Fake 1923 Half Penny in Heritage Auction

markn · January 05, 2013, 07:38:14 AM

The Australian 1923 half penny in the link below is an altered date. It's been altered from a 1933. The giveaways are the curved base lettering on the reverse and the alignment of the 3 in the date. A genuine 1923 half penny has flat based lettering and the left of the 3 in the date aligns between two rim-beads. Clearly the example in the Heritage auction has curved base lettering and the left of the 3 aligns with a rim bead. So it's a fake.

http://coins.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=3021&lotNo=20026#91919191967

For more information you can take a look at this great article:

http://www.thesandpit.net/index.php?option=1923_halfpenny

gnome · January 05, 2013, 08:46:03 AM

Would have gotten me, very good fake then. Is the slab a fake as well.

Mister T · January 05, 2013, 08:59:09 AM

Would have fooled me too. The 2 looks misaligned as well.

bellyflorin · January 05, 2013, 09:09:00 AM

Well spotted Mark :dodgy: i will take that off my tracking list , :help: might be in order to heritage and NGC

MobOfRoos · January 05, 2013, 09:29:57 AM

Quote from: 'gnome' pid='5747' dateline='1357337763'Would have gotten me, very good fake then. Is the slab a fake as well.

No the slab isn't a fake. I just checked the NGC website. input the certification number and came up with a photo of this coin.

So NGC have slabbed this coin not realising that it is a fake.

stevo1962 · January 05, 2013, 09:35:59 AM

The reverse lettering is the giveaway for me.That should be basic fake detection 101 for NGC so that
is very dissapointing

Goldseeker · January 05, 2013, 10:50:25 AM

Is anyone game enough to advise NGC that this coin, that they have slabbed is a fake?

markn · January 05, 2013, 02:49:07 PM

Quote from: 'bellyflorin' pid='5750' dateline='1357339140'Well spotted Mark :dodgy: i will take that off my tracking list , :help: might be in order to heritage and NGC

The credit for spotting it must go to another forum member who pointed it out to PPH.

ausjack · January 05, 2013, 03:21:03 PM

This sounds like another really good reason why we need one/some coin graders that can slab here. I know this might still happen but I figure if it's aussie's doing aussie coins must be better than yanks that maybe know nothing about them except it looks ok..jesus I can do that

This is one of the reasons why I want as much info as I can get on everything..I need the bad just as much as the good if not more

This is the sort of thing I've been concerned about..if it can make it past someone that's suppose to know, eg a pro grader, what chance do the novice like me have

Thanks Mark, it all helps to know what to look for :good:

trout · January 06, 2013, 02:27:49 AM

The saying of "Buy the COIN and not the SLAB" jumps out at me with this coin and every coin in a slab :good:
Due dillegence is required by the buyer before buying raw or slabed coins, If buying big ticket coins make sure you KNOW what to look for and don't just simply take someone elses word that the coin is "Kosher".
Unless you have a trusted relationship with a dealer or seller dont fork out your hard earnt cash unless you are abolutly certain and happy with what you are paying for.
Education is the KEY and this site and others like it can only help.
I have scar tissue on my hands from being burnt with crap coins, Thankfully that is getting less frequent with the more I learn.
The graders at the TPG's are human and WILL make mistakes, It is up to you to study the coin and ignore the slab before any purchase to prevent the blisters from bad deals:yahoo:

bellyflorin · January 06, 2013, 08:02:41 AM

:yahoo: the 1923 half has been withdrawn , there's another coin in that auction that NGC could have had a closer look :angel::whistle2:, i wish i was a rich man :mafia:

Nevol · January 06, 2013, 08:11:08 AM

Quote from: 'bellyflorin' pid='5803' dateline='1357421561':yahoo: the 1923 half has been withdrawn , there's another coin in that auction that NGC could have had a closer look :angel::whistle2:, i wish i was a rich man :mafia:

Does people power work? I wonder how many of us notified Heritage that it was a fake? I did.

This was their response: 'We wanted to let you know that we received your inquiry. Due to the high volume of requests we receive, it may take us a few days to get back to you. Thank you for your patience.'

markn · January 06, 2013, 08:50:13 AM

Well done by Heritage.

markn · January 06, 2013, 09:14:51 AM

I just got a reply from Heritage.

QuoteHello Mr N*******,

Thank you for you observation. We have taken a look at the coin and agree that it is not right. The lot has been withdrawn from the sale.

Michael Peplinski
Numismatist â€" International Numismatics

.

Well done everyone, good result all-round.

Nevol · January 06, 2013, 09:39:58 AM

It might only be a matter of time before it turns up in another auction. If the person who listed it with Heritage is the original purchaser, he/she must be well and truly ticked off at present. I'd be furious if I paid >$1000 for a coin only to find out later it's a fake. Regardless of where I bought it, I'd want my money back.

Would the owner/seller have any comeback with NGC? They are the ones that got it wrong, so someone is out of pocket due to their error, and someone else had a windfall I guess.