HI: I have until recently been of the belief that faking low value coins such as common date Peace and/or especially junk silver was cost prohibitive. But after hearing enough talk and watching some Youtube videos on the subject, I'm beginning to rethink this. I am looking for tools to help me determine the authenticity of coins. Are there any you guys can recommend? Scales? Silver test kits? Methods you can share? Thanks.
The ANA has a correspondence course called Detecting Altered and Counterfeit Coins. It includes a DVD -- it's a bit dated (hello 1990s haircut!), but the information is perfectly up-to-date. You watch the DVD and go through a work book. I highly recommend spending a few bucks to take this course. I've taken some of their correspondence courses without registering to earn a certificate. It's $100 to register for the certificate and an additional $200 to take the final test. I personally don't care about the certificate, so I've just taken the courses individually and saved myself that extra $300.
I test all the silver coins I buy by checking their weight and diameter. There are many fake coins out there and our "friends" in China are cranking them out. If you are a serious coin collector I recommend a accurate scale and digital caliper. They are not too expensive.
Yes, this exactly. Two of the best capital investments you'll ever make. My current caliper and scale are analog, but my next ones will probably be digital. Age is relentless.
Don't forget a good magnet! Localyokel, you a Peace$ guy? Love the Peace$....my most favorite coin. I've been buying Morgan's and Peace$ for the past couple years. 500+ and in that time I have rec'v 2 counterfeit Morgan's. Both of them were spot on weight and diameter and both were not attracted to magnet. My Peeps here at CT spotted they were fakes almost instantly. Fortunately I have access to a XRF where I work, not a trace of silver in either coin. It's amazing how the Chinese can manufacture these fakes. Great post!
Thanks for the suggestions. I guess there is no way to confirm silver content without damaging the coin? It seems with the low value coins they don't use silver, but the higher value numismatics they might.
A lot of people think along those lines, but it's not true, never has been. Low value coins are the easiest ones to get away with counterfeiting because no one ever suspects them - for the same reasons you don't. Think about it for a minute. If you go to a store and tender a 1, 5, 10, or $20 bill does anybody check it to see if it's counterfeit ? No, but they'll sure check a $50 or a $100. In sheer numbers of bills, the $1 bill has had more counterfeits made than any other. Same kind of thing with coins. Yes there is, it's called an XRF machine. But they aren't cheap.
While this is undeniably the case, I never felt happy with myself until I could succinctly express exactly WHY it was off. Know what I mean?
I used to work for the federal government, and one of the things the North Koreans did was bleach $1 bills, then print the $100s over them. Thus, it gave it the "feel" and durability of true paper (cloth) currency that no one could ever perfect. Of course, once washed the color would come out.
Bellman’s current scales and caliper set: He’s kinda old school still! Lol Love ya buddy, Reed. P.s. I’m even lower tech, this is my scale and caliper in one convenient package. Bellman and I arguing over who’s scales are best:
"Do you test your own coins"? I give them multiple choice questions, on animals and gram crackers, on a weekly basis. Most pass, but some fail.........