Test One: weight is the most objective test — a number, not an impression. Weigh to 0.01g on a hard level surface, tare the flip, weigh twice, write it down next to the published spec. Three zones: at/near spec (passes), close-but-off (yellow flag — heavy wear, old cleaning, underweight planchet; price the uncertainty), clearly wrong — half a gram+ on a dollar-size coin (walk away; a fake at any price is not a deal). Kills the plated-core category outright.
Evidence standardThis reference is distilled from a covered source topic. A photograph can inform a decision, but it cannot authenticate or certify a coin.