Counterfeit Detection: 1833 Half Cent
May 12, 2026
This coin missed the mark with its stars, date, and more.
The Classic Head Half Cent series began in 1809 and spanned more than a quarter century, but it includes only 11 dates for its business strikes, mostly 1825 and later. The 1833 is one of the easier coins in the series to acquire, but examples still cost at least several hundred dollars in low Mint State.
All the business strikes of 1833 Half Cents were struck from single pair of dies, which makes the challenge of authenticating them a little easier. NGC recently received a purported example of this coin.
From NGC