A seller of counterfeit coins in counterfeit Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) holders has pleaded guilty to importing counterfeit coins and bars into the U.S.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
NGC first became aware Jonathan Kirschner, of Moorestown, N.J., was selling counterfeit NGC holders in mid-2017. NGC gathered additional details and shared this information with a federal investigator. This June, NGC was informed Kirschner had been taken into custody and pleaded guilty.
“NGC will vigorously protect its intellectual property and the coin collecting community,” said Richard S. Montgomery, NGC president and grading finalizer. “We are pleased that a seller of counterfeit coins and holders has been brought to justice.”
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 1.
SEVERAL SECURITY ELEMENTS
NGC encapsulates coins in a proprietary holder that features a number of elements to protect against counterfeiting and tampering, including ultraviolet ink, microprinting, an ultrasonic seal and an advanced hologram.
As an added security measure, NGC says it has also imaged “virtually every coin it has encapsulated” since October 2008 and has made these images available for free in the NGC mobile app and at NGCcoin.com/verify.
For additional information about protecting yourself from fraudulent holders, visit NGCcoin.com/security.