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Vintage counterfeit coin detector

dcarrdcarr Posts: 7,935 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited July 1, 2018 2:23AM in U.S. Coin Forum

I've seen several different vintage counterfeit coin detectors in various configurations. Most seem to be for gold coins and silver dollars.

I had not seen one like this before, so I bought when I saw it at the recent Colorado Springs coin show. It is interesting to me because it is for silver dimes, quarters, and half dollars (unusual because of that), and it is also in the general size and shape of a silver dollar (made of brass).

The front has inscribed circles for comparing the diameters of sample coins to the genuine standard:

The three slots are for measuring the thickness of sample coins.
It took me little while to figure out what the three cut-out triangles were for.
They are used for weight testing.

This picture shows a test on a vintage counterfeit (cast lead) 1877-S half dollar (note: out of balance):

This picture shows a test on a genuine silver half dollar (note: balanced):

Comments

  • Timbuk3Timbuk3 Posts: 11,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Interesting, nice find !!! :)

    Timbuk3
  • Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 8,620 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Ingenius! Peace Roy

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  • 1Mike11Mike1 Posts: 4,414 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That is an interesting piece. Very clever

    "May the silver waves that bear you heavenward be filled with love’s whisperings"

    "A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
  • TeamDennisTeamDennis Posts: 108 ✭✭✭

    Thanks for sharing. Very cool.

  • AzurescensAzurescens Posts: 2,679 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sweet! Fascinating lil guy there!

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well isn't that clever. I would not have guessed what it was for if I saw one....Thanks for showing us Dan....Cheers, RickO

  • jafo50jafo50 Posts: 330 ✭✭✭

    Very very cool. I want one ..........

    Successful BST transactions with lordmarcovan, Moldnut, erwindoc

  • JimnightJimnight Posts: 10,763 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nice...I never knew that stuff like that was ever made.

  • morgansforevermorgansforever Posts: 8,428 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Excellent stuff, bet those would sell.

    World coins FSHO Hundreds of successful BST transactions U.S. coins FSHO
  • OnastoneOnastone Posts: 3,764 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That is a very useful tool~

  • LeroyLeroy Posts: 186 ✭✭✭

    That's a very nice find, something seems odd though. If the counterfeit (cast lead) coin weighed too much, shouldn't the scale go the other way?

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Never saw that type before.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks for showing that. Interesting find.

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 45,296 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Leroy said:
    That's a very nice find, something seems odd though. If the counterfeit (cast lead) coin weighed too much, shouldn't the scale go the other way?

    The counterfeit coin may be pewter or some other pot metal that weighs less than a real coin.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.

  • BruceSBruceS Posts: 1,348 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 1, 2018 10:26AM

    Cool find Dan!! Where did you find the instructions on how to use it? ha.


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  • Wil1858Wil1858 Posts: 52 ✭✭✭

    Way nice! Thanks for sharing .

  • rainbowroosierainbowroosie Posts: 4,874 ✭✭✭✭

    That is way cool!

    "You keep your 1804 dollar and 1822 half eagle -- give me rainbow roosies in MS68."
    rainbowroosie April 1, 2003
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 45,296 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Go to eBay and do a search for "counterfeit coin detector" and you'll frequently find them. There were literally dozens of different styles and designs made for use by bankers and merchants.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.

  • ECHOESECHOES Posts: 2,974 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Cool :#

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  • KoinickerKoinicker Posts: 289 ✭✭✭

    Never seen that either one Dan. PLEASE let me know if you ever find out when that was made and I would be happy to add it to my list of counterfeit detectors and associated patents (which goes beyond the Newman and Mallis book). I would guess this is some sort of turn of the century, if not as late as a 1930s style of detector given its art deco design.

  • SonorandesertratSonorandesertrat Posts: 5,695 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This detector is in the US Patent and Trademark database, available online. Patent number 188,982, dated 27 March 1877. It is not a 20th-century design.

    Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA

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  • CoinCrazyPACoinCrazyPA Posts: 2,899 ✭✭✭✭

    Cool piece, thanks for sharing.

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  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 7,935 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:

    @Leroy said:
    That's a very nice find, something seems odd though. If the counterfeit (cast lead) coin weighed too much, shouldn't the scale go the other way?

    The counterfeit coin may be pewter or some other pot metal that weighs less than a real coin.

    Yes, the counterfeit that I tested with is lighter than a genuine coin (9.1 grams).
    It is probably lead pewter, but it has a significant quantity of lighter metals (tin, zinc) in the mix.

    The genuine test coin is 12.5 grams.

  • KoinickerKoinicker Posts: 289 ✭✭✭

    Thanks - I actually had an error in my database and had number '188,892' instead of '982'; this was either a typo on my part or was in Newman-Mallis (I don't have the book anymore to double check).

  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 7,935 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Sonorandesertrat said:
    This detector is in the US Patent and Trademark database, available online. Patent number 188,982, dated 27 March 1877. It is not a 20th-century design.

    Excellent, thanks for the information.

  • divecchiadivecchia Posts: 6,525 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow, that is ingenious for sure. I had never seen anything like that before. A really well thought out counterfeit detection device.

    Thanks for sharing it.

    Donato

    Hobbyist & Collector (not an investor).
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