Real or Fake - Trade dollar from Afghanistan

NyKyFyR

A friend of mine served overseas for a while and brought back a trade dollar. Not your typical coin so we were hoping someone might be able to help identify what this is. Actual currency or simple bullion?

TIA

adamlaneus

My vote is 'interpretive chinese fake trade dollar substitute'.

Weigh it. What does it weigh?

BigE

Its not currency or bullion, just a poor copy of a trade dollar pattern, probably made in China. Guess they sell them everywhere-----------BigE

TennesseeDave

What BigE said

NyKyFyR

Thanks guys. Is it silver?

adamlaneus

Almost a 0% chance of it being silver. A real trade dollar made of silver weighs around 27.2 grams.

A fake coin about that size made of Cu-Ni will weigh about 18 grams, but the weight of a counterfeit could be all over the place. If it's not silver, it won't be near 27 grams.

Servicemen coming back from wherever they have been deployed are a well known target for folks that sell fakes.

adamlaneus

But you know? I don't know everything. I could be very wrong here.

I think we need an expert like TDN to chime in.

ChrisRx

<< <i>Almost a 0% chance of it being silver. >>



You really think it has that big of a chance?

adamlaneus

I think only TDN can authenticate a coin like this.

crypto79

Most likely white copper which is copper with tin/nickel/zinc or lead or a combo of the said metals

edix2001

They sell tons of fakes to service people in Afghanistan.
Folks I know are searching out valuable real coins from that area.

BigE

<< <i>.
Folks I know are searching out valuable real coins from that area. >>




Sounds like a great adventure to go on!!--------------------BigE

COALPORTER

Kind of interesting. I wonder how they would get a real pattern to make a fake from. Were some of the patterns shipped to china if not sold to collectors?

stealer

<< <i>Kind of interesting. I wonder how they would get a real pattern to make a fake from. Were some of the patterns shipped to china if not sold to collectors? >>



Judging by the quality of some of them they probably used pictures

MsMorrisine

from here

MsMorrisine

you need an expert opinion.

I'd change the title: Real or Fake? Trade Dollar bought in Afghanistan

that might get a bit more attention from the experts.


and, yeah, you need to take it to a jeweler's shop to weigh it if you don't have a scale.

Barry

Folks I know are searching out valuable real coins from that area.

Why would valuable real coins be found in such an impoverished sh*t hole?

adamlaneus

<< <i>from here

>>



Cool. It's designed after a pattern.

I've not seen that pattern before; I was wondering where the original artwork came from. Not something a counterfeiter would whip up off the top of their head.
I sure hope they did not destroy a pattern making the dies.

adamlaneus

<< <i>Folks I know are searching out valuable real coins from that area.

Why would valuable real coins be found in such an impoverished sh*t hole? >>



Afghanistan may not have many gold coins of its own, but it is surrounded by countries that do.
(why did I just answer that question, but specifically about gold coins?)

PerryHall

Very crude pot metal cast fake made to sell to dumb tourists or, in this case, Americans serving there. How long before this coin or similar coin is on eBay if not already there?

ricko

Fake. Cheers, RickO