F. Michael Fazzari

Articles From This Author

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Collecting 101

Modern Bullion Fakes Particularly Deceptive

World Coin News

Fluorescent Light Coin Examinations

Obverse of a flatly struck Buffalo nickel.
Archive

Coin Design Detail a Grading ‘Flaw’

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World Coin News

Can You Find ‘Secret’ Dime Marker?

Figure 1: Massive planchet flaw.
World Coin News

The Mints of Then and Now

Figure 2: Genuine coin with “Mint Quality” sharpness.
Collecting 101

Genuine Coins Have “Style”

Contact marks added to the eagle’s breast to hide the friction wear.
Collecting 101

Learning to recognize friction

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Collecting 101

Separate coin values from conditions

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Coin Q&A

Counterfeits get better and better

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Reader Viewpoint

Viewpoint: New information exists for seekers

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Reader Viewpoint

Viewpoint: Internet holds troves of info for collectors

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News

Old AU coins make Mint State today

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News

Taking time to learn enhances hobby

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Coin Q&A

Market makes AU coins uncirculated

Trade dollar variety research has led to the discovering of
News

New Trade dollar type identified

You can see the same depressions on two different fake Wood’s Hibernia halfpennies indicating they were struck with the same die.
News

Fakers getting better and better

See detailed images of U.S. coins in Robert VanRyzin's U.S. Coins Close Up.
News

Old dogs argue about new tricks

Figure 1 shows a mark on the cheek of a Kennedy half dollar that may be considered at the borderline between a hairline and a scratch.
News

Scratches vary in severity on coins

A small piece of lint deposited during the striking process can be seen on this coin, Many major grading companies would still grade it as a perfect coin.
Archive

Perfect doesn’t have to be perfect

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Reader Viewpoint

Viewpoint: Color important part of coin grade

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News

Assigning grades to altered coins

One Coin is Never Enough
News

Luster helps you find the ballpark

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Reader Viewpoint

Viewpoint: Experience improves cleaning odds

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News

Berry and stem aid in identification

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News

Grading silver Eagles takes practice

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News

Beware of altered Standing Liberty

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News

Grading incuse Indians a challenge

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News

Chemical residues hard to detect

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News

Counterfeit slabs hit the market

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Archive

Unattributed coins lead to surprises

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News

Treated surfaces sticky to touch

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Archive

‘Doctoring’ a challenge to define

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Archive

Increased supplies – increased risk

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News

Edges can reveal coin to be a fake

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News

Strike, eye appeal affect value

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News

Coin surfaces reveal much magnified

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News

Prooflike coins struck with new dies

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News

Chasing the counterfeit menace

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News

Which details are most important?

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Archive

Look carefully for hairlines on uncs

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Archive

What we learn from one fake

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Archive

What do you do with ugly coins?

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Archive

Altered coins try to dupe the unwary

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Archive

If buying bullion, make it high grade

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Reader Viewpoint

Study real coins to detect fakes

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Archive

Look to luster when grading foreign

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Archive

Mintmarks added to 1932 quarter

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Archive

Forget what you know with MS-61

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Archive

Stereomicroscope a necessary tool

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Archive

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