Fake Ancients "This collection is being assembled to show all sorts of fakes of ancient coins, made in modern times. Fake coins, made in ancient times, are a different subject, and were created to be counterfeits. The specimens shown in this collection were made for various reasons. Some are tourist fakes, and usually sold as such and some were made so the common person could have an example of a terribly rare coin that would normally not ever be available. Others were made to be used in jewelry and some are made to be thought of as real to defraud unsuspecting collectors." Fake Ancients -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Counterfeit Coin Detection "IN A NUTSHELL: Counterfeit coins are an unavoidable reality in the numismatic marketplace, particularly with ancient coins though with modern coins as well. Learning the diagnostics of coin forgeries as well as the characteristics of authentic coins, buying from reputable dealers, avoiding sellers you don't know who create "private" eBay actions, avoiding sellers in any venue with a no-return policy claiming they're selling coins from an estate, and buying smart in general can minimize your exposure to coin counterfeits. The study of counterfeits, along with protecting you, can also be interesting in itself." Counterfeit Coin Detection --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Counterfeit Coin Bulletin "I give below a partial index of the First 9 Volumes of the IBSCC report published by IAPN form 1976 to 1984. I hope ANA will consider publishing a complete Index to this publication so that even if collectors don't have it online they will know a report exists on that particular coin they are just about to invest a fortune, ......" CCB - index of 1st nine issues "The “Counterfeit Coin Bulletin” was launch as a joint effort by the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN). It replaced the “Bulletin on Counterfeits” which had been produced by the “International Bureau for the Suppression of Counterfeit Coins” (IBSCC) for the IAPN since the 1970s. There is a partial index for the first nine issues of the "Bulletin on Counterfeits", 1976 to 1984, on a site devoted to Sri Lankan coins. Unfortunately in 2003 the ANA no longer felt able to continue with the joint venture. At the time of writing (May 2004) the IAPN have not announced if a successor journal will be published." "This index covers the eight issues of the Bulletin between April 2000 and December 2002. Wherever possible it uses the classifications and words originally used. This occasionally is confusing. There is an entry for Syracusan bronze under Greece and two other Syracusan coins are under Sicily. The main country section of the index is arranged alphabetically by country. Within each country dates are listed from the earliest time to the most recent." CCB - 2000 - 2002 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How The West Was Faked " Preface Over half a century and more a variety of false gold ingots purporting to derive from the 19th century West, as well as from 18th century Mexico and Arizona, have appeared on the market. The forgers who made and marketed these bars were Paul G. Franklin (1919-2000) of Massapequa Park, Long Island, and John J. Ford, jr. (1924-2005 ) of Rockville Center, Long Island. Both moved to Arizona in the 1960's. The ingots have been sold directly to collectors, or offered at auction by various dealers. The largest single collection of this material was assembled privately by Josiah Lilly, who believed them to be genuine. These are now owned by the nation, as part of the numismatic collection of the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington. This series of essays clarifies the origin and history of the false bars as a phenomenon, and more particularly of certain types of the bars whose fraudulence can be demonstrated in detail. There is also a discussion of the false prooflike $20s, allegedly made by the United States Assay Office of Gold in 1853, from the "Franklin Hoard"; these are traced to the same two forgers. The essays will also consider the unhappy effect that this false material has had not only on collecting but on serious study and scholarship." How The West Was Faked ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert Matthews - Coin Authentication "The aim of this website is to assist in the battle against the counterfeiting of coins. To achieve this aim the site provides information on genuine British milled coins, on the science of examining coins and on counterfeit coins of all types. A new edition of the Counterfeit Coin Newsletter is posted on this site every six months. The latest edition of the Newsletter is at: Counterfeit Coin Newsletter No.5 December 2005. Access to the other information on the site is via the Coin Information page, whose link is on the left. Any information on counterfeit coins and corrections to any errors on the site are welcome." Coin Authentication ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Counterfeit Coin Club A large selection of links leading to articles and examples of counterfeit coins. Counterfeit Coin Club -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Forgery Network "A recently created website on forgeries, Forgery Network, is an independent database maintained by dealers and the public, to help eliminate forgeries being sold as authentic in the marketplace. Some warning - anyone can add material to this site anonymously, so authentic coins will be included. There is no process for validating by experts if entries are authentic or forgeries except to read opinions as to what people (any given person) think about a given piece." Forgery Network.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Micro O - Counterfeit Morgan Dollars "(Newport Beach, California) – The so-called “Micro O” variety New Orleans Mint Morgan silver dollars dated 1896, 1900 and 1902 are actually deceptive, contemporary counterfeits, according to research conducted by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) of Newport Beach, California, a division of Collectors Universe, Inc. " “After examining the group of coins, it became apparent that these Morgan dollars were not struck in the New Orleans Mint in the years indicated by their dates. In fact, they were not struck in the mint at any time. These coins are among the most deceptive copies of United States coins seen. It is probable that they date to the early part of the twentieth century, but may have been struck as late as the 1940's.” Micro O Counterfeits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
