Was looking over some you tube channels and saw this very informative video on fake 1 OZ GOLD EAGLES ...
There starting to fake everything, isnt there any coin thats off limits, even though I always buy from a reputable source, you always have that in the back of your mind thinking seriously about getting one of these.
Okay, okay, I'll spend 10 minutes watching the video. I've seen listings on That Overseas Website for "AGE" fakes that are a thick layer of gold, thick enough to be struck, over a tungsten core. As I recall they were about a quarter the price of the real deal. That thick a layer of gold will pass an XRF gun. Not sure what a Sigma would think of it, but I doubt it would pass. If the fakers start using an alloy closer to coin gold, they'll cut their gold expenses by 8% give or take, and fool a few more people using ray guns. I dont know whether they'll ever be able to clean up all the design and finish issues, though. I could tell which coin was fake without even playing the video, and I'm pretty sure at this point I'd spot that fake even without a real coin at its side. I wish this video guy would cut one of the fakes in half. That would settle things pretty quickly. Even just drill the edge, point the XRF gun at the flakes, and look for that W (tungsten, "wolfram") signature.
Just remember the flip side to that -- when you (OK, your heirs) go to sell, are you going to be considered a "reputable source"? The folks selling your stash will have to find buyers who have the right testing equipment, or the right trusting nature. Everybody else will be "buying from reputable sources" instead of estate sales...
