In his recent CoinWorld column Michael Fahey discusses an interesting counterfeit that showed up at ICG for grading and encapsulation ---- it was 1900-O. This is a fairly common date coin even in MS conditions up to 64 or 65. To top off this off the coin was made of the correct silver alloy and has the correct weight. Michael theorizes that it might be a test for a process to be used on more expensive counterfeits.

I wonder if this could have been one of the "micro - O" variety coins?

thats a scary thought..... do any pics exist of this coin?

There are pics and diagnostics in the CoinWorld article. Don't know if it's available on their website.

I guess it would be a matter of time. There is no reason why it is very difficult to make such silver alloy when you have the chemistry to calculate the molar mass, density etc and with a bit of maths, it can't be too difficult to find out the right ratio. All crooks need next is some high quality genuine coins bought at whatever insane price and then make copies of it.

If it is the micro O then this is OLD news. Those pieces have been known for years. On the other hand all of the discussion when PCGS finally decided they were fake (ANACS had decided they were a year or two earlier, and NGC had rejected them almost seven years before) all of the discussion was PCGS, NGC, and ANACS. There was no mention of ICG having slabbed them. So this might have been the first ones they had seen, or the first since the excitement over them in 2005.

There was no mention of these being the micro o varieties.

I believe the obverse die used with the 1900-O micro O coins was also used paired with a different reverse as well. Maybe that's it. I'm operating under a bit of a disadvantage not having seen the article.