Contemporary Counterfeits

I frequently buy them when I see them and have pretty many. Most people look at me like I have two heads when I am buying them or tell them that I actually collect contemporaries. I know they aren't worth a whole lot, but its something I like. They truly have a story of their own. Anyone else share this interest?

The $5 and Panda are new counterfeits.

 

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While everyone has the right to collect what they want, collecting counterfeit coins presents a more serious problem in that it provides a market for the counterfeiter. It is difficult for a collector to protect himself by knowing which coins are truly counterfeit if he doesn't know what the authentic coins look like.

Chris

 

I love contemporary counterfeits too though I only have one . Usually they are hand cut dies like your Bust half , so easy to tell they're fakes . BTW I love your Busty . I wonder if your Indian head gold piece is one of those Mideast jobs .

 

On the flip side of that, a combination of buying really good counterfeits(as counterfeits, of course) along with authentic pieces allows you to detect the most minor tell tale signs/imperfections of a counterfeit. I much rather spend a few bucks here and there learning about counterfeits than get burned.
Most people would not think twice about this coin if they saw it in a dealers case...

 

Agree with chris, your providing a market. I know people who collect old counterfeits though.

 

I would say over 90% of my counterfeits are contemporary. The Panda was given to me at the ANA's Summer Seminar by a teacher. Kind of ironic...

In addition, handling counterfeits and knowing what to look for has saved me a couple times already. I have yet to buy a counterfeit(as genuine).

 

Very cool I love the early counterfeit too I've had a few I bought as such but sold right away

 

I like the early counterfeits

 

Someone reminded me of the Collectible Coin Protection Act. That puts a *whole* new spin on things.

If I had some of these, and wanted to sell them to someone who collects such things, I couldn't.

Options:
1) Keep them
2) Destroy them
3) Stamp them with "COPY"
4) Have buyer agree that they will stamp them upon receipt
5) Give them away (?)

Thoughts?

 

Take a look at the way in which Daniel Carr sells his fantasy restrikes. In each listing he very clearly states the responsibility owners must take and the reselling of his work must be considered and agreed upon, but moreso to protect him from potential claims.

 

There is nothing wrong with collecting contemporary counterfeits, you are not helping the counterfeiters since they died long ago. People like to clump them in with modern fakes, but they are completely different things with different characteristics. I don't collect them specifically but I try to get my hands on as many as possible to study them before finding them a home with an enthusiastic CC collector.

 

My avatar is a counterfeit !

 

See Robert Gurney's new book on Counterfeit 8 Reales on Amazon Books. See the link - LOOK INSIDE. In the first 300 pages it talks about these misnomers you all indicated in your posts - except you Numismat <BG>.

If you have any between 1500-1850 and they are Foreign ... send me a pic ... I may include it my new book on Counterfeits.

John Lorenzo
Numismatist
United States

 

In some contexts, contemp counterfeits have historical significance, and collector value as well. An example would be CCs of confederate notes. printed and circulated by the Union to disrupt the CSA economy.

 

This 1859 3-cent was dug up in a civil war union camp site. just to show how old some counterstamps are!

 

The examples of contemporary circulating counterfeits is numerous. I usually measure the breadth/Knowledge of a collector on how many/different contemporaries he has (if any) in his collection. But that is just me ... of course.

JPL

 

I meant counterfeits not counterstamps, sorry !!

 

Dang good contempory counterfeit too . That would have passed easily at any merchants store .

 

I'd like to think that most collectors can tell the difference between modern fakes made to fool us collectors and the older Contemporaries that were made to fool the store clerks at the time . I think anything clearly made with the intent to fool merchants in time past wouldn't have to be marked in the same way or any way for that matter . But if a big enough market comes around for CCs you can bet the Chinese will start making them .

 

You are right about china counterfeit's see this one !!