Looky Looky Looky 0

[rocket23]

 So far I have been using digital scale and earth magnet(s)

[jtryka]

Why would you need to test a silver coin?  Generally, if a coin was made of silver there is no need to test unless you have reason to believe it might be fake.  Generally counterfeiters are not going to fake common silver coins (I could never conceive of any reason to test a silver Kennedy, whether 90% or 40%).  A silver trade dollar, sure, but I'm not testing that for silver, I'm testing to see if it's fake, whether a good fake (made of silver) or a bad fake, like the 1872 trade dollar I have that is made of steel, likely from China.  I have heard stories of fake bullion coins, like silver eagles, but I find that most of those stories are from dealers interacting with the public, vs. people who purchase bullion coins from reputable dealers.

So, I guess the bottom line answer is that I generally don't test my silver coins.

[rocket23]

One of the most popular morgan dollars (1921), is a well known counterfeited coin...why? I haven't a clue.......but there out there, so I'm keeping a watchful eye on all my silver.

[MarkFeld]

8 hours ago, jtryka said:

Why would you need to test a silver coin?  Generally, if a coin was made of silver there is no need to test unless you have reason to believe it might be fake.  Generally counterfeiters are not going to fake common silver coins (I could never conceive of any reason to test a silver Kennedy, whether 90% or 40%).  A silver trade dollar, sure, but I'm not testing that for silver, I'm testing to see if it's fake, whether a good fake (made of silver) or a bad fake, like the 1872 trade dollar I have that is made of steel, likely from China.  I have heard stories of fake bullion coins, like silver eagles, but I find that most of those stories are from dealers interacting with the public, vs. people who purchase bullion coins from reputable dealers.

So, I guess the bottom line answer is that I generally don't test my silver coins.

You’d be surprised at how many counterfeits there are of low value coins. And that includes non-silver copies of silver coins.

[RWB]

Large quantities of Chinese fakes are made from iron alloys. Run a strong magnet over coins at any flea market and you'll pick up a bunch of 'em.

[rocket23]

10 minutes ago, RWB said:

Large quantities of Chinese fakes are made from iron alloys. Run a strong magnet over coins at any flea market and you'll pick up a bunch of 'em.

My fridge is living proof......I have an American,errr Chinese iron eagle magnatized to it...........

[Conder101]

I have often wondered why there weren't more contemporary counterfeits made in the 30's using the proper alloy and weight of silver.  The counterfeiters main goal is to have his fakes accepted and pass into circulation.  A counterfeit of the proper material and weight would be much more likely to be accepted than a plated or base metal fake.  And even if it was spotted as a fake, since the weight and fineness would be right it would probably be accepted anyway.

I know, your going to say that if he made them the proper weight and fineness he wouldn't make any profit.  But during the 1930's silver got down to 29 cents an ounce.  At that price a full weight and fineness silver dollar would have 22 cents worth of silver in it.  A half dollar only 10 cents and quarter 5 cents.  It seems to me there would be enough room there to make full weight fakes that would pass easily and still make a good profit.

[Hoghead515]

6 minutes ago, Conder101 said:

I have often wondered why there weren't more contemporary counterfeits made in the 30's using the proper alloy and weight of silver.  The counterfeiters main goal is to have his fakes accepted and pass into circulation.  A counterfeit of the proper material and weight would be much more likely to be accepted than a plated or base metal fake.  And even if it was spotted as a fake, since the weight and fineness would be right it would probably be accepted anyway.

I know, your going to say that if he made them the proper weight and fineness he wouldn't make any profit.  But during the 1930's silver got down to 29 cents an ounce.  At that price a full weight and fineness silver dollar would have 22 cents worth of silver in it.  A half dollar only 10 cents and quarter 5 cents.  It seems to me there would be enough room there to make full weight fakes that would pass easily and still make a good profit.

I heard a story while back. I can't say if its true or not. But several people talked about it around my area. Back in the 20s a man around here in Eastern Kentucky had a cache of silver and was making his own silver dollars. The law supposedly tried to shut him down but when he went to court they never convicted him because his dollars were the same specs and weight of silver as the mints. They even had a write up about it in our local newspaper. Everyone has been trying to find his stash of silver and they say also his dollars are very valuable now because of the low numbers. Now this isn't me rambling on. This is second hand news. I do not know for sure but I have however looked up the article on it. Its an interesting read. Its in lewis county ky. 

[Hoghead515]

9 minutes ago, Hoghead515 said:

I heard a story while back. I can't say if its true or not. But several people talked about it around my area. Back in the 20s a man around here in Eastern Kentucky had a cache of silver and was making his own silver dollars. The law supposedly tried to shut him down but when he went to court they never convicted him because his dollars were the same specs and weight of silver as the mints. They even had a write up about it in our local newspaper. Everyone has been trying to find his stash of silver and they say also his dollars are very valuable now because of the low numbers. Now this isn't me rambling on. This is second hand news. I do not know for sure but I have however looked up the article on it. Its an interesting read. Its in lewis county ky. 

That is the same county I live in is where he made them. I think they call them sprinkle dollars.  I may be wrong but its very interesting if anyone wants to look it up. I got a few neighbors thats been trying to find his stash. 

[Conder101]

Yes that sounds like the Sprinkle dollar story, but those "dollars" had their own design, they didn't copy US coins, and the story may just be folklore because as far as I know no actual court records have ever been shown and no "Sprinkle Dollar" that can be definitely tied to the case or people involved has ever turned up.  The only pictures of supposed Sprinkle dollars that I have seen (Old issue of the Numismatic Scrapbook magazine) did not match the descriptions, or each other. I strongly suspect the Sprinkle dollar story is a fable, much like the Josh Tatum story.

[Hoghead515]

4 minutes ago, Conder101 said:

Yes that sounds like the Sprinkle dollar story, but those "dollars" had their own design, they didn't copy US coins, and the story may just be folklore because as far as I know no actual court records have ever been shown and no "Sprinkle Dollar" that can be definitely tied to the case or people involved has ever turned up.  The only pictures of supposed Sprinkle dollars that I have seen (Old issue of the Numismatic Scrapbook magazine) did not match the descriptions, or each other. I strongly suspect the Sprinkle dollar story is a fable, much like the Josh Tatum story.

I agree with you. As much talk and everything around here no one has ever found any evidence. It's all just stories. He said and she said. And most of them have different spins on them. I know a man,really well, who bought a farm on Kinnonick because he was sure the silver was stashed on it. He even hired my neighbors to bring their equipment over and escavate places on it and came up with nothing. It seems that everyone around here knows someone who has seen the famous dollars but no one has any. I always thought in the back of my mind there wasn't much to it but, several around here are convinced its true and keep looking. 

[rocket23]

Wooly swamp comes to mind with rusty mason jars. 

[Just Bob]

Here is a link to an old NGC forum thread about the Sprinkle dollars. Conder101 did not believe they were real back in 2007, either.

Link here

[Alex in PA.]

"Conder101 did not believe they were real back in 2007, either."

I can see why.

[Just Bob]

1 hour ago, Alex in PA. said:

"Conder101 did not believe they were real back in 2007, either."

I can see why.

Me, too. 

I have a feeling that the story is one of those legends that get passed from generation to generation.

Edited December 8, 2020 by Just Bob

[Hoghead515]

All the old timers down here swear to it.  Its a rural place where everyone knows everyone here. Ive seen people buy farms just because they knew they had the silver cave on that property.  And several of them has been looking. They have also wrote write ups in the paper about it. But I myself have never seen a shred of evidence with my eyes yet. I know old men that claim they've had their hands on them back in their young days. And talk of people who still do but they are not showing. Makes me wonder if they do or not. But if the cave is out there this is big country with very rugged terrain. You can walk for days and not see a house.   Who knows. Ill try dig up some write ups and post a new thread in a day or two. Be an interesting topic. Im right here where it supposed to have happened. I may be able to find more info on it. 

[Hoghead515]

That one guy spent 5000 dollars to have some of my neighbors go dig where he thought the barrels were supposed to be buried. But no luck. He was gonna dig some more but he got hooked on pills and ended up losing the farm and everything else he had. It breaks my heart. He was a good friend of mine. Its hit this country hard. 

[Hoghead515]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://kinniconickreverie.blogspot.com/2014/12/larkin-liles.html%3Fm%3D1&ved=2ahUKEwjS9rX5nL3tAhXKslkKHYp5DlsQFjACegQIERAB&usg=AOvVaw0Kk6Pfigf-zWzvPTzuw6w4

[Hoghead515]

There's one link. There's several. I live right on laurel. I can walk to where the mine supposed to be but I've never seen a shred of evidence 

[Hoghead515]

You would think as many as he supposed to of spent around here and made that someone around here would have one. Sorry about hijacking your thread Rocket. 

[rocket23]

33 minutes ago, Hoghead515 said:

You would think as many as he supposed to of spent around here and made that someone around here would have one. Sorry about hijacking your thread Rocket. 

No worries.......I often think of the rock walls in Connecticut......gathered by the settlers and forgotten by most, whether there maybe a stash in one of them....and there are miles of them rock walls in this state.

[Hoghead515]

1 hour ago, rocket23 said:

No worries.......I often think of the rock walls in Connecticut......gathered by the settlers and forgotten by most, whether there maybe a stash in one of them....and there are miles of them rock walls in this state.

Its hard telling whats buried in the ground and along those walls. Would love to run a metal detector down them. 

[rocket23]

14 minutes ago, Hoghead515 said:

Its hard telling whats buried in the ground and along those walls. Would love to run a metal detector down them. 

yup.....