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How to spot a 2010 counterfeit gold Panda

folderholderfolderholder Posts: 85
in World & Ancient Coins Forum
2010 counterfeit gold Pandas continue to appear for sale. As long as they are in their original pouch they are easy to identify because the rounded corners and edge pattern of the pouch gives them away. The authentic coin also has the name of the mint where it was struck (Shenzhen Guobao) impressed in the plastic. Here are photos of a fake 2010 (number 1) followed by a genuine coin (2).

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Best wishes,
Peter Anthony
www.pandacollector.com

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    terribleredmonsterterribleredmonster Posts: 456 ✭
    Great post. Thanks for the info.
    "YOU SUCK!" Awarded by nankraut/renomedphys 6/13/13 - MadMarty dissents
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    trozautrozau Posts: 3,455 ✭✭✭
    Anyway to identify the fake when they are NOT in their original plastic pouches?
    trozau (troy ounce gold)
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    folderholderfolderholder Posts: 85
    Well, I don't have the coin in question to personally examine but here's a comparison between a photo of the auction coin (1) and a PCGS certified coin (2). From the limited resolution image of (1) it seems to have a very different luster than (2); its surface is overly brilliant and reflects light like a plated coin. For example, look at the area below the bears and see how shiny #1 is. Among details it seems like the "2"s in 200 aren't quite a match and neither is the eye of the bear in the background. The fur on the legs also looks odd but I need to get a better look to be sure. It's hard to tell but the bamboo leaves in the background may not be a perfect copy either—look near the right edge. Is there a leaf missing? I've requested larger photos from the seller so if I get them maybe those will clarify these issues. The seller says the coin weighs approximately 17 grams so its not underweight.

    image

    A word about the pouch. Gold Pandas are sold in sheets as they come from the mint. To get a single coin a sheet needs to be cut up, as with scissors. This process never leaves rounded edges—those are the product of individually sealing a coin which is not the way the Chinese Mint ships Panda coins..

    Best wishes,
    Peter Anthony
    www.pandacollector.com
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    folderholderfolderholder Posts: 85
    OK. I heard from the seller. He says he can't figure out how to work his wife's DSLR and therefore can't provide a better photo. Seller assures me though, "About the coin, it is sooo nice!! Nicer than my $50w buffalo gold eagle and my $20 liberty head double eagle." With that kind of guarantee, what can go wrong?????

    Best wishes,
    Peter Anthony
    www.pandacollector.com
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    AndresAndres Posts: 977 ✭✭✭


    << <i>OK. I heard from the seller. He says he can't figure out how to work his wife's DSLR and therefore can't provide a better photo. Seller assures me though, "About the coin, it is sooo nice!! Nicer than my $50w buffalo gold eagle and my $20 liberty head double eagle." With that kind of guarantee, what can go wrong?????

    Best wishes,
    Peter Anthony
    www.pandacollector.com >>



    The $50 and $20 gold coins are probably fake too, so the Panda is the nicest fake of this threesome
    or foursome if you include his fake wife , or is she making a cruise around the world,
    spending all the money earned by selling fake Panda's.
    collector of Greek banknotes - most beautifull world banknotes - Greek & Roman ancient coins.
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    WeissWeiss Posts: 9,935 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Call me crazy here, but I suspect the most difficult thing about making a fake coin is NOT the plastic baggie it comes in.

    Putting faith in identifying a fake $600 or $1200 coin by its $.0002 vinyl flip is a dangerous game.
    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
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    terribleredmonsterterribleredmonster Posts: 456 ✭
    It's a good negative diagnostic. That's how I took it, anyway.
    "YOU SUCK!" Awarded by nankraut/renomedphys 6/13/13 - MadMarty dissents
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    folderholderfolderholder Posts: 85


    << <i>Call me crazy here, but I suspect the most difficult thing about making a fake coin is NOT the plastic baggie it comes in.

    Putting faith in identifying a fake $600 or $1200 coin by its $.0002 vinyl flip is a dangerous game. >>



    If a pouch has rounded corners the coin's a fake – no further inspection needed. The rounded corners test is a simple way to eliminate a lot of bogus 2010 coins. As it happens, that's the way all the bad 2010's I've seen have been presented, so this is a useful bit of knowledge I think. Until I see or hear about a fake 2010 in an apparently good pouch I'll continue to pay attention to this. Funny, too, but the counterfeiters in general (not just for the 2010s) have so far not duplicated the genuine pouches really well. You would think that should be easy, but either it isn't or the bad guys haven't paid enough attention to it up until now.

    If a 2010 gold Panda is out of its pouch than a reasonable question is, why isn't a new coin sealed? In any case, I find the luster of a plated coin to be distinctly different than a real gold piece's. After looking at that I check the details anyway. If I can't be sure I won't bite. I hope this information is helpful.

    Best wishes,
    Peter Anthony
    www.pandacollector.com
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    LancastercoinLancastercoin Posts: 251


    << <i>Anyway to identify the fake when they are NOT in their original plastic pouches? >>



    Genuine: of the highest quality manufacture
    False: total crap, amateurish diework and die finishing

    Of course, this is bound to change sometime. But deceptive gold counterfeits only really appear for coins that carry a huge premium over melt, since to be deceptive at all the counterfeit has to be high karat gold. I'm looking for this to start happening just anytime, starting with 1998 gold tenths and halfs. But haven't seen it yet.
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