Dustyn
Premium
join:2003-02-26
Ontario, CAN
1 edit |  MCMVII: Liberty 20 Dollar Coin
I have this twenty dollar U.S. coin, but I have no idea if it's real or not... I have very little information on it. Someone told me that if the coin has a very obvious seam all around the edges, it's fake? This one has a seam... but weren't coins made like this many many years ago? I'd have to take a trip to Toronto or Barrie to find an expert in coins to verify. I know my lousy pictures don't really do much justice.
EDIT: Uploaded more pics with side edge and date stamp info. |
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McSummation
Mmmm, Zeebas Are Tastee.
Premium,MVM
join:2003-08-13
Round Rock, TX | »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Gauden···le_Eagle |
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AZinOH
join:2007-04-25
Swanton, OH | reply to Dustyn
It doesn't look like any gold coin I've ever seen. Based on that...I'd guess it's a fake, but that's only a guess. Let us know when you find out. |
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Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL
 ·Comcast
1 edit | Read the above link. The reason that it does not look like any Gold coin you have seen before, is because it only contains 90% Gold, 10% Copper as the Wiki Link posted states if it was a real $20 piece.
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SparkChaser
BURY BECK
Premium
join:2000-06-06
Downingtown, PA
 ·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
| reply to Dustyn
Can you post the edge?
You can measure it and weigh it, as well.
The $20 Liberty Head gold coin and its successor, the St. Gaudens, are the largest coins produced (1850-1933) by the U.S. Mint for general coinage. Measuring 34 mm in diameter, the coins weigh 33.436 grams each (One ounce contains 31.1 grams), are alloys of 90% gold and 10% copper, and each contains .9675 ounce of gold. Twenty-dollar Liberty gold coins have reeded (milled) edges, but the St. Gaudens have lettered edges.
»www.cmi-gold-silver.com/liberty-···kpZDJb&D
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"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." - Aldous Huxley
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ujsklfmgjne3
join:2009-07-01
| reply to Dustyn
said by Dustyn  :I have this twenty dollar U.S. coin, but I have no idea if it's real or not... I have very little information on it. Someone told me that if the coin has a very obvious seam all around the edges, it's fake? This one has a seam... but weren't coins made like this many many years ago? I'd have to take a trip to Toronto or Barrie to find an expert in coins to verify. I know my lousy pictures don't really do much justice. spend it and find out |
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Dustyn
Premium
join:2003-02-26
Ontario, CAN
1 edit | reply to SparkChaser
said by SparkChaser :Can you post the edge? You can measure it and weigh it, as well. The $20 Liberty Head gold coin and its successor, the St. Gaudens, are the largest coins produced (1850-1933) by the U.S. Mint for general coinage. Measuring 34 mm in diameter, the coins weigh 33.436 grams each (One ounce contains 31.1 grams), are alloys of 90% gold and 10% copper, and each contains .9675 ounce of gold. Twenty-dollar Liberty gold coins have reeded (milled) edges, but the St. Gaudens have lettered edges.» www.cmi-gold-silver.com/liberty-···kpZDJb&D Thanks to everyone for the helpful advise and interest in this. 
I will try again to take a picture of the edge of the coin. It was really hard to take a picture as my camera would not focus right. The seam on the edge of the coin is very noticeable... almost as if two separate coins were pressed together. I will measure and weigh it when I get another chance. I'm pretty sure it's fake... but then again I have no clue about coins nor have I spoken with anyone who has. It really would be surprising if it was real. I'm not too sure what the difference between a reeded and a lettered edge is... but from what I have observed and described about the coin, it looks like a reeded edge. |
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M A R K
Premium
join:2001-06-15
Long Island
clubs: | reply to Dustyn
Fake |
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gallowsroad
join:2004-08-09
Tulsa, OK
| reply to Dustyn
If there really is a seam on the side edge of the coin, it is a fake.
The rim doesn't look right and the coloring on the high spots that show wear is also rather strange.
Were it real, it would potentially be worth a small fortune, depending upon the type for that date.
A proper coin dealer could check it out for you.
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Ha ha haaaaaaa....ever get the feeling you've been cheated?
- John Lydon, last Sex Pistols show |
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More Fiber
Premium,MVM
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
 ·Bay Area Internet ..
| reply to Dustyn
Looks like it might be a fake.
»www.coinfacts.com/double_eagles/···dens.htm
•It may be your photo, but if the coin is as discolored as it appears, it is not gold. A gold coin will not discolor. It will wear from handling, but it will still be bright gold.
•The rays on the reverse appear to be a give-away. In the link, the ray that passes behind the head of the eagle touches the rim. Your does not.
•The first, third and fifth rays are very subdued in the link. Yours are not.
If it is real and in collectible condition it could be worth around $1400. If the wear is as heavy as it appears, it is probable worth about melt value.
The St. Gaudens gold coins are some of most valuable and desirable gold coins there are. Good chance it is fake. |
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dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ | reply to Dustyn
Looks like a electroplated fake. if its got a seam, its not even a good fake.
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Dustyn
Premium
join:2003-02-26
Ontario, CAN
| Electroplated fake?
Can you elaborate any on what that means?
I don't disagree with you or others here that it's probably a fake. I had once cleaned it when I first found it many many years ago and it turned out incredibly shiny and very gold "looking". The discoloration happened after as a result of things like coke and other items being spilled onto it carelessly throughout the years. It was never considered to be genuine (as per the mishandling of it) but it has also never been checked out. I'm sure I could clean it up again to what it once closely looked like before the discoloration, but I don't want to risk a second cleaning myself as I've heard there is the possibility of damage. |
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gallowsroad
join:2004-08-09
Tulsa, OK
| That means it is made of something entirely other than gold, and an electroplating of gold was then applied to it, essentially a thin veneer, if you will.
You seem somewhat uncertain as to whether you really believe it to be fake or not. As I said earlier, a coin dealer, if you have one in your area, could tell you. The St. Gaudens $20 gold coins of certain date/mint marks were widely faked because some of them became enormously valuable.
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Ha ha haaaaaaa....ever get the feeling you've been cheated?
- John Lydon, last Sex Pistols show |
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SparkChaser
BURY BECK
Premium
join:2000-06-06
Downingtown, PA
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
2 edits | reply to Dustyn
said by Dustyn :I'm not too sure what the difference between a reeded and a lettered edge is... but from what I have observed and described about the coin, it looks like a reeded edge. The US Quarter is a reeded edge.
Specifications
Composition: Cupro-Nickel: 8.33% Ni, Balance Cu
Weight: 5.670 g
Diameter: 0.955 in., 24.26 mm
Thickness: 1.75 mm
Edge: 119 reeds
The UK pound edge writing, top is fake
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"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." - Aldous Huxley
"I'm tellin' you, man, every third blink is slower" - Fillmore
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tim_k
Buttons, Bows, Beamer, Shadow, Kasey
Premium
join:2002-02-02
Stewartstown, PA
 ·Millenicom
 ·WildBlue
| reply to More Fiber
said by More Fiber :Looks like it might be a fake. » www.coinfacts.com/double_eagles/···dens.htm•It may be your photo, but if the coin is as discolored as it appears, it is not gold. A gold coin will not discolor. It will wear from handling, but it will still be bright gold. Yeah, from that picture it looks like the gold coloring has worn off in spots. Certainly a fake if it's not uniformly gold.
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royhandy
Panem et circenses
Premium
join:2000-05-23
Yesterday
clubs: 
| said by tim_k :Yeah, from that picture it looks like the gold coloring has worn off in spots. Certainly a fake if it's not uniformly gold. That's just a little bit of tarnish! 
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howie
Premium,MVM
join:2003-04-08
Little Falls, NJ
1 edit | reply to Dustyn
As already stated, gold coins do not tarnish. The above exqample obviously has some "gold" rubbed off with a silver color underneath. 100% fake, IMO. |
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quatrix
Premium
join:2005-02-11
Davie, FL | As opposed to 96.5% fake? |
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howie
Premium,MVM
join:2003-04-08
Little Falls, NJ
| LOL!
Here is an 1899 gold Russian coin I have (not a great pic). Even after 110 years, there's no "tarnish". |
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Cheese
Premium
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL
clubs: | reply to McSummation
That link shows "in god we trust" on the coin below the bird, his doesn't.... |
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