Quote:
Originally Posted by silvor
yes, but I've seen "circulated" fake Morgans that weigh right on and have the same thickness. They are coated in real silver, but are some sort of alloy underneath.
They are used to "cut" junk lots, like drug dealers add say lawn clippings to their marijuana.
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There are a lot of educational videos on Youtube that show how to spot a fake Morgan. Here is one of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJrLM7BYYtE
There are other great videos too.
I'm not a numismatist nor a metallurgist, but the easiest way to spot a fake Morgan is by the size/weight. That just absolutely, positively can not be faked. No way.
Silver doesn't weigh the same as copper, zinc or whatever. So, if you weigh a real Morgan and a fake Morgan and they both weigh the same, then one of them has to be different in size/thickness. Likewise, if you have a real Morgan and a fake Morgan and they're the same size/thickness, they would have to have a different weight.
If I were buying a junk lot and there were Morgans mixed in, I would at least test a few right then and there before completing the purchase. If you're making an online purchase, then stick with one of the reputable dealers - Modern Coin Mart, APMEX, SilverTowne, etc. These guys have built a great reputation and aren't going to ruin that with a few fake junk silver Morgans.