Is It fake?

[Max]

 

Hi!

I have started collect British coins 3 years ago, for their history and beautiful...

I have just bought this coin form an Australian ebay seller.

I am not sure on it's genuinity, could you give me your opinions? It would help me a lot!!

Size and weight seem regular (31,9mm x 1.8mm  14,14 g)

But the imperfections on obverse like name "N" of britanniarum make me insure...

Thanks in advance for your time and opinions.

Max

 

 

[Max]

This is the obverse...

[Rob]

First of all, welcome to the forum.

Secondly, why do you buy something if you are concerned that it is not genuine? Golden rule - If in doubt, leave it out. Nobody is forced to buy something on eBay, so presumably greed had some part to play in this, i.e. it was cheap. If you are unsure, look for another one elsewhere. Very few things in numismatics are so rare that another is unlikely to appear for many years, and if it is a bargain because nobody wants it, there might be a very good reason for this.

That aside, there is nothing that shouts fake to me, though the pictures could be larger. The obverse is the side with the monarch's head on it, which looks as if it has been cleaned given the parallel lines. The reverse doesn't have any problems that I can see. A flaw by the N is just a case of wear and tear on the die. The overall colour is too pink, so unhelpful in determining whether the coin is bright in the hand, but it probably is.

Maybe someone knows if the Chinese are producing 1882 halfcrown copies?

Edited January 23, 2017 by Rob

[ozjohn]

Plenty of Chinese fake halfcrowns on eBay. I always report the items but eBay do not inforce their own rules that state the coin should be clearly marked as such i.e copy or replica. Perhaps all members of these forums should report these listings. Initially they are described as copies but the coin is not marked as such. The real problem is when they are relisted by less than honest sellers as genuine. Usually they just do not look right so in your case the coin superficially looks ok.

[Max]

Many thanks for your messages.

I am sorry for low quality immages but i couldn't post a better one because ti heavy.

Unfortunately eBay is the only way I can get coins.

I bought this coin from a big seller with hundreds of positive feedbacks. 

When I have got it i fedeli something strange so I contacted seller. He told me he won It at Nobles auction.

Finnaly I decided to ask opinion to other collector.

Thanks again for your time.

Max

[azda]

3 hours ago, ozjohn said:

Plenty of Chinese fake halfcrowns on eBay. I always report the items but eBay do not inforce their own rules that state the coin should be clearly marked as such i.e copy or replica. Perhaps all members of these forums should report these listings. Initially they are described as copies but the coin is not marked as such. The real problem is when they are relisted by less than honest sellers as genuine. Usually they just do not look right so in your case the coin superficially looks ok.

I have paint to go and watch dry other than trawl ebay looking for a fake to report, if someone points something out then i'll do my bit for queen and country

[Rob]

9 minutes ago, Max said:

Many thanks for your messages.

I am sorry for low quality immages but i couldn't post a better one because ti heavy.

Unfortunately eBay is the only way I can get coins.

I bought this coin from a big seller with hundreds of positive feedbacks. 

When I have got it i fedeli something strange so I contacted seller. He told me he won It at Nobles auction.

Finnaly I decided to ask opinion to other collector.

Thanks again for your time.

Max

It should be ok if it came from Noble's sale. I presume it was part of the bulk lot in the link below as that is the only 1882 halfcrown in the past couple of years, and the previous example doesn't match yours. It is actually quite a scarce coin, but again, if you aren't sure, don't bid. There are plenty of reputable dealers who will gladly help you. eBay is a steep learning curve with a lot of potentially expensive pitfalls.

http://www.noble.com.au/auctions/search?q=1882+halfcrown&c=&e=Any+estimate&g=Any+grade&x=46&y=11

[Max]

Hi!

Thank you for your message.

It could be: he told me he won this 1882 halfcrown in November and the auction you show was in he same month...

I am a little reassured.

Thanks!

[Leo]

I think eBay is very risky and I wouldn't bid for any coin bigger than £100 unless it's from a professional dealer. Feedback can be faked too. I would shop in auctions listed on sixbid instead.

Incidentally are the lines the result of cleaning, or roller marks?

[Rob]

Usually rubbing with an abrasive to remove dirt. People are impatient.

[Coinbuyer555]

plenty of fakes around and not just from China.