The post "I was emailed by a counterfeiter" was a real wakeup call. I don't much like the idea of slabbing coins, after all I want to hold them and make my own pix. And if counterfeiters can counterfeit slabs too, then what's the point. I looked through the FAQ section but didn't find anything specifically about recognizing counterfeits. Seems to me this would be a valuable forum for cointalk to open up. Who can recommend literature on this subject? Naturally I'd like one comprehensive book that tells me everything I need to know, but I suppose that book doesn't exist. I also suppose that no book can substitute for actually holding a real coin and its counterfeit in your hands and comparing them, but that'll be hard except perhaps at a special counterfeit school. Still, any references that exist on this subject would be welcome, and I think a forum where members can warn of the latest perfidious scams would also be a good idea. Also, maybe a source of guaranteed good-quality counterfeit coins at a reasonable price would be useful.
Here's a start: The Dangerous, Controversial, and Fascinating World of Counterfeit Coins http://rg.ancients.info/bogos/ As far as books go, I recommend Charles Larson's fascinating read: "Numismatic Forgery"; it's a real eye opener, and readily available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Numismatic-Forgery-Charles-M-Larson/dp/0974237124
