1896-O VAM-21 (Privately made) 2 Olive Reverse

Discovered by John Roberts, January 2006.
21 (Privately made) (2 Olive Reverse) ( ? )
Obverse III21– Same copied coin as for 1896 O VAM 4 Micro O obverse cast die but different die. Has rounded design and raised dots of cast die. Normal date lateral position. Same jagged depression below eye as 1896 O VAM 4 obverse.
Reverse– Shallow extra olive to right of olive connected to olive branch. Wide gap between eagle’s left wing and neck of C4 type. Very high centered and upright III O mint mark. Raised dots below bottom of eagle’s right wing. Machine type doubling on O mint mark, DOLLAR and legend letters but with diffused dull surfaces of copy instead of shiny tops on normal coin. Rounded design edges where meets fields. Possibly cast die copy of 1901 O VAM 18 coin. Same counterfeit die as 1900 O VAM 48 counterfeit.
Comments:

Privately Made.
Most specimens located to date have either been low grade or problem coins - and riddled with bag marks. Due to production techniques, even the best of specimens will exhibit poor strike, pitting, and a complete lack of obverse luster.
The 1896-O VAM-21 is extremely rare in AU and above, with only a handful of such specimens known to exist. Like the other Contemporary Counterfeits, uncirculated VAM-21 specimens are almost unheard of.

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