Howdy Y'all. I've collected coins for years and came across this token in a box of junk at a flea market. I did some looking around on the internet and of course read the history of the coin and have seen that there have been replicas of it made. I know that the one replica has the reproducer's initials beneath the ship. Given that mine doesn't have that, what other signs can I look for to determine if its real or fake? In comparing this coin to those certified authentic, it appears that all the details are correct. One thing I think you'll see in the picture is that the "D" in ADMIRAL on the obverse is messed up. I'm not sure if an original could have suffered a defect like that? Thanks for any opinions and thoughts!
I am not familiar with this particular medal, but my first impression was that this piece was made by casting, which, if true, would be indicative of being a replica.
