The most obvious problem is the C pattern. I don't know if most buyers are aware of it, but the "mirror image" rule about the C pattern holds true for over 95 percent of standard Signature C and Op Art C patterns including this one, and a potential buyer doesn't even need to see the creed to spot it. That would be the first thing to tell someone to look at, and then advise them to have an expert take a look if the C's aren't right. And it's a lot easier for a potential buyer to spot than trying to find a style number that's at least 10 years old. But I see your point.
Understanding how to read a serial number - and referring to a VALID Coach Guide like the Salearea Guides for confirmation - would be another easy way to spot a problem. While a tiny handful of Signature C bags were actually made in Costa Rica in 2004 but have a 1994 year code in the serial, this isn't a CR serial, and a 1994 year code in a Signature C creed from China or the US is always fake.
Actually READING the creed is also important, like you pointed out. A fabric bag that says it's made of leather is almost always fake, although some recent authentic bags have generic creeds that just refer to "the finest materials". And when the edges of the creed look like they've been cut with manicure scissors, that's another red flag an inexperienced buyer can spot without even needing to check their computer.
Unfortunately, inexperienced buyers usually aren't the ones reading this thread so getting the word out is a lot harder than it seems. If anything they're reading some bull-cwap "authenticity guide" posted somewhere on the 'net ten years ago by some nameless idiot claiming that YKK zippers prove a Coach is genuine. The problem is to get them to STOP reading those packs of lies and to learn where to look for valid answers. Unfortunately it's been proven in a lot of scientific studies that the first information that a person hears or reads on a subject is usually what they end up believing.
I'm not going to speculate on the hangtag. Real hangtags are too easy to come by and don't prove anything. They're also very easy to fake. It wouldn't surprise me if the tag is real but using hangtags as an authenticity tool is useless. Coach's website photo does show a silver metal hangtag. I've posted it below.
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