Baltimore Coin Heist Alert: Expert Authentication Guide for Stolen 19th Century Rarities

Counterfeits Flood the Market: Why These Stolen Coins Demand Your Sharpest Eye

The audacious 2014 Baltimore Coin Show heist still sends shivers through our community – over $500,000 in precisely targeted early U.S. rarities vanishing into the underworld. These raw treasures possess exceptional numismatic value, making them prime targets for sophisticated fakes. As these cultural artifacts may resurface decades from now, your knowledge of their diagnostic features becomes essential armor. Let’s examine the exact markers that separate these historic coins from their counterfeit shadows.

Stolen History: Why These Coins Matter

This vanished collection wasn’t just metal and mintmarks – it represented pivotal moments in America’s monetary adolescence:

• 1795 Draped Bust Dollar (B-15) – One of the first silver dollars struck by our fledgling nation, its eagle design whispering of revolution
• 1796 Draped Bust Dollar (B-4) – The last small eagle reverse before the Heraldic Eagle redesign, a vanishing breed
• 1873-CC Liberty Seated Quarter (Briggs 1-A) – A legendary Carson City rarity with under 4,000 struck; survivors in mint condition command museum-quality reverence
• 1815/2 Capped Bust Half Dollar (O-101) – A dramatic overdate error that variety collectors would trade their best Morgan for

These coins’ raw status makes proper attribution critical – no certification numbers to lean on, just pure numismatic detective work. When provenance disappears, the story lives in luster, strike, and patina.

The Weight of Truth: Metal Composition Clues

Silver Coins – Precision Matters

Early U.S. silver requires micrometer-perfect measurements. Any deviation from these specs rings alarm bells:

• Draped Bust Dollars (1795-1803): 26.96g ±0.20g – Heftier than modern counterparts
• Capped Bust Halves (1807-1836): 13.48g ±0.10g – Feel that satisfying weight?
• Liberty Seated Quarters (1838-1891): 6.22g ±0.05g – Precision worthy of a Swiss watch

The stolen 1875 Twenty Cent Piece (Proof 63+) plays by different rules. At exactly 5.00g, it’s the metronome of U.S. silver – counterfeiters’ flawed alloys often reveal themselves through slight depletion (4.80-4.95g).

Golden Insights (Even Without Stolen Gold)

While no gold coins disappeared, remember this forensic nugget: the 1871-CC Seated Dollar’s 90% silver/10% copper alloy should never respond to magnets. If it sticks, it’s criminal chemistry.

Metal Behavior: More Than Meets the Eye

Authentic pre-1900 silver has distinctive personality traits:

• 1795-1804 Dollars: 89.2% silver content gives them a distinctive “slide” down polished steel
• 1807-1836 Halves: Composition shifted in 1836 – know your dates!
• 1838-1891 Quarters: The 90% silver standard creates unique surface tension

Try this old dealer’s trick: authentic early silver slides reluctantly down a 45-degree steel incline. Modern fakes either cling desperately (nickel content) or race down like Olympians (zinc alloys).

Die Personalities: Reading the Coins’ Fingerprints

The Devil’s in the Die Details

• 1836 Reeded Edge Half Dollar – True originals show concentric lathe lines in the stars like tree rings
• 1856 S/S Liberty Seated Quarter (Briggs 4-E) – That “ghost S” southwest of the mintmark isn’t a flaw – it’s a rare variety’s birthmark
• 1812/1 Capped Bust Half (O-101) – Liberty’s drapery hides a tell-tale “1” ghost from the overdate

Pay special attention to the stolen 1878-CC Liberty Seated Half Dollar (WB-101). Genuine pieces position the first “C” over Liberty’s elbow like a sentry – fakes frequently misalign this distinctive placement.

Fakes Exposed: How to Spot the Imposters

Counterfeit Red Flags

NCIC reports show these stolen coins often reappear as:

• Electrotypes: Hollow-backed frauds betrayed by their unnaturally light weight
• Cast Fakes: Surface bubbles visible under 10x magnification – like acne on history’s face
• Altered Dates: The 1815/2 half dollar often shows tool marks around the digits

That stolen 1831 Capped Bust Quarter (B-7)? Date tampering is its curse. Authentic pieces show uniform wear across all digits – fakes reveal their sins under UV light as bright spots around altered numbers.

Tools of the Authentication Trade

• XRF Testing: Exposes alloy imposters by their chemical fingerprints
• Digital Microscopy: Reveals the “flow lines” of genuine strikes like topographic maps of metal
• Ultrasonic Gauges: Peels back electrotype shells like onion layers

Recovery Protocol: Your Civic Duty as a Collector

If any of these ghosts materialize, become a numismatic first responder:

1. Demand macro shots of die markers – no exceptions
2. Conduct specific gravity tests (authentic silver: 10.30-10.45)
3. Study toning patterns against Brian Cushing’s reference photos – original patina tells truth
4. Immediately contact NCIC’s Doug Davis (817-723-7231)

Special vigilance for the stolen 1801 Draped Bust Half Dime (LM-2). Its reverse die crack through the “E” in STATES is as unique as a fingerprint – no other specimen shares this flaw.

Guardians of History: Why Our Vigilance Matters

These stolen coins aren’t just metal – they’re tangible fragments of America’s financial DNA. Their theft robbed us all. By mastering these diagnostic details – the exact weight tolerances, the microscopic die quirks, the alloy behaviors – we become living archives. Remember: authentication isn’t merely about protecting numismatic value; it’s about safeguarding our collective story. Should any of these pieces cross your path, your expertise could be the key to solving numismatic history’s greatest cold case.

“In raw coins especially, the difference between genuine and counterfeit lives in hundredths of a gram and thousandths of an inch. Master those measurements and you become the market’s immune system.” – Numismatic Forensic Examiner, ANA Authentication Bureau

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