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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;JCro57, post: 3244439, member: 92083&quot;]Just as I think everyone should study the basics of how coins are made (and used to be made whichever you collect), it is equally important to study fakes, altered, and damaged coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have about 20-30 fakes that I bought from different series. $2 is my max unless I can prove they are 90% gold/silver, and then I pay melt value (and it helps to have friends who have a Fischerscope Xan machine which can tell if they&#039;re plated or 90% pure through and through). And they have to be decent fakes, not die casts.</p><p><br /></p><p>After studying these, I can&#039;t tell you how easy it is to spot them immediately even without a loupe. Some are obvious to most people. Some fool even experienced dealers. Be someone who others can come to tell if they&#039;re genuine or not. I consider it a responsibility of a true coin collector and/or numismatist. I also feel it is a responsibility to share our knowledge, especially so with those who are getting started.</p><p><br /></p><p>By studying both how coins are minted and how they are faked/altered/cleaned, you eliminate 90% of the problems when it comes to determining if you should buy a coin or not, either slabbed or raw.</p><p><br /></p><p>For example, here is a two-headed nickel. Both sides are from real nickels. This is an easy one...you would think. I teach 10th graders and showed this to several classes. I asked people who were interested or who already collect coins to look at my &quot;genuine&quot; error coin. Only one in about 40 took the time to check the edge and she still didn&#039;t question it could have been altered. Only one saw they had 2 different dates and still thought it was real.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]850081[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]850082[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]850083[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Next is a Trade Dollar. It is 90% silver. And 100% fake.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]850085[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]850084[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Fake Morgan dollar</p><p>[ATTACH=full]850086[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]850087[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>This is what we are up against, including some just as bad on some sleazy and ignorant dealer&#039;s tables.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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