OK, friend was asked to list a gold coin on eBay. Due to the rampant chinese counterfeiting, of course my first instinct is that it's counterfeit. Can anyone point me to a good website (or book if it must be) to help look for features to identify if it's real or not? Also, he said the weight was 35 grams per a postal scale. While that seemed a gram or two high, I figured that postal scales aren't all that accurate anyway. Attached are two photos he took. The obverse is pretty blurry, but you can see some details on the reverse. I figured you guys might spot something right away, but I would still prefer to find a good website for future reference. Thanks in advance. PS. I've also recommended that it be graded before he list it.
Same here. I can't tell from the photos if it is genuine or not. I think I see some tool marks along the top of the reverse (which would be an indication of a fake) but I can't tell for sure. I would recommend takking it to a coin dealer and asking his opinion. As far as a one-step method of counterfeit detection - I don't know of any. Like most complex subjects you need to gain an education that takes some time. You need to know how coins are made and the characteristics of genuine coins. Then you need to learn how various counterfeits are made and their characteristics. The subject of counterfeit coins is fairly complex but not that difficult once you learn the fundamentals. A good place to start your education is the book Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection from PCGS. ANA offers a great Counterfeit Detection course as Summer Seminar and mini courses at major coin shows.
Thanks for replying guys. I haven't gotten better picks and I haven't gotten a chance to actually see the coin. However, he did take my advice and tell the person that he won't list it unless he gets it authenticated. I believe they are sending it to ANACS. Once again, Thanks
Well, I guess he got it back from ANACS and already listed it on eBay. It came back as AU-55 Details: Scratched. Thanks for recommending the book, much appreciated.
