Featured An examination of the counterfeit slab epidemic. Scope and advice.

Well said.

 

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Thought I would continue to post these as they continue to pop up; not “epidemic” but maybe a “movement”…

Some are laughable but still being sold; pretty obvious from my combination images “what’s wrong with this picture” (similar early release genuine images courtesy NGC)!

 

And the latest one for the "pile" (PCGS genuine slab on the right)...

 

Jack, are the coins legit in both of your recent posts, just "overgraded" by being in counterfeit holders ?

 

The 1880-S appears to be genuine but in an "upgraded" fake slab. The 2016 $50 is a fake GoldFinger.

 

I concur

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/412632?spm=a2g0o.store_home.pcShopHead_424226.0

A couple dozen offered for sale.

 

This is an uphill battle...

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/392738219603

This seller has about 40 fake PCGS slabs available.

 

Pretty bad tidal wave...



I reported the listings.

 

Do I see them offering $20 Saints for $125 ??????

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/412632?spm=a2g0o.store_home.pcShopHead_424226.0

 

38 more compromised certs.

Those saints are stolen Heritage pics, which was pretty common on Aliexpress a couple years ago. It is just more evidence that Heritage was the main source of data mining

If you look up the Coin World article on counterfeit slabs, they have an image of a “counterfeit” 1908 $20. It is actually a genuine but stolen Heritage image pulled from AliExpress.

 

So what would I get if I forked over $125 ?

 

A gold-plated brass fake in a fake slab. In total, value would be about $5

 

Talk to you later, I'm online giving them my Mastercard......

 

I'm thinking at one point they were offering tungsten-cored gold for something like a quarter the price of a legit piece -- there was enough gold around the core to let the coin be struck up, which meant it would have the right density and pass an XRF test.

 

yup. However, a Sigma PMV would catch those immediately

 

One of the few cases where I agree that the Sigma is a useful tool.

 

i would think it would be incredibly useful for anyone who deals in a lot of bullion. One fake 1oz gold bar would have paid for the machine

 

My skepticism is partly because I think you could easily come up with a fake composition that fools the machine. I don't know that anyone has done so.