Great deal, oh wait.....

Such blatant attempts to knowingly sell fakes and stick people with them make me sad.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WEIMAR-5-RE...9068505?pt=US_World_Coins&hash=item1c4ce398d9

 

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What gives it away?

 

did you contact him?

 

His paranoid listing stating no returns for any reason is a give away.

 

So are you going to throw the new Hobby Protection Act book at him?

 

I wish there was a comment section on eBay listings. To me, I don't need to know much about this coin to see that is has the Chinese counterfeit look, but others can easily be fooled. I see it constantly. Either fake coins altogether, business strikes marketed as rare proofs, deplorable grading standards and so on. I would love to just say FAKE right in the listing.

 

So what are the hallmarks that it's a fake and how do you distinguish which nationality they are?

 

Soft details, and if it's like others I have seen it will also be underweight.

Nope, I don't even bother when they know it's fake. They will just act ignorant, maybe take it down, but it will be put back up later. I'm tired of that run-around, so I contact them when I think they are genuinely unaware.

 

All of the older Chinese fakes had that dull pewter look to them. I've handled enough fake trade dollars to spot this look a mile away.

 

I think it's harder for us all to know what you guys see, and to know these fakes infect so many, every, era and issue of coin. It's just good to pick others' brains to pick up hints at what to look for.

If anyone can grab these fake coins' pics and circle or highlight the hallmarks or most egregious areas, that would be super, too.

 

I contacted him, he responded with this.
My best friend owns Park Ave numismatics (Rob Green) he is going to get it tmw to tell me exactly what the status is.

 

The one I posted, look at the peripheral lettering, especially around the top of both sides. It's very soft looking and low in profile, almost looking like it blends into the fields. The edge reeding looks weak and oddly beveled near where they "turn the corner" to the flat sides. Also, what looks like a crack running through the tree is a die scratch. All of these point to sloppy manufacture. Not something seen on genuine coins but a common feature on Chinese copies.
Eastern European copies tend to be sharper.

 

Here is a genuine example. Beyond just the look of the coin, you will notice that the strike is much sharper and has more depth to the design.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/141191511728