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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Jack D. Young, post: 4291616, member: 93371&quot;]Working on a research article on a “rediscovered” counterfeit early copper, the (1694) Elephant Token; this “preview” will present some of the images and thoughts on these for discussion in this forum.</p><p><br /></p><p>I had the opportunity at the end of the EAC 2019 Convention in Dayton, Ohio (which I chaired with my better half) to discuss some initial research of a friend and EAC Dealer on several examples of this token, attributed as “Hodder 2-B” (both thin and thick planchets), the most common variety of the type. My friend showed me his TPG certified example and the issues with it; I agreed to keep it under wraps until we could both conduct additional research. The following example is his “discovery” piece and now in my collection:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1092410[/ATTACH] </p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Writer&#039;s TPG certified example (cert now inactive)</p><p><br /></p><p>As a point of reference I include this image describing the dies and die combinations known for the series according to Michael Hodder:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1092412[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1092413[/ATTACH] </p><p>A few months passed and my friend notified me he was going to make a post in one of my Face Book Groups discussing what he had uncovered to date on these and I joined in the discussion. Images were posted of several matching examples, all in TPG holders and sold in several different auction venues!</p><p><br /></p><p>In the resulting discussion another friend and group member posted his TPG certified and CAC stickered example with the note he was sure it was good, but we had to tell him it was also one of the struck fakes…</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1092414[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Additional research with other members participating uncovered 5 different certified examples of different apparent detail grades and surface conditions, but they all matched each other in the main common attribution points while differing from known genuine examples.</p><p><br /></p><p>As luck (or perseverance) would have it I found another interesting example listed for sale in a current at the time Stack’s Bowers auction listed as a “<b><i>struck copy</i></b>”- this high grade version matched exactly the other counterfeits and was in the highest “state of preservation” we had seen to date. I was actually the underbidder in the auction as the bids hit $900.00 and exceeded my threshold of pain! Reference comparison images as follows(SB copy on the left, one of the &quot;new counterfeits center, known genuine example right):</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1092415[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1092416[/ATTACH] </p><p>I posted this example and comparison images as a continuing discussion in my group and another friend stated it reminded him of an article in the Numismatist written by Eric Newman back in the 60’s. I immediately went to the website of the portal in his name (Newman Numismatic Portal) and started my search. The results were quick and the article available there and entitled <i>“AN ELEPHANT TOKEN NEVER FORGETS - FORGERY“;</i> images as follows:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1092417[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1092418[/ATTACH] </p><p>What an amazing find! In the research of all of the current deceptive struck counterfeits I have been involved in (over 25 different denominations/ varieties to date) a main focus is always to find the source coin. What is different about this “variety” is that the source example doesn’t appear to be a genuine coin but instead a struck copy (and not necessarily the latest Stack’s example) attributed back to 1965!</p><p><br /></p><p>And giving Newman his due, he had also called out some deceptive Colonial counterfeits in the late 70’s, again in the Numismatist. One of those showed up in a TPG holder and later matched to Newman’s images and proven counterfeit in-hand (I wrote a Coin Week article on that one summarizing that research at <a href="https://coinweek.com/counterfeits/struck-counterfeit-coin-week-1723-silver-dg-rex-hibernia/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://coinweek.com/counterfeits/struck-counterfeit-coin-week-1723-silver-dg-rex-hibernia/" rel="nofollow">https://coinweek.com/counterfeits/struck-counterfeit-coin-week-1723-silver-dg-rex-hibernia/</a>).</p><p><br /></p><p>Shortly after the Stack’s auction I ran across another example for sale in a small local auction venue. This one matched the attribution points of the others and was holdered in an old PCI slab. Internet searches show this one sold 6 times in a period from 2013 through 2019, apparently not finding a happy home. Notifying the auction house of the status of this one they agreed to pull the listing and stated they would forward my contact information to the consignor but I never heard anything from that- just waiting to see it show up in another venue.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1092419[/ATTACH] </p><p>The TPG (except the defunct PCI) and the auction houses were all made aware of these counterfeits with certs being deactivated or removed including CAC, so it was quite surprising to receive a note from my friend and colleague to look up a recent certed elephant token and see the Stack’s “struck copy” TPG certified as one of the finest known of the variety!</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1092420[/ATTACH] </p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stack&#039;s Bowers example top, TPG certified example bottom</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Again the TPG was notified and the cert removed but the “coin” is still out there in the slab as far as I know, just waiting to make its next appearance…</p><p><br /></p><p>Best, Jack.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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