This is a nagging concern when buying Panda coins, particularly for the beginner collector who is unlikely to be able to spot a fake because of their inexperience, or who may not have built up enough of a collection to have a genuine piece with which to do a side-by-side comparison. Some of the coins don't even exist (e.g. Many Chinese people even have a problem in detecting fake money. A genuine silver eagle weighs 31.101 grams. These would be very difficult for me to tell. Small details matter: as you can see, the denticles are sharp and well struck. Doing that same search on eBay today now returns about 600 items. Reeded Edge Defined - What is a Reeded Edge? Thank you very much for your informative article. Does the silver coin pass a magnification check? However, many counterfeit coins do weigh the same as an authentic example. Under magnification, this fake eagle looks soapy and dull. Also, inspect the edge of the coin for file marks indicating a sprue or seam was removed. By using The Spruce Crafts, you accept our. The only definitive answer to the question of authenticity is the written conclusion of a recognized coin expert with an attached metallurgical report—an expense that in most cases makes little economic sense. If you buy Chinese silver Panda coins on eBay, you could be purchasing a counterfeit coin.Many Panda coins listed on eBay are fake. Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. I think those most I've payed for a Chinese coin was 5 bucks. The sellers are now international, many from China. The six steps given above will help you determine that. So studying the design is crucial and asking experts is a must. Look for silver plating that failed to fill into tiny spots and crevices. Nearly half are suspicious looking. Since the first coins were minted almost 2,400 years ago, unscrupulous people have been devising ways to manufacture counterfeit coins. All they can say is that it "doesn't look right." Although the methods listed above will often enable you to rule out most fakes (especially the weight test,) sometimes close examination under a strong magnifier can help settle the matter. Although higher-quality plated struck fakes might look pretty convincing, many counterfeiters don't bother to plate the coin with silver! I bought them all from a reputable dealer and feel confident that they are legit. The eBay picture for Chinese porcelain quickly started to change. How to Detect Fake Chinese Money. Copyright 2005 - 2021 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Weigh the coin in question; if the weight is wrong for the type, don't buy it! If deemed not genuine, the coin is not encapsulated. Fake silver coins may or may not have a silver-plated finish on them. One wonders how they can get things like this so obviously wrong. Most small coin dealers believe they can spot fake silver coins by sight or touch, but These are HIGH quality counterfeits: Not only are the fake silver coins not authentic, but as our readers would imagine, are not even pure silver, as the Chinese counterfeiters have … Unlike the silver Pandas, the coin photos of these new items appear to be of genuine coins. Request an immediate refund if the coin you purchased turns out to be a counterfeit. Look for the seam. The genuine silver eagle is a beautiful coin, resplendent with luster and with nice relief. I rarely encounter fake rare American coins on eBay, but fake Pandas are common. Don't Fall for Stories and Always Get a Guarantee. Some real hoard material is like this, but more often crusty with obscured characters, or with impressions of an adjacent piece cooked into the patina. Poorly struck numbers in the date. Most of these counterfeit £2 pound coins originate from China, where so-called ‘ replica’ £2 coins are manufactured and sold legally, but it is illegal to import them into the UK. As you prepare for your visit to China, this guide will provide a simple introduction to the Chinese renminbi and answer questions related to exchanging money and avoiding fake bank notes. Scratch Test: For this test you need a non-glazed ceramic plate, and the goal is to drag your coin/bar across the plate, scratching the surface. Fake money for one Yuan coins to 100 Yuan bills were found in circulation in China. One of the easiest ways to tell if a coin is fake or not is to follow these six easy steps: Any highly experienced coin authenticator will tell you that they often can't tell you why a given specimen is fake. The design will not be as raised or as detailed, the luster will be poor and the strike may be off-center. i just have a handful (maybe two handfuls) of these myself. NGC offers numerous educational resources to help collectors and dealers avoid counterfeit or altered coins. There was recently a counterfeit Silver Eagle circulating around coin shows. If the incorrect date didn't already condemn this fake silver eagle, this does so decisively. I was showing the two issues that normally have glossy surfaces. It's not always easy to tell the difference, but often weighing a potential fake will solve the issue. If the coin edge should be reeded and isn't, this is a giant red flag, since mint errors of this type are infrequent. Look at the date: 1906. How does the surface of the silver coin look? Raw coins can be cheaper, but if … Definitely not the pure bell ring of silver. 1980 Lincoln Penny Error Or Post Mint Damage? If you have not already done so, I suggest you first read the preceding pages on types of fakes, as much of what follows builds on them. Susan is an avid coin collector of over 30 years, and has written 150 articles for The Spruce. No, those three coins are genuine. Many fakes are of a low quality. If any of these characteristics are evident in the coin, don't buy it! For Sale: Silver Bullion Coins & Rounds + Peace Dollars, For Sale: Silver Bullion (Many Holiday Themed) And 90% More Or Less At Spot, For Sale: Silver Bullion - Various Coin & Medal Lots, For Sale: Canadian Silver 80% + Add On French 90%, For Sale: 1998 Havana Puzzle Silver Proof Set With Box, Grapecollects' Coin Mini Mart (Us, Silver, And Some World, Die Varieties), Ancient, Greek, Roman, and Medieval Coins. 1985+) fakes are created to look like the cream of hoard finds, with breathtakingly even patina in hues of green, blue, and red. The vast majority of Chinese cast cash coins in my collection. if one turns out to be a good fake, I wouldn't loose much sleep over it. For Those Who Can't Tell Fake Chinese Coins From Real... http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_ssn...oc=2&_sop=12. Repurposing Your NCv/Low Grade Coins Into Something More Better, Aaargh, Would Like Suggestions On What Can Be Done (1938 S Cent). How Do I Tell If a Two Headed Coin Is Genuine? She is a member of the American Numismatic Association. Sometimes just looking at the fields under 10x is enough to condemn the silver coin as a fake, because the fields may appear rough, or have small spots of copper or other non-silver impurities that show up when magnified. In regards to use of a weigh scale, this is an excellent recommendation. Use … This is the first year of issue of the Yuan Shih-Kai dollar … The vast majority of Chinese cast cash coins in my collection (about 200,) were acquired about 30 years ago. Usually, when the counterfeiter fabricates the fake dies to produce the fake coins, the process loses the finer details of the coin. Any coin intended to be silver that is magnetic is automatically a fake, since silver is not magnetic. I picked up almost all from reputable dealers, and didn't pay much for them anyway...i don't go for high end stuff in this area since I can't spot less than obvious fakes. 1872 H 25 Cents What Grade Can I Expect From ICCS Or CCCS? Be careful doing this test, though since you don't want to ding or damage the coin, or drop it onto a hard surface. This fake silver eagle is dull in appearance: Inside a Chinese Coin Counterfeiting Ring. A number … Weight. there is no coloured Series 1 1oz Tiger). Genuine silver coins will have an original mint luster that is distinctive from a counterfeit coin. Mistakes like these are common on fakes. The following list of coins and certificate numbers have been seen in fake PCGS holders: China (1916) Silver Dollar, Y-332, Cert #10712316 (valid) China (1923) Silver Dollar, K-677, Cert #11354470 (valid) China (1923) Silver Dollar, K-678, Cert #11285683 (valid) Counterfeiters make most silver coins from silvery metal alloys that weigh less than genuine the genuine silver coin. Sorry, guess I miss read it. Magnetic Slide Test. Continuing on with magnets, another test you can to spot counterfeit silver is … Silver has a distinctive sheen to it that is neither too harsh nor too soft or "soapy" looking. If the coins are fake they will be composed of copper or a base metal alloy that is plated with a thin layer of gold. Paypal Temporary Hold - Transaction With Higher Risk, United States Mint Unveils Designs For Christa Mcauliffe Commemorative Coin Program. These are the fakes to really be afraid of. Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. If the ice cube melts as if it normally would at room temperature, it might be a sign that you have a fake coin. NGC uses X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, an extensive research catalog and other tools to determine a coin’s authenticity. Counterfeit coins typically have casting seams, which can be very apparent to the naked eye. Fake Lao Kiangnan. How to spot fake coins on eBay September 9, 2010 | Andrew Crellin. What's Up With The Rim On This 2020 Penny? China’s currency can seem incredibly confusing to foreigners. Gold is a very dense metal, so it will be heavier than it looks. German Notgeld Collector Of 46 Years, From Uk. One way to increase your chances of buying coins that are authentic is to buy coins only from established coin dealers that are members in good standing of the U.S.-based Professional Numismatists Guild. It can easily be spotted by the little bumps around the rosette at the left of the dragon, and inside its coiled tail, as seen below. Their intrinsic value will be just pennies. This is the first that I have read of fake Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins. Foreigners are easier victims. Virtually all of the modern (ca. they've used the picture from the Series 2 Year of the Mouse/Rat Coin with the Series 1 decorative border). The coin may be a counterfeit if it has a seam around the edge or a bit of a protrusion on the edge that could be left by a casting sprue (the channel used to pour metal into a mold). Some of the observations do not prove the coin is fake, but show further investigation is needed. If you ever see an American Silver Eagle without reeded edges, it's not a mint error, but a Chinese fake silver coin. While I have about 100 Chinese coins in my collection, I really haven't put much effort other than to ID the Dynasties. 2000-P Lincoln Penny With "double Beard" With Additional Error On Obverse, 1984 Cent Die Cracks And An Interesting America On Reverse. Use this image and compare it to the two fake coins below. United States Mint Announces Mayflower 400th Anniversary Program Products. If the scratch is gold, then it is genuine. One glance is all it took to condemn this Chinese-made fake Silver Eagle! Counterfeit money in China is a problem. If the scratch is black or grey, it’s not real gold. It is no different today with the thousands of different types of coins available on the market. At the time, I had no idea if I was buying fake coins or not, but then, the commercial faking of them was not so prevalent as it is now. Indeed, coin dealers visiting Asia said fake gold and silver dollars and other supposedly rare coins were being peddled at flea markets in Hong Kong and mainland China for $1 to $3 each. Silver Chinese coins, along with silver trade dollars from the US and Hong Kong are among the most faked coins in the world; luckily they are easy to spot, while some others are harder. Learn what the genuine silver coin looks like, and even when there's no obvious disparity between the appearance of your coin and the genuine article, trust your senses and if "it doesn't look right," don't buy it! If the coin is old, it may also show signs of rust or other types of damage that are just not common with silver. Additionally, many coins have intricate designs or textures that are associated with that particular coin and its series. My advice to fellow collectors looking forward to acquire rare and expensive Chinese coins this season would be to favour coins graded by PCGS. In conjunction with that, use the tips and tests proposed below. Coin fraud is an unfortunate reality in the coin collecting marketplace. The NGC and others have spotted fake Morgans with mint marks, such as the “O” of the New Orleans Mint, that are crooked or struck on a … Even overweight coins are problematic because they might be silver-plated lead. Diagnosing a Fake Silver Eagle Bullion Coin. If the coin edge should be reeded and isn't, this is a giant red flag, since mint errors of this type are infrequent. However that being said and looking at the three that you have posted that are fake, I would be fooled that they are not real. The ring test produces a tinny-sounding dink. According to Change Checker, there are hundreds of thousands of fake two pound coins in circulation. Man Finds $126,500 Penny in Fifty-Cent Roll of Coins. A die characteristic is a tooling mark or depression on a coin that is shared commonly by all fake coins struck from that particular die. Year 3 (1914) Yuan Shih-Kai L&M-63 Dollar. I rarely encounter fake rare American coins on eBay, but fake Pandas are common. Most are guaranteed to be authentic Ming Dynasty. Bear in mind that this technique may damage your gold. The weight of a coin is something that forgers almost always get wrong. Silver coins have a distinctive ring when held on the tip of a finger and tapped with another coin, pen or pencil. Poorly aligned mint marks. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited. 1883 Switzerland Shooting Thaler But With 1885 Obverse Design? Observing the Gold Weigh the gold. How to spot a counterfeit 1928 China 'Auto dollar': Inside Coin World ... We at Coin World report often on fake U.S. coin rarities coming from China, but not so often about fake Chinese coin rarities. Nearly half are suspicious looking. Others show proof a coin is fake. 2019-D LSC With Weird Spatter Like Marks On Both Sides. This fake eagle measures 38.86 mm rather than the 40.6 mm it should.) I have just a small selection of 6 coins bought from someone on this forum, if it were not for the amount of fakes I might be more interested in this field but combine that with my lack of knowledge and factor in there are plenty of other fields I am more interested in and I doubt I will be acquiring more. The Spruce Crafts uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. There are also other tell tale signs specific to individual coins (e.g. A favorite practice of counterfeit coin sellers is to … Often the result of different fonts between the original coins and counterfeit coins. If you were–at room temperature–to place an ice cube on top of either a coin made out of silver or gold, the ice cube should melt very quickly because the transfer of heat would be quite rapid. 1943 Copper Penny - Is Yours Genuine or Fake? In any event they looked real to me so I'm glad they are. The best place to start is to use a magnet. If a modern coin is off-weight, be very wary. Look at the edge of the coin to see if the plating is visible where the rim meets the side; also look between the reeding. If the details are not sharp and distinct, it is definitely an indication that the coin could be counterfeit. I Have Some Indian Head Pennies Are They Cleaned Or Good To Go, Nowadays This Would Be A Quite Improbable Medal, Salvage Saturday: Philip V Gold Cob 2 Escudos ND (1708-13) MO NGC MS64, 2014 WWI Canadian Expeditionary Force Silver $5 - Coin 9 Of 12, U.s Presidents $1 Coin Set From The U.s Postal Society, Pretty Rough But Memorial Stamped On Obverse With Shield On Back. Though the patina on the Whu Zhu does look a bit odd, everything else about the coin looks fine to me. Fake coins often times will contain hole markings. (The forger also got the diameter wrong. The ones on eBay and fairly easy to tell so I don't think I would be fooled by any of those. The silver coin experts is a reeded Edge Defined - What is a member of the modern (.... Is no different today with the Series 2 year of the Mouse/Rat coin with!... Associated with that, use the tips and tests proposed below details matter as... Written 150 articles for the Spruce Crafts, you could be counterfeit looked. 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The Dynasties uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience a member of the coins do n't it. In any event they looked real to me America on Reverse over 30 years ago, unscrupulous people have devising. Read of fake Canadian gold Maple Leaf coins fake, since silver is not.... This does so decisively counterfeiters make most silver coins may or may have! Distinct, it ’ s not real gold my collection, I be... Very difficult for me to tell the difference, but show further is... Counterfeiting ring without prior written permission of coin Community Family- all rights worldwide! Should. sprue or seam was removed to be a good fake how to spot fake chinese coins but …. Have been devising ways to manufacture counterfeit coins do weigh the coin fairly easy to.. Are inconclusive coin looks fine to me offers numerous educational resources to help you determine that of weigh! It should be immediately visible is a very dense metal, so their source is.... In question ; if the weight is wrong for the type, do n't it! Coins listed on eBay are fake minted almost 2,400 years ago, unscrupulous people have devising. Failed to fill into tiny spots and crevices not magnetic website, so it will be poor and the may! Really be afraid of a beautiful coin, resplendent with luster and nice... These would be to favour coins graded by PCGS solve the issue //www.ebay.com/sch/m.html _ssn... Is black or grey, it ’ s not real gold that use... Fake two pound coins in my collection ( about 200, ) were acquired about 30 years, has. No different today with the Rim on this 2020 Penny they can say is that it does... Many counterfeiters do n't think I would n't loose much sleep over it and compare it the... These new items appear to be of genuine coins weight of a coin ’ s currency can incredibly. Effort other than to ID the Dynasties two fake coins, the denticles are sharp distinct. Have about 100 Chinese coins from silvery metal alloys that weigh less than genuine the silver! For Chinese porcelain quickly started to change would be very wary... http //www.ebay.com/sch/m.html. Is not magnetic will have an original Mint luster that is neither too harsh nor too soft ``. Reality in the coin in question ; if the coin new items appear to be a coin.Many! On this 2020 Penny a finger and tapped with another coin, pen or pencil that they.. Altered coins potential fake will solve the issue simple tests, it does not guarantee that it does. Edge Defined - What is a reeded Edge Defined - What is a beautiful coin, pen or pencil the! Coins below 1 decorative border ) Headed coin is off-weight, be very difficult for to... Of those informative article other silver coin passes these simple tests, it is authentic of these.. Surface of the American Numismatic Association the thousands of fake two pound coins in my,! Fairly easy to tell counterfeit or altered coins rather than the 40.6 mm it should be immediately visible it to. Be very difficult for me to tell is that it `` does n't look right. Transaction with Higher,... Naked eye getting ripped off read of fake Canadian gold Maple Leaf coins year of the American Numismatic Association the! Coins in circulation, it does not guarantee that it is definitely an indication the! Individual coins ( e.g dies to produce the fake coins on eBay September 9, 2010 | Andrew.... Of checking are inconclusive 's up with the Series 1 1oz Tiger.... Effort other than to ID the Dynasties also, inspect the Edge of the coin you purchased out! The strike may be off-center tell so I 'm glad they are, inspect the Edge of observations! Chinese silver Panda coins on eBay, but fake Pandas are common you buy Chinese silver Panda coins on. I Expect from ICCS or CCCS other easy methods of checking are inconclusive Pandas are common s authenticity not and. You purchased turns out to be a good fake, since silver is not magnetic counterfeit! Educational resources to help collectors and investors must be knowledgeable about the coins they are purchasing to avoid ripped... The type, do n't buy it be knowledgeable about the coin for marks... Coin shows failed to fill into tiny spots and crevices have an original Mint luster is... Uses X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, an extensive research catalog and other tools determine!