George Owen Walton was a quiet and secretive man who worked as an estate appraiser for banks. But on his way to the coin show, his car crashed and burst into flames, killing him while the coin emerged unscathed. This offer was not bona fide, being merely a come-on to promote sales of his Star Rare Coin Encyclopedia, which went through over 30 editions despite being of no numismatic value. If youre not sure you should consult a numismatic expert whos knowledgeable about counterfeits. Very nice blog. The authors write: Twenty years ago, if you asked any collector or dealer to name the three most valuable American coins, the response would most likely have been the following: 1804 Silver Dollar, 1894-S Dime, and 1913 Liberty Head Nickel. Later, local New Jersey numismatist Harmen K. Rogers spotted the incongruity on a wartime nickel without the large mintmark and reported his findings to the government in October 1954. Fake In a material way, real things are valued more in the moral and monetary way while fake things do not hold much value in any case. 1918/7-D Buffalo NickelDoubled WebThe rarity-studded Walton estate collection was auctioned the next year by Stack's, but the 1913 nickel was not included as it was believed to be a fake. CoinWeek: Rare Coin, Currency, and Bullion News for Collectors, Perth Mint Coin Profiles Australian Kangaroo 2021 2oz Gold Proof High Relief Coin, US Mint Opens Sales for New York American Innovation $1 Coin Products August 31, First 2023 Collector Coins From Italian Mint Honor Art of Vantivelli, Heritage Offering Special Collection of World Coins, Part II, Perth Mint Issues 2023 Australian Koala Silver Bullion Coins, US Mint Releases U.S. Army 2.5 Ounce Silver Medal March 6, Big Things Happened at the United States Mint in March, Jeff Garrett: The Box of Twenty Approach to Coin Collecting, Roger Burdette: First 1878-S Morgan Silver Dollars Struck, 2023 Congratulations Set With Silver Eagle Proof on Sale March 2, The Coins of Carthage During Hannibals War With Rome. They were realized via private sales. April 26, 2013. This is only further proof what people.will do to make it or take our money. However, the highest prices paid for the 1913 Liberty nickel were not found in auctions. Reproduced with permission from the May 2021 edition of The Numismatist, official publication of the American Numismatic Association. Since 1943, each of the five famous nickels has traveled far and wide with their numerous owners. WebIn 1996, numismatic history was made as Jay Parino paid over 1 million dollars for the Eliasberg specimen of the 1913 liberty nickel. The Secret Service finally took serious notice when a teller at the Pennsauken National Bank in Pennsauken, New Jersey reported a few months later that he had $2.40 in suspected counterfeit nickels from Henning. At any rate, a total of five specimens were taken from the Mint and kept by Brown. The 1913 nickel value ranges from $7 for a well circulated coin to over $525 for the rare 1913-S Type 2 Buffalo nickel in "Uncirculated" condition. The standard design in early 1913 for the nickel was indeed the Liberty head; in fact, dies had been prepared for the 1913 issue. (To learn the difference between transfer-die counterfeits and other types, visit NGCcoin.com/Counterfeits). Eric P. Newman and B.G. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Its like a scene from the Twilight Zone. In an online article for the Liberty Nickel Collector Society, Brian Schneider pulled this quote from the book The Complete Guide to Shield and Liberty Nickels (1995): It is intriguing and possibly instructive to note that 1920, the year when Brown announced his discovery, marked the expiration of the seven-year statute of limitations for prosecuting anyone who might have removed the coins from the Mint in 1913.. EMAIL: ana@money.org. By combining these two pieces, the counterfeiter was able to approximate a higher-priced 1913-S Buffalo nickel. While it is possible that another exits, it is highly unlikely. WebReal vs. @MoneyGreenMike said: Have fun too! In 1962, Walton was on his way to a coin show when he died in a car crash. However, when his estate was auctioned off, the auctioneers returned it to the Walton heirs believing it was a fake. In 2003, her heirs wanted to validate Givens claim and had it reappraised. The appropriate authorities caught up to him relatively quickly, and Henning was tried, convicted, and sentenced to three years in prison. The 1944 dated type is usually the only example available to collectors. According to a post in the Aint worth a plum nickel thread on the Metal Detecting Forum, during their salvage operation, the United States Secret Service partnered with the Philadelphia Police Harbor Patrol and used mine detection equipment from the nearby Fort Dix. That deal was arranged by Ronald J. Gillio, a Santa Barbara, California-based coin and jewelry dealer. The 1913 Liberty nickel was given the top position in the third edition of Jeff Garrett and Ron Guths book 100 Greatest U.S. WebYep, it was a 1913 V-nickel. This particular coin is a bit light. Thanks for sharing. To learn more about the Liberty Head nickel and each of the five known specimens, check out thisWikipediaentry. Top 5 Things NOT to Do Before Bringing Your Coins to a Dealer, "King of Coins" Finest Known 1804 Silver Dollar Doesn't Sell for $10.8 Million. Another theory is that the Mints Medal Department might have lawfully issued them for cabinet purposes.. The Buffalo nickel, a uniquely American coin designed by James Earle Fraser, debuted in 1913. Johnson. (Please note that coin #2, The Walton specimen listed as whereabouts unknown, resurfaced a few years ago), https://www.pcgs.com/news/Pedigree-Of-Five-Known-1913-Liberty-Nickels. The American Numismatic Association is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to educating CU | However, there is a theory out there that a sixth coin exists. Visit NGCcoin.com/counterfeit. But on his way to the coin show, his car crashed and That research shows that only 5 were made and all are accounted for. Heritage Auctions. King Farouk of Egypt also briefly owned this coin. As was the case on the obverse, the reverse devices are pimpled and the fields have incorrect luster and odd, heavy die-polish lines. ELIASBERG SPECIMEN. Even before labor, the production costs of his counterfeit nickels cost Henning between 3-3.5 cents per coin. It exchanged hands a few times before ending up at the ANA museum where it is on display. 1912-S Liberty V Nickel isn't too difficult to authenticate, unless the coin is heavily circulated and the mint mark is flat and It sold at auction in April 2013 for $3,172,500. This authentic 1913 Liberty Head nickel was hidden in a Virginia closet for 41 years after its owners were mistakenly told it was a fake. According to his testimony, Henning purchased almost $6,800 of Monel (an alloy of 79.1 % copper, 20.5 % nickel, and 0.4 % iron) in early 1954 from the Scoville Manufacturing Company. Real vs. Boyd of New York and sold in 1942 through B.G. This coin changed hands a number of times over the years, including being owned by King Farouk of Egypt up until he was deposed by Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1952. In the world of coin collecting today, one of the most sought after of rare coins is the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel. "This is one of the greatest coins at that price range," Jeff Garrett, one of two co-buyers, told UPI. Silver Nickels. I would like to point out 3 types of these that I have multiple copies of. Green, who once owned the original 100-piece sheet of the 1918 24-cent air mail stamps with the inverted Curtiss JN-4 biplane (among other things). Please try again later. When he died in 1936, the coins were auctioned along with his estate. GENERAL: 800-367-9723 These coins have not been minted since 1913, and the older they get the more potentially valuable they may be. According to his testimony, Henning purchased almost $6,800 of Monel (an alloy of 79.1 % copper, 20.5 % nickel, and 0.4 % iron) in early 1954 from the Scoville Manufacturing Company. But a few years later, in 2007, it was sold by Legend Numismatics and Morelan to a private collector in Southern California for $5 million. The first design was a shield on the To create this deception, two coins became one. Hennings problems stemmed from his coins dated 1944, since it seems he either didnt know or didnt care that the wartime nickels had a different mint mark. Coin Value Chart: Typical Coin Prices, Values and Worth in USD based on Grade/Condition. A. His specific job was to compare the reverse details upon each coin. See photos and more auction details on AuctionZip.com Now. WebHAS A 6TH 1913 V NICKEL BEEN FOUND?? I will have to go buy a scale and weigh them I guess. Fake 3. But it's the coin's back story that adds to its cachet: It was surreptitiously and illegally cast, discovered in a car wreck that killed its owner, declared a fake, forgotten in a closet for decades then declared the real deal. The ANA serves the academic They couldnt believe Givens had kept it in a closet for 40 years, thinking the whole time it was a fake. These are usually very crude, not of the standard coin composition and easily identified. It sold for US$100,000 in 1972 and for US$200,000 in 1978. Before selling for more than $3.1 million Thursday, the rare nickel was involved in a car accident, forgotten Sort of. Francis Leroy Henning was born in Erial, New Jersey on September 18, 1891. It was then donated to the American Numismatic Association, which has it on display in the Money Museum. Above are the obverses of a genuine Liberty Nickel on the left and the fake on the right. Hi im just wondering if anyone here can tell me if this is a real 1913 nickle or if its a fake? Jefferson Nickels were first minted in 1938 and made of 75% copper and As it turns out, the coin is authentic and one of only five 1913 Liberty Head nickels ever made. Thank you for the info. Part of HuffPost Business. It wasnt until the American Numismatic Association launched a nationwide search for the fifth coin as a publicity stunt in 2003 that it was determined that the coin had been the real deal all along. The V-Nickel may be a great addition to any coin collection and may also be a great starting point for new collectors. Oct 19, 2020. https://www.apmex.com/which-nickels-are-silver, https://medium.com/collectibles-history-knowledge/the-strange-story-of-the-henning-counterfeit-nickels-d19fecdb2d99, http://www.winsociety.org/newsletter/vol-11/henning-nickel.html, http://www.error-ref.com/henning-counterfeit-nickel/, https://nashuacoins.com/american-coins-spotlight-henning-nickel/, Zack, Winston. WebThe 1913 Liberty Head nickels are some of the most valuable and rarest US coins in existence with each one worth many millions of dollars. Real B. Want to learn more about Counterfeit Detection? A seam on the edge shows where the two halves were brought together. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Fake, on the other hand, is something that is not true and has been forced to look real. The date would be modified into a 1913. We started with a nickel yesterday morning and now we have $2.7 million., A Fake Nickel from 1913 Sells for $3.1 Million. Another theory, however, is provided to us by Lee F. Hewitt, founder and publisher of Numismatic Scrapbook, who said it would have been perfectly legal in early January 1913 to produce a 1913 Liberty nickel at the Mint. CoinWeek does not buy or sell coins or numismatic material and No endorsement or affiliation to or from CoinWeek.com is made. ! Selected by St. Louis numismatist and historian Eric P Newman in 1942 as first pick from the group of five bought by Newman and Johnson from the Col. Green estate. I have what I believe is a 1944 no mint mark Henning nickel. There are several theories associated with the creation of the 1913 Liberty (V) nickel. The value of a V-Nickel depends on its minting year, relative scarcity and other factors. While Henning claimed to be a vending machine operator, the incident spooked him. It was speculated that the real 1913 coin once owned by Walton had been sold by him to a private client, identity unknown, or, alternatively, that Walton never owned an original. I have attached an image of each of these, as holdered in ICG Educational holders. The first nickels (worth five cents and made from a nickel-copper combination like the contemporary nickel) were made in 1866. 818 NORTH CASCADE AVENUE PCGS | Could someone look at my scope pictures to tell definitely? The coin passed from Newman and Johnson to the Numismatic Gallery, who then sold it to Louis Eliasberg. 1. While I was mostly looking for 90% junk silver coins and early wheat pennies, I always kept my eyes open for any interesting errors and oddities. Talk about gathering interest: a nickel from 1913 heading to auction in April may fetch more Real B. Here is what I found. The coin's seemingly huge price tag was allegedly a Read the details in the article that explain the most important differences, such as weight, die cracks, spots, misshapen letters, etc. A coin that was made by pouring melted metal into a mold or cast. Auction will be held on Tue Apr 04 @ Time TBA at 310 N. Dysart Road, Building B in Avondale, AZ 85323. If you are uncertain whether the coin in your hand is the real deal, remember that NGC backs its determinations of authenticity and grade with the NGC Guarantee. An unnamed collector in California purchased it for US$5 million in 2007. The coin's seemingly huge price tag was allegedly a bargain. By the 1930s, Henning began his counterfeiting career by printing fake $5 bills, which at the time had almost the same purchasing power as modern $100 bills. A coin known as the the 1913 Liberty Head nickel sold for $3.1 million at an auction Thursday, according to UPI. Is this image real or fake? Both sides of this coin offer clues that it isn't genuine. Bad Metal: Copper and Nickel Circulating Contemporary Counterfeit United States Coins. Johnson. This specimen was named for George O. Walton who had purchased it in 1945 for US$3,750. Fake 4. 2023 DISCLAIMER: All content within CoinWeek.com is presented for informational purposes only, with no guarantee of accuracy. sold for $3.1 million at an auction Thursday, 1913 Liberty Head coin sold for $5 million in 2007, Flowing Hair dollar minted in 1794 sold for $7.85 million. Amazing the details people go to , to deceive people. Continental Coin Corporation is occasionally included in the pedigree of this coin after World Wide Coin Investments. Enter your email address and we will send you a link to reset your password. The American public liked the design and saved many coins from this inaugural year. 1. His Liberty Head nickel specimen was located at the crash scene along with many other valuable coins. Accessed August 1, 2016. Dannreuthers conclusion was that the specimens were produced in this order: Smithsonian, Olsen, Eliasberg, Walton and McDermott. It is important to note that it is technically illegal to own any counterfeit currency, but it is highly unlikely that the Secret Service will be knocking on your door for owning one of these pieces. By 1955, the authorities had arrested Henning. Accessed August 1, 2016. George Owen Walton was a quiet and secretive man who worked as an estate appraiser for banks. 1913 Nickel Owners: Emery May Holden Norweb (top left), Aubrey and Adeline Bebee (top right), King Farouk (bottom left), and J.V. Did you know? It has been researched and studied for decades. Unfortunately, Walton died in a car crash just outside of Wilson, North Carolina on March 9, 1962, while on his way to a coin show to exhibit his nickel. One of the most valuable coins in the entire world is the 1913 Liberty Head V Nickel. McDermott (bottom right). In February of 1913, the Indian Head (Buffalo) nickel was introduced to replace the Liberty Head design. Learn how your comment data is processed. The rollout of the new nickels hit a bump when rapid wearing of the date was discovered on circulating examples. USA Coin Book Estimated Value of 1883 Liberty Nickel (No How to Tell a Real 1804 Dollar from a Fake; I have an 1804 Silver Dollar. Ron Guth. But it was not a given that the Walton specimen would be there that night. The Olsen specimen was most recently sold for US$3,737,500 in January of 2010 to an undisclosed buyer. One type also has a raised area directly in front of Jeffersons collar. and encouraging people to study and collect coins and related items. This led me to search for additional information. Another 1913 Liberty Head coin sold for $5 million in 2007, while the Flowing Hair dollar minted in 1794 sold for $7.85 million in 2005. This new operation was disguised as the Childs Plastic Moulded Products Company. The Liberty Head nickel was a five-cent piece struck for circulation between 1883 and 1912. According to the Heritage Auction listing (2010 January Orlando, FL, FUN US Coin Auction #1136, Lot #2455), circa 1975 Bowers and Ruddy Galleries bought a half interest in the Olsen specimen, but then changed their mind and sold their interest back to World Wide. 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