I Tested 7 Methods to Authenticate an 1875 Dime – Here’s What Works and What Doesn’t

The Counterfeit Coin Detective: My Hands-On Comparison of 1875 Dime Authentication Methods

There I was – holding blurry photos of what might be my dream coin or a $500 mistake. When a seller offered me an 1875 Seated Liberty dime, I didn’t just glance at it. I tested seven different authentication methods side-by-side. What I discovered surprised even me (and I’ve handled over 200 seated dimes).

Method 1: The Eyeball Test

Date Drama

My heart sank when I first compared the date to my genuine reference coins. Three things looked off:

• The 7 looked squashed like a stepped-on soda can
• The 5’s curve seemed too dramatic
• The 8 had uneven thickness – like bad handwriting

Good for: Quick first impressions
Watch out: Without physical coins to compare, you’re guessing

When Letters Lie

The “N” in “ONE” looked completely wrong at first. Turns out? Just a different die variety. I nearly rejected a real coin based on this! Lesson learned: Don’t play detective without knowing the suspects first.

Method 2: CSI: Coin Photos

Digital Deception Hunting

When my eyes couldn’t agree, I turned to photo analysis. Here’s what screamed “fake”:

• Edges sharper than a new kitchen knife
• Shadows that made no sense under magnification
• Metadata showing Photoshop’s “sharpen” tool got a workout

Golden rule: Never judge a coin by edited photos. Demand raw images or walk away.

Method 3: The Die Variety Lightbulb

My “Oh!” Moment

Everything changed when I found SeatedDimeVarieties.com (bookmark this now!). Did you know the 1875-S had 22 reverse dies? My key findings:

• Matched the crack pattern to Reverse K variety
• The “wrong” N was actually correct for this die
• Wear marks lined up perfectly with genuine coins

Pro move: Study die varieties before buying key dates. It’s like having the coin’s fingerprint.

Method 4: Calling in the Pros

NGC to the Rescue

Putting the seller’s photos beside NGC’s certified images was revealing:

This showed me how photo editing created phantom problems.

Method 5: Time Travel Detective Work

1870s Fake News

Researching period counterfeits helped eliminate doubts:

• Real mint luster still visible under my loupe
• No casting bubbles (common in old fakes)
• Perfect 2.67g weight when I finally held it

Method 6: Crowdsourcing Truth

Polling experts showed how opinions shift:

• Initial reactions: “Fake!” (based on photos)
• After die research: “Maybe real?”
• Post-NGC: “Should’ve trusted the variety!”

Method 7: The Final Judge

Sending it to NGC confirmed:

• 100% genuine 1875-S
• Cleaned (hence Details grade)
• That elusive Reverse K variety

My 4-Step Authentication Cheat Sheet

After burning 40 hours on this dime, here’s what works:

1. Demand RAW Photos: Unedited, natural light shots or no deal
2. Die Variety Homework: Know the expected quirks
3. Certification Cross-Check: Compare with NGC/PCGS images
4. Hands-On Check: Weight it, loupe it, or skip it

The Big Twist

Here’s what fooled me (and might trick you):

• Over-edited photos creating fake red flags
• Not knowing legitimate die variations
• Rushing to judgment

The punchline? The coin was real – the photos were the counterfeit!

3 Lessons That Changed My Collecting

1. All photos lie until proven innocent
2. Die varieties explain 90% of “fake” features
3. Never buy based on images alone

This 1875 dime taught me more about authentication than 20 years of collecting. Sometimes the truth isn’t in the coin itself, but in understanding all the ways our eyes can play tricks on us. The seller got paid, I got a great coin, and we both got a masterclass in numismatic reality!

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