New forum category for counterfeit coins only - how to id & stay away

A special forum category dedicated exclusively to fake coins would be a good idea imo. So many threads about fakes, some in Coin Chat, some in US Coins, some in World, where nobody can see them, or see them for few says until they go down, are not helping.

A special category with few sticky threads would be more helpful @Peter T Davis

What do you guys think?

 

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What about an open sticky on how to ID fake coins? I could be full on ways how tell if your coin is genuine or not. You could post a comment with a photo of you coin if needed and have people try see if it is real or not. I do not think there is enough activity on the topic for a whole category or sub-forum.

 

I see threads about fakes almost every day. There have been so many threads about fakes, but in a few days they are gone into the dark areas of ct where nobody can see them.

I don't mean a category where people can show their fake / replica coin collections, that's not the point, but a category where people can learn to ID fake coins, where people who have doubts can post pics and discuss, maybe create a library of known fakes, share experiences with fakes, etc.

 

go for it.

 

While you're at it, why don't you petition Peter to add a separate forum for machine doubling?

Chris

 

Maybe this would be a good idea. On the other hand, I kind of like the idea of US fakes vs. world fakes vs. ancient fakes staying in their respective high-level categories; they have some aspects in common, but I (for example) don't get much value out of non-US fake discussions, because I don't collect in other areas.

 

I suggest we fragment the boards into several hundred special interest forums so that each gets less participation.

 

Ya, then I can have a section on military trade tokens!



I voted no. Just post your fakes where you think they belong. If it's interesting enough the tread will be just fine.

 

A reference library with photos would be nice. Any member could post there, but have a moderator appointed "Librarian", who could decide what post is pertinent and put in the right category before it's welded in place. Kinda like a Cointalk Wikipedia.

Edit: There are some very knowlegable coinaholics on this board who's wisdom would could be very helpful even when they aren't around.

 

I think there's a real risk on lawsuits for someone "exposed" who feels their coins are legitimate. I'm not sure the owners of the site would consider it worthwhile to put on here. I do, however, think it would be really awesome for those of us who don't have the experience/knowledge to discern fakes. I'd be all for it, but there's no risk for me as I say that.

 

I voted no. See my comment (and Tom B's) in the photography forum poll about forum proliferation.

 

A new forum? no. A thread with pictures and information in the Numismatic Resources thread and maybe a few other threads? That sounds like a better idea to me.

 

Did someone say Librarian with a penchant for counterfeit coins? :-D

-Steve Caruso, MLIS
Curator, The Black Cabinet

 

I'm sure you have an exceptional website, but to have a thread with more than just one subject, would be a greater resource, I believe. The thread on toning made by I believe physicsfan, comes to mind.

There was another on coin grading, which was very informative but it only touched on Morgan dollars, the same for other denominations would be good.

One on just the coins produced by a certain mint would be good also. What comes to mind on this one was a recent thread on a CC twenty cent piece that someone posted. Very interesting thread that peaked my interest and led me on an web expedition to find out more. Most of what I gathered was information of a seller that always tends to overexagerate the positive and negate the negative.

 

There have been and will be literally hundreds or thousands of threads about counterfeit coins. The question is do we want all those spread around everywhere or kept together in a single sub-category, with the most important ones pinned at the top?

 

Counterfeiters might benefit. Hard to weigh the pros and cons. I'm 50/50.

 

I personally have sent lengthy PM to Doug requesting his objective posting on this subject.

I personally am frustrated with posts as in "PCGS Slab help (fake Morgan Slab??), where individuals without authorative identification profiles are stating assurance of a copy, without an objective resource.

If one doesn't have an objectice source for substantiation of CLAIMS, it's believed that baseless opinions, are only fueling an analogous volatile flame of distrust. It's believed, and prominently advertised in "search engines", that an industry with argumentive grading standards only have the TPG for authentification of originality.

If these TPG can't publish authentification/slab standards, but numerous individuals in discussion sites can advance unsupported judgement STATEMENTS, what is to be trusted?

I personally respect Dougs researched postings, and hope that others of like ilk will enjoin in posting objective subject
matter, pertaining to verification by slab serial numbers, and complete manner for determining slab authenticity.

What will we have next, a MAD (made authentically determined) "bean" for our "slabs"?

JMHO

 

No need for a new subsection, just learn about the coins before you buy them. Plenty of good resources available already.

 

To actually contribute to this thread in a more serious manner, the fact of the matter remains that counterfeits are only going to be playing a bigger and much more prominent part in our hobby over the course of the next decade and beyond. It's simply a matter of numbers (i.e. the growing numbers that counterfeiters are churning out which end up in the hands of collectors).

Many folks think that a subforum will "dilute" what's here already somehow, but information on counterfeits needs to be condensed and kept in one place. Presently, there is no well-defined place on most coin forums to ask for help with counterfeits, nor a well-defined place to look for information on counterfeits.

This is one of the biggest reasons I work on The Black Cabinet. Other websites have asked to team up with the project to both add to and draw information from the database to help keep it central, but make use of it in a wide variety of ways and places. Perhaps we can work something out like that here?

 

You know I thought that too at first. But when people stop buying into their game, the gig is up anyway. They will change with the market. Better to bust them out before they make anough profit to use on better technology.