Counterfeit coins have been around as long as coins have. For a very long time I have attempted to thwart the efforts of those who attempt to profit from them. While some major victories have been won, the proliferation of this bane to our hobby continues at an alarming rate. All we can do is educate ourselves as well as others and be constantly vigilant in our numismatic transactions. This is where we as numismatists have become our own worst enemy. Amid the competition to acquire new material, snatch up a “real deal” or “cherry pick” an item from say Kijiji or eBay, caution and common sense may sometimes be forgotten. The naive or inexperienced are most vulnerable at this time. That is not the group at which I am aiming this column. I hope that the inexperienced save this article and use the examples given and markers presented to assist them in identifying counterfeit coins coming from China. What I am really hoping is that the more experienced collectors and dealers realize their reactions to counterfeit material may well harm the hobby as much as the fake coins themselves. I will bet that every person reading this has told a friend of an amazing purchase or heard one from a fellow collector. Now the real question: How many have told the story of being duped by a fake or have had that story told to them? Continue reading →
On this counterfeit, marks on cheek and neck are typical on all Victorian obverses. However, obverse legend markers differ slightly.
