
But if the weight is wrong and something else doesn't look right?
I'm slowing down.
Think of weight as another clue.
Check the Size Too
The same thing goes for diameter and thickness.
A digital caliper isn't expensive, and it can be handy if you start buying better coins.
Compare the coin with the published specifications for a genuine example.
If the weight is wrong, the diameter is wrong, and the details don't look right, you've got several reasons to be concerned.
Again, we're not looking for one magic test.
We're putting the clues together.
Turn the Coin Over—and Look at the Edge
This is easy to forget.
We spend so much time looking at the front and back that we forget there's a third side to every coin.
The edge.
Look for:
Strange seams
Incorrect reeding
Filing
Tool marks
Odd thickness
Incorrect edge lettering
Evidence that pieces may have been joined together
You may not know exactly what every coin edge should look like at first.
That's okay.
The important thing is getting into the habit of looking.
Some Fake Coins Just Don't Look Right
Certain counterfeit coins are made using casting methods rather than being struck the way genuine U.S. coins are produced.
These can sometimes have:
Soft details
Mushy lettering
Tiny pits
Strange surface texture
Seams around the edge
Rounded design elements
The coin may simply have a look that seems a little “off.”
That's not very scientific, I know.
But after you've looked at enough genuine coins, you start noticing things.
The more coins you handle and study, the better your eye becomes.
Be Careful When a Coin Looks Too Good for the Price
Here's one I always come back to.
Suppose somebody offers you a supposedly rare 100-year-old coin.
It's beautiful.
The details are fantastic.
The seller says it's rare.
And somehow it's half the price of every other example you've seen.
Maybe you found a bargain.
But before getting excited, ask yourself:
Why is this coin so cheap?
There are good deals in coin collecting.
But rare, beautiful, genuine and cheap don't come together nearly as often as we'd like.
If something doesn't make sense, don't talk yourself into it.
Cleaning Can Make Things Even More Difficult
A heavily cleaned or polished coin can be harder for a beginner to evaluate because the original surface has already been changed.
Scratches, polishing, artificial color, and other alterations can make it harder to tell what you're really looking at.
And whatever you do, don't clean a questionable coin because you think it will help you examine it.
You can turn a genuine collectible coin into a damaged one very quickly.
If you haven't read our article Should You Clean Old Coins?, it's worth reading before doing anything to an old coin's surface.
Be Careful With Wild Colors
Naturally toned coins can be beautiful.
Some collectors love them.
But colorful toning can also bring higher prices, and whenever there's more money involved, somebody will eventually try to imitate it.
Artificial toning can be difficult for a beginner to identify.
If you're being asked to pay a large premium simply because a coin has spectacular colors, make sure you understand what you're buying.
I like to think of it this way:
Buy the coin first. Buy the color second.
Online Photos Don't Always Tell the Whole Story
Buying online gives us access to more coins than collectors could have dreamed of years ago.
But photographs have limitations.
Lighting can make a coin look completely different.
A photograph can make a coin appear brighter, darker, cleaner, or more colorful than it looks in your hand.
Before buying an expensive coin online, I want to see:
Clear pictures of both sides
Enough detail to examine the important areas
A good description
Seller history
A clear return policy
If the edge is important, ask for a picture of the edge.
If the photos aren't good enough, ask for better ones.
And if the seller won't provide them?
I'd probably keep looking.
Look at the Seller Too
Sometimes we spend so much time studying the coin that we forget to study the person selling it.
Before buying, especially online, check:
Feedback
Number of transactions
Previous coin sales
Recent complaints
Return policy
Quality of descriptions
Quality of photographs
A new seller isn't automatically dishonest.
Everybody starts somewhere.
But if I'm spending serious money, I'd rather have as much information as possible.
The coin matters.
The person selling it matters too.
Don't Let Anyone Rush You
This is a big one.
You might hear:
“Someone else is looking at it.”
“You'll never find another one.”
“Buy it now before it's gone.”
Maybe that's true.
Maybe it isn't.
Either way, don't let somebody else's urgency become yours.
There are a lot of coins out there.
I've always believed you're better off missing one coin than buying one you don't understand.
There will be another coin.
What About Professionally Graded Coins?
If you're getting into more expensive coins, professional authentication can make a lot of sense.
Major third-party grading companies examine coins for authenticity before assigning a grade and placing them in protective holders.
That can be especially helpful with:
Key dates
Gold coins
Frequently counterfeited coins
Rare varieties
Higher-value coins
It doesn't mean you stop paying attention.
Counterfeit holders exist too.
If I'm spending significant money on a certified coin, I'm checking the certification number with the grading company and making sure everything matches.
If professional grading is still confusing, Numisteria's What Is Coin Grading — And Does It Actually Matter for Beginners? explains it without making it complicated.
You Don't Have to Become an Expert Overnight
This may be the most important part of the article.
I've looked at a lot of coins over the years, and one thing you learn is that there is always more to learn.
You don't need to become a counterfeit expert before you buy your first collectible coin.
You just need to recognize when something is beyond what you currently know.
If you're unsure:
Ask a dealer you trust.
Compare the coin with authenticated examples.
Get another opinion.
Consider buying an already certified example.
Or simply don't buy it.
There's nothing wrong with saying:
“I'm going to pass.”
That's not being inexperienced.
That's being smart with your money.
My Simple Checklist Before Buying
If you're considering a valuable raw coin, run through this list:
Does the date look right?
Is the mint mark correct and in the right place?
Is the weight close to what it should be?
Are the diameter and thickness correct?
Does the edge look right?
Do the design details match genuine examples?
Does the surface look natural?
Do I trust the seller?
Can I return the coin if there's a problem?
Does the price make sense?
And here's the last question:
Am I comfortable buying it?
If you're trying to convince yourself that everything is probably okay, that's usually a good reason to slow down.
Where You Buy Makes a Difference
Buying from a reputable source doesn't guarantee that you'll never have a problem.
But it certainly helps.
Established coin shops, experienced dealers, coin shows, and reputable online sellers give you more information and often more protection than buying from someone you know nothing about.
If you're new to buying, our Where Should Beginners Buy Coins? Coin Shops vs. eBay vs. Coin Shows article walks through the advantages and disadvantages of each.
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The Bottom Line
Fake and altered coins are part of coin collecting.
But they don't need to take the fun out of it.
The best protection is pretty simple:
Know what you're buying.
Check the date.
Check the mint mark.
Look at the surface and edge.
Check the weight when it matters.
Know who you're buying from.
And if something just doesn't add up, don't be afraid to walk away.
One thing I've learned about collecting coins:
There will always be another coin.
I'd much rather pass on a coin and later discover it was genuine than spend good money on something that wasn't.
Take your time.
Learn as you go.
And enjoy collecting.
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