I Tested Every Approach to Spotting Counterfeit Half Cents – Here’s What Actually Works

I bought an 1806 Half Cent that looked perfect online. Slabbed. Certified. “Clean” photos everywhere. But something felt off. So I tested every way to spot a fake—from magnifying lenses to lab equipment—and logged what actually works. Here’s the real story.

Why This Matters: The Stakes of Half Cent Authentication

When you’re collecting early U.S. coins, one bad purchase can cost you a small fortune. I’ve seen fake Half Cents sell for $3,000+. I’ve heard stories of dealers losing $10k on a single counterfeit. That’s why I took this seriously.

I bought an 1806 Half Cent from a big online marketplace. It had an ANACS slab and a crisp photo. Looked legit. But counterfeits are getting smarter. I wasn’t going to rely on a plastic holder and a blurry image.

So I ran five different tests—side by side. Visual checks. Slab verification. Metal analysis. Die study. Seller history. No hype. Just real results from real tools. This is what I wish I’d known before buying.

Approach 1: Visual Inspection & Micro-Detail Analysis

Method: The Eye Test

I started with my eyes—and a 10x loupe. No gadgets. Just me, the coin, and a stack of reference photos.

• Liberty’s Eye: On real 1806 Half Cents, Liberty’s eye has a sharp almond shape. The lid is crisp, and it tilts up slightly. On this coin? Too round. The lid looked blurred. Like a bad copy of a photo.
• Die Diagnostics: Each 1806 Half Cent was struck using specific transfer dies. I compared star spacing, date alignment, and lettering to known authentic coins. The spacing between stars was slightly off. The date leaned the wrong way. Tiny, but not random.
• Surface Texture: Real coins from 1806 have tooling marks, die polish lines, and authentic wear. This one? Too smooth. The hair details were soft, like they were cast, not struck.

Pros & Cons

• Pros: Free. Fast. You can do it before you buy. Best when you compare side-by-side with a real coin.
• Cons: Hard to judge without experience. High-res photos can hide flaws. A good fake can mimic wear and luster.

Testing Result

It didn’t scream “fake.” But it whispered “suspicious.” The eye, the spacing, the surface—none of it matched what I’d seen on real coins. Not proof, but a solid reason to dig deeper.

Approach 2: Slab Verification & Certification Cross-Checking

Method: Researching the Certificate Number & TPG History

The coin had an ANACS slab. I entered the number. It came up clean. But I didn’t stop there.

• Certification Date: It was graded in 2018. That’s a problem. I’d read that counterfeit 1806 Half Cents had been circulating since 2016—and had already slipped through major TPGs.
• TPG Reputation: I checked the record. PCGS, ANACS, ICG—all had certified fakes of this exact coin. CACG? None. They hadn’t seen it yet. Newer doesn’t always mean better, but it can mean updated screening.
• Cross-TPG Check: I posted the slab number on a private forum. No matches. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a duplicate—just that it hadn’t been caught yet.

Pros & Cons

• Pros: Quick. Non-invasive. Lets you use the TPG’s database as a first filter.
• Cons: TPGs are human-run. They make mistakes. Old certs predate awareness of certain fakes. A clean slab isn’t a green light.

Testing Result

The slab was real. The coin? Not necessarily. The 2018 date made me nervous. I’ve learned: a “clean” slab is just the beginning, not the end.

Actionable Takeaway

Check the date on the cert. If it’s from 2016–2019 and it’s a high-risk coin like an 1806 Half Cent, question it. Use PCGS CoinFacts or NGC Census to see if that die variety has been flagged. For big purchases, get a second slab—especially from a newer service like CACG. Their imaging tech is better.

Approach 3: Metallurgical Testing (XRF & Density)

Method: Composition & Weight Analysis

I sent the coin to a lab. I wanted to know what it was made of. No guessing. Just cold, hard data.

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• XRF Results: Real 1806 Half Cents are 89.2% copper, 10.8% tin and zinc, with a specific gravity around 8.86. This coin? 12.3% zinc. That’s not a variation. That’s a red flag. I compared it to other fake 1806s—same spike. Clearly modern alloy.
• Weight & Dimensions: It weighed 13.48g and measured 23.5mm—spot on. But density? Mass divided by volume came out to ~8.42. Too low. That matches the XRF result.

Pros & Cons

• Pros: Objective. Scientific. XRF doesn’t damage the coin. It spots modern materials instantly.
• Cons: Costs $150–$300. Needs a lab. Not something you do for every $50 coin.

Testing Result

Confirmed fake. The metal didn’t exist in 1806. This was a modern cast or struck counterfeit. XRF is the closest thing to a silver bullet for high-risk coins.

Code Snippet: DIY Density Calculation (for collectors with tools)


// Calculate specific gravity
mass = 13.48; // grams
volume = (4/3) * Math.PI * Math.pow((23.5/2), 3) * 0.001; // cm³ (convert mm to cm)
specific_gravity = mass / volume;
console.log(`Specific Gravity: ${specific_gravity.toFixed(2)}`);
// Expected: ~8.86 | This coin: ~8.42


Approach 4: Die Study & Overstrike Analysis

Method: Investigating Die State & Overstrike Evidence

Some fakes are real coins with fake designs stamped over them. I looked for clues.

• Die State: Real 1806 coins show die cracks and clashing from wear. This one? No cracks. But that doesn’t mean fake. It could be an early strike. Or a modern copy using fresh dies.
• Overstrike Clues: I used a digital microscope. Looked for ghost images of stars, edge reeding, or old lettering. Nothing. Clean surface. No sign of a host coin.

Pros & Cons

• Pros: Great for spotting “recycled” coins. Reveals double strikes or tampering.
• Cons: Needs high-end tools. Most collectors don’t have CT scans or 100x imaging.

Testing Result

This wasn’t an overstrike. It was fully fake—a modern strike using a cloned die. That’s how most of these 1806 fakes are made. No old coin reused. Just a fresh mold and a press.

Approach 5: Marketplace & Seller Due Diligence

Method: Tracking Seller History & Listing Behavior

The eBay listing disappeared fast. But I saved it. And traced the seller.

• They’d never sold a Half Cent before.
• The auction was pulled after collectors flagged it.
• They said they were “taking it to a coin shop” for verification. Classic move. No shop ever gets mentioned again.

Pros & Cons

• Pros: Free. Fast. Can catch scams early. A “nuked” listing is a huge warning.
• Cons: New sellers aren’t always bad. But sudden high-value listings from unknowns? That’s a pattern.

Testing Result

The seller’s history and the abrupt removal told me more than any photo. When eBay pulls a high-value coin, pay attention.

Key Takeaways & Recommendations

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• Slabs lie—sometimes. TPGs have certified fakes. Check the date. Research the TPG’s track record on that coin.

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• Eyeball it, but don’t stop there. Look at Liberty’s eye, star spacing, surface texture. Use real coins as your reference.

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• XRF is your best friend. If you’re buying high-value early copper, get the metal tested. It’s the only way to know for sure.

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• Weigh it and measure it. Do a quick density check. If it’s off, walk away.
• Watch the seller. A pulled listing? No Half Cent history? That’s not a collector. That’s a risk.

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• Get a second slab. For rare coins, send it to a different TPG—especially one with new tech. Two opinions beat one.

Conclusion

This coin fooled the slab. It fooled the photos. It almost fooled me. But it didn’t fool science.

Visual inspection and TPG checks gave me clues. But only metallurgical testing gave me certainty. The metal told the truth.

For serious collectors, there’s no shortcut. You need layers. Not just one test. Not just one source. Combine visual checks, slab research, lab results, and seller checks. That’s how you stay safe.

Half Cents are tiny. But the stakes are huge. Protect your collection with the right tools—and the right skepticism.

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