Dwight Manley Warns of “Frighteningly Deceptive Counterfeit”

Fake coins are sold in both raw and slabbed form, online and offline. This is why it is important to buy coins from a reliable source.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I am sorry if I misinterpreted your post sir.

 

Because there are no fake unslabbed coins? lol

 

I certainly haven't deliberately avoided slabbed coins. My meager collections don't include many coins worthy of submitting for cert. I wish that were not the case. I think a registry set of any popular series is about as cool as it gets. I was looking at some registry sets of (UK) Maundy Money yesterday. Something I can only dream about.

The thing about cert coins is that you not only get the fun of collecting, you also nail down a professionally accepted (mostly) grade for your treasures, and thereby establish a baseline point of value. That sets your coin in an altogether different category other than simply "collectible." Once certified, it becomes a recognized investment. There are many reasons for TPG services. The fact that thieves are working round the clock to try to duplicate certified coins and holders testifies to their value.

There have been, and always will be thieves. Our best defense is not to turn our backs away from certified coins. Many enjoy the benefits that come with Third Party Grading. We're not going to give that up. Instead, we need to double back on our own education and knowledge and arm ourselves to be our own best, first line of defense. If anything, these types of "scares" have taught us that no one should simply "buy the plastic." Those who do are placing themselves at risk. Just my humble opinion. Jack

 

No because I've had the chance to examine them properly and not put blind faith in a piece of plastic

 

NGC has graded and slabbed more than 30 million coins. Counting the one pictured in this thread, I have seen probably 10 or 20 even remotely passable fakes of NGC slabs. I'll take those odds. And, there is nothing that can't really be examined properly on a coin in an edge view holder.

Faked slabs are NOT made to fool experts and well seasoned numismatists. They are made to fool newbies or those buying blindly. In which case, for a person who is new to the hobby, I can guarantee you that the probability of buying a fake coin raw is MUCH higher than buying a fake coin in a slab. Of course, a newbie may also not know what a coin's true value is, and may overpay for slabbed material -- but that is a different topic.

I have lots of raw and slabbed coins -- but I also know what I'm doing in terms of grading and authenticity. The comment of being "very glad to have avoided collecting slabbed coins for the duration of my numismatic life" has no bearing on the issue in this thread -- it implies that you somehow avoid fakes by only buying raw coins -- which is nonsense.

 

It implies that I've come to know what I'm doing because I've taken the time to learn and develop a trained eye by buying raw coins. Growing as a numismatist in the process.

Edit: and I agree you can still visually inspect a coin just as well with an edgeview holder, but this is becoming increasingly less reliable. You can't measure weight, specific gravity or do an XRF analysis (mostly relevant to high end coins) through plastic.