VERY NICE POST!! I passed this on to the Collector's Universe forums where i do most of my posting. I hope you don't mind me stealing your info!! Thanks again ! Todd
http://www.ngccoin.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=35 Counterfeit Panda Coins Posted by Jay Turner, NGC Grader and Attributor on 3/1/2005 A rash of skillful counterfeits are endangering the integrity of the popular Chinese Panda coin series. Find out how you can tell a true Ling-Ling from a cunning fake-fake. When most people think of counterfeit coins, they often think of Gold, Key Dates, and older coins. However, recent is sues of coins are now being counterfeited at an alarming rate. These pieces are not only a danger for collectors and dealers, but they usher in a new era in which possibly no coin is safe from replication and fraud. Real Panda Click to enlarge Counterfeit Panda Click to enlarge Real Panda Eyes Click to enlarge Counterfeit Panda Eyes Click to enlarge The Chinese Panda coins have been popular among collectors and dealers since their introduction in 1982. Almost immediately, counterfeit Pandas began to surface. The 1982 Gold Panda coin was so popular that it quickly and dramatically rose above gold in value, sometimes trading for more than double. 1982 Gold Pandas were the first coins in the series to be counterfeited. While this was a sad reality, the counterfeits for the most part remained scarce. ..... (fair use snippet)
http://reviews.ebay.com/Counterfeit-Pandas-Chinese-Silver-and-Gold_W0QQugidZ10000000000935653 Counterfeit Pandas, Chinese Silver (and Gold) by: bullioncoins( 144) 778 out of 792 people found this guide helpful. Guide viewed: 31343 times Tags: silver panda | gold panda | panda | counterfeit | fake Bullion coin collectors enjoy Chinese panda coins more than almost any other bullion coin series. However, in the past year, counterfeit panda coins (especially silver ones) have flooded the market. This guide will help you avoid counterfeit pandas. First, when you are looking at an auction for a panda, make sure that the picture shows the denomination (a number, such as 10 or 50, followed by the Yuan symbol -- ). It is believed that all counterfeit pandas are made in China, and presumably the counterfeiters get in less trouble if they leave off the denomination. As a result, the majority of counterfeit pandas do not have the denomination on them. Note that there are a few legitimate pandas that do not include the Yuan marking (such as the 1982 gold ones, and the 1992 Sino-Japanese one). Then, check the seller's location. Currently, most fake pandas are sold by sellers in China. There are lots of good sellers in China, and there will likely be some people re-selling counterfeits from other countries, but you need to be especially careful with auctions from China. Check to see if there is a very low price, but a very high shipping charge. Many (but not all!) of the counterfeit pandas are sold by sellers in China, that have shipping charges that account for 90% or more of the total price. ............... fair use snippet
