Written by the Treasure Guide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
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| Fake or Real. See if you can tell. |
Can you tell if this photo shows a fake or real coin? After you read today's post, you might have a better idea how to tell, but I'll keep the answer and more details on this coin for tomorrow's post.
Before I get into the main topic today, I wanted to remind you that this is the week of the 67th Annual F.U.N. Convention in Orlando, FL. It runs January 6 - 9, 2022 at the Orange County Convention Center. 9899 International Dr., Orlando FL 32819.Welcome to Florida United Numismatists (funtopics.com)
Now back to the main topic.
There are so many fakes these days that anyone interested in coins should be aware of fakes or counterfeits and how they are created. The method of manufacture will sometimes provide clues that make fakes easy to identify.
Below are some of the most common methods used to manufacture fake coins.Casting - Molten metal is poured into a mold made from an original coin.
Electrotyping - An original coin is impressed into fine clay onto which metal is electroplated creating a shell with a good impression of the coin. This method was invented in the mid-19th century.
Die striking - Dies are produced produced on which an image of a coin has been replicated and the false coin is struck. This is a version of how most genuine ancient coins were minted.
Tooling - Engraving details either by hand or machine. Normally used to alter a coin to either improve its details, or to alter design from a common type to a rare type, but sometimes to improve details on a fake to make it look more genuine.
One way to identify a fake, is to test the type of metal. Many fakes are not made of the right type of metal. All but one of the fake reales that I've found were made of some metal other than silver.
The fake escudos that I've found were plated. Sometimes the plating was removed either entirely or partly. A pealing surface often provides the first clue.
The amount of wear or lack of wear will sometimes provide a clue.
SedwickCoins maintains a large database of fake Spanish Colonial cobs, including some that are copies of 1715 Fleet coins.
FAKE COBS: ALERTS AND DATABASE by Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC (sedwickcoins.com)
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The NGC coin web site provides information on the top fifty most counterfeited us coins.
Here is that link.
Top 50 Most Commonly Counterfeited U.S. Coins | NGC (ngccoin.com)
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Here is a site that provides a database of fake and counterfeit. coins with photos and detailed descriptions. Here is the link to the section on U.S. coins.
Fake U.S. Coins - Dr. Ilya Prokopov's Fake Ancient Coin Reports (forumancientcoins.com)
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AmericanRarities also provides a great site on fakes and Counterfeits.
Fake Coins, Counterfeit Coins, & Altered Coins - American Rarities
Visual Test. Examine the coin under magnification. Fake coins will usually not have the same level of detail of a Mint struck coin. Do not forget to examine the edge which is the third side of a coin.
Magnetic test. Gold and silver coins are non-magnetic. If your coin reacts to a magnet it is a fake.
Weight Test. Involves weighing the coin on a scale that is sensitive to tenths of a gram.
Chemical Test. Also known as an “acid test”. This tests the metal content and is destructive of the coin.
Sound Test. Sometimes called a “ring test”. Gold and silver coins that have been struck will exhibit a bell like ring when struck by another object.
Specific Gravity Test. This is a complicated test that requires preparation and analysis. It involves simple calculations of the coins weight in open air and suspended in water.
Fire Assay Test. This involves melting down the coin to render the base metal.
Submit the coin for authentication.
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PCGS CoinFacts is an in-depth online encyclopedia of United States coins. As the most comprehensive database for U.S. coins on the internet, CoinFacts is a collector’s leading educational resource for buying, selling, and collecting coins.
CoinFacts includes historical narratives to help you learn about the coins you love accompanied by relevant and up-to-date collectible coin value information. Each section provides numismatists of all levels with a host of information about each coin. Details include PCGS Coin Price Guide values, coin population data by grade, known coin varieties, public coin auction results, and high-resolution PCGS TrueView coin photographs.
PCGS CoinFacts: Your Digital Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins
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| Source: MagicSeaWeed.com. |
Some fronts are due to come through, and we have some chances for some bigger surf. As you can see Wednesday will be higher. I hope others will follow.
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Tomorrow I'll have more photos of the coin shown at the top of post. I'll point out a few of the signs that will give you the answer.
Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net