Hi here folks, A friend of mine gave me 10 coins to examine more closely and give him my opinion. I'm definitely not an expert but still have some "attraction" towards the hobby of collecting. So, I photographed all those coins I was talking out, so you guys (and gals?) can give an opinion as well. In my eyes, most of them are definitely fake, but I'm not sure about 2 or 3 of them. It would be interesting to see *your* input. It will be greatly appreciated! Here is the album: http://goo.gl/Fl2Rh
I will leave the US coinage to others, although I have to say they look a long way off right to me. The British Trade Dollar certainly looks a wrong 'un. These coins are not known for weak strikes, and that one is so weak it can't be right. Some of the lettering looks too crude too. I would say they all look like very low grade Chinese copies.
Yes, none of those are money. (coins in circulation) They are replicas but I'm not sure of the origin.
I absolutely agree with PaddyB and Raymond Beracha. All the coins pictured appear to be counterfeits. Some are quite crude and the weak strikes are especially noticeable. Also, the Indian Head dollar is a complete fantasy piece, as no dollar coin was ever struck with that motif (that I know of). More seasoned collectors can go into better detail than I can, but the easiest way to tell is to put a magnet to them. Silver isn't magnetic, so if they stick they're definitely fake, but also keep in mind that sometimes counterfeiters use base metals that aren't magnetic. Another thing to do is weigh and measure the coins, as counterfeits are often larger than they should be to make up the for weight difference between silver and the metals they're using. I hope your friend didn't spend very much on this lot.
It is rare for fake coins to fail on the magnet test - but still worth a try. Most are made of cupro-nickel alloys - the same as most modern white metal coinage. There are 3 main approaches I think to identifying fakes: 1. The scientific approach. Measure diameter, thickness and weight and compare to what they should be - any significant discrepancy and you have your answer. If possible test the metal content using standard precious metal testing kits, although these will mark the coin, so usually a last resort. 2. The accuracy approach. Check the designs against the books - the detail of the engraving, the shape of the letters, even the matching of denticles in the rim to features of the coin. Real coins do have recognised errors - look out for them, and compare any you find to those recorded. You are unlikely to be finding entirely new variations in an old coin, so any variation not recorded before should make you suspicious. In old coins particularly, it was a matter of national pride that their coins were well designed and made - poor manufacture is not the norm. 3. The feel factor. After a while you will develop a feel for right and wrong - it is not infallible, but in many cases you will have subconsciously picked up an issue that one of the above methods will then confirm for you. Fakes come in a wide range of qualities. Many are glaringly obvious, and the ones in this thread so far come in that bracket. Some are much better, and the best will fool even the experts for a while. One final tip - at coin fairs, beware of confidently declaring some traders coin a fake. You may believe it so, but if the current owner believes it is genuine, you might earn yourself a thump on the nose!
With these "coins", no testing is required. Just a quick glance at the pictures and all are easily identified as fake. The best way to identify real from phoney is to look at as many genuine coins as you can... at your LCS, a coin show, a club, etc. Once you've seen enough, crude fakes like the ones you posted stand out like a sore thumb. But a word of caution, as PaddyB stated above: there are many, many well made counterfeits out there... some so well manufactured that even some coin dealers and so called "experts" are fooled.
Wow, thank you very much for your generous and useful advice, guys! GREATLY appreciated. And yes, the Indian dollar was pretty hilarious indeed, even for novice as me. I don't think that my friend got burned too badly on those, although *any* sum is wasted on those. I will use your advice to be better coin identifier, as I will probably need it in the near future. It's more challenging that to recognise a nice genuine Patek Philippe of VC from a fake one, but it's worth it. Again, thank you so much for the awesome, friendly & extensive advice, and I hope you have a fantastic Weekend!
