Suspected counterfeit 2021-CC Morgan dollars were offered on eBay in August at the same price the U.S. Mint offered genuine examples on May 24.

The eBay offer was subsequently removed, but not before a collector downloaded images of the fake in its crude packaging and posted notice on the Collector’s Universe U.S. Coin Forum discussion group to warn hobbyists.

The Mint isn’t scheduled to begin shipping the genuine CC privy-marked 2021 Morgan dollars to customers who ordered them until sometime in October, based on production schedules.

U.S. Mint officials acknowledge that the 2021 Morgan dollars are being counterfeited.

“The United States Mint is aware that 2021 Morgan dollars are being offered for sale in online marketplaces,” said Todd Martin, deputy director of the Mint’s Office of Corporate Communications, in a Sept. 8 notice to numismatic media. “Because the Mint will not begin shipping these coins until October, any 2021 Morgan dollar listed as being currently available will not be authentic.”

Differences

On the fake, the raised oval on which the CC privy mark is incused is positioned covering a portion of the ribbon on the wreath, and also touches the O in DOLLAR.

On the genuine coin, the privy mark is centered below the ribbon, equidistant from the ribbon and the D and O in DOLLAR.

The lettering, date and other details are mushy on the counterfeit when compared against those for the genuine coin.

On the genuine coin’s obverse, the R in PLURIBUS is positioned away from the corn leaf in the wreath on Liberty’s head. On the fake, the R touches the leaf.

Mint Engraver George T. Morgan’s M designer’s initial on the genuine coin appears on the truncation of Liberty’s portrait, just to the left of the last hair curl straight above the 0 in the date.

On the fake, the designer’s initial, based on the eBay images, appears to be missing.

On the counterfeit’s reverse, the first A in AMERICA touches the eagle’s left wing; on the genuine issue, there is space between the letter A and the wing.

The F in OF on the fake is close to the T in TRUST, while on the genuine coin it is distant.

Compare the images of the genuine coin to that of the counterfeit to identify additional differentiating diagnostics.

Genuine sales

The Mint offered the genuine 2021-CC Morgan dollar as part of the recognition for the 100th anniversary of the transition of the Morgan dollar designs to the Peace dollar.

The Philadelphia Mint is striking a maximum of 175,000 of the 2021 Morgan dollars with the CC Mint mark representing the Carson City Mint rendered as a privy mark and positioned where original CC Mint marks would have been placed.

The May 24 sales also included 175,000 2021 Morgan dollars similarly exhibiting an O privy mark, representing the New Orleans Mints Mint mark.

Both issues offered May 24 sold out in a matter of minutes.

Since none of the genuine coins have been shipped to Mint customers as yet, any dies fabricated to produce the fakes were likely made using images of the genuine coins as published online by the U.S. Mint in its catalog offerings as models.

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