I picked up a silver one piastre French coin when I was in Vietnam in the 1960's. I looked at it closely the other day, and it has a date of "1682". Of course, that can't possibly be right. I think these coins started to be minted in the 1880's. I know there have been some fake coins produced, but surely a fake would not put such a date on a coin, would they? I suppose it could be an error at the mint. The reverse has an "A" which I understand is the Paris mint. Anyway, if anyone could help, I would be appreciateive. Best regards, Jimfoxy PS I will try to post photos.
My guess is that someone using the same techniques that forum member Billzach uses to create hobo nickels worked on your coin, but with far less skill than our forum member! Notice the angle between the date and the top of the exurge, and the slightly off-center location of the date. Except for that date, of course, it is clearly a (genuine or counterfeit) French Indo-China Piastre - either KM#5, 27.215 g, .900 silver, .7875 oz. ASW, originally dated between 1885 and 1895; or the ever-so-slightly debased KM#5a, 27 g, .900 silver, .7812 oz. ASW, originally dated between 1895 and 1928. Depending on date and condition, if real it used to be worth somewhere between $25-500. BTW you are absolutely correct about the mint mark.
Thanks for the Information Thanks Hontonai, I did some more googling and found that a number of these coins with strange dates were and maybe still are being sold in Vietnam. No doubt the date made the coin a novelty. I still don't know if it is real or not. One source said the counterfeits were mostly magnetic, being made of iron and silver plated. My coin is not the least bit magnetic. How do you tell if it is silver or not? JIm
Oh, it's real all right - a real product of the Chinese counterfeit industry that has been extensively discussed on this forum. Google for instructions on making a specific gravity test. Otherwise, spend a couple of hundred bucks, and submit it to a metallurgical laboratory for testing. Preliminary test: If you don't have an accurate scale take it to a jewelery store and ask them to weigh it, then compare the weight with those of the genuine coins - 27g or 27.215g. Unless it's within several hundredths of one of those weights, you'll have your answer.
