Fake Engelhard Prospectors Silver

vpr

I picked up a few prospectors and I was searching for info on fake ones out there. Not because I don't trust the seller. I absolutely do. But, he could have unknowingly picked up fakes. I weighted mine and they're all within 0.1 grams. I wonder what will happen to the physical PM market as the Chinese producers get better at this.

Here's a great picture of a fake vs. a real. Pic taken from another forum.

calleocho

Gold and silver fakes have been around for a long time ...as long money itself.

There are fake Rolex watches, fake Coach handbags, fake pretty much anything of value.

There are quite a lot of fake paper dollars as well, incredible amounts actually.

thats just life, technology might get better and an investor needs to adapt as well.

Buy certified gold coins, buy bars that come with assay cards or special packaging, but from reputable sellers and avoid "too good to be true deals"

OnlyGoldIsMoney

Fake Engelhard 1984 "Prospectors" are offered continuously on ebay. I've grown tired of reporting them as ebay often does nothing.

Stork

<< <i>Buy certified gold coins, buy bars that come with assay cards or special packaging, but from reputable sellers and avoid "too good to be true deals" >>



Buy certified gold coins, buy bars that come with assay cards or special packaging

Unfortunately that ali place has nice fakes already slabbed (I saw NGC) and in 'original' appearing packaging too. I haven't seen any 90% fakes on there...yet.

PerryHall

So, we should avoid any Engelhard Prospector rounds where he is panning for gold using a pizza pan?

piecesofme

So, we should avoid any Engelhard Prospector rounds where he is panning for gold using a pizza pan?

LMAO! Yes, avoid them.

vpr

<< <i>So, we should avoid any Engelhard Prospector rounds where he is panning for gold using a pizza pan? >>



That and if it looks like the prospector is standing in spaghetti instead of mud.

piecesofme

That and if it looks like the prospector is standing in spaghetti instead of mud.

I said lmao earlier, but all joking aside, thanks for bringing this to light. This is what we need to more of as collectors as the sellers of fakes (whether it being knowingly or not) peddle this crap.

LukeMarshall

Shouldn't that have the inscription "the chinese prospector"

I guess in a perfect world

vpr

<< <i>That and if it looks like the prospector is standing in spaghetti instead of mud.

I said lmao earlier, but all joking aside, thanks for bringing this to light. This is what we need to more of as collectors as the sellers of fakes (whether it being knowingly or not) peddle this crap. >>



I ordered a sampler of these fake bars from Alibaba. ETA on them is around 70 days. I plan on posting pictures and measurements just so we all have a reference. If we can raise awareness in this forum, we can reduce the risk of buying/selling fakes from/to one another.

piecesofme

This seller has to know these are fakes, right?

derryb

<< <i>This seller has to know these are fakes, right? >>


Engelgard didn't make a proof coin, did they?

OnlyGoldIsMoney

<< <i>

<< <i>This seller has to know these are fakes, right? >>


Engelgard didn't make a proof coin, did they? >>




Engelhard did produce proof silver Prospectors but they are quite scarce. They show up on ebay infrequently and are snapped up by the knowledgable.

Prospectors made for Everest outwear are proofs and feature an image of Mt. Everest instead of the illustration of the streamside prospector. Other special runs like the Prospector commemorating Engelhard's Mid-Georgia Expansion Project are proofs as well. Examples of proofs can be seen at allengelhard.com.

Canadian Prospectors (below) are proofs.

rawteam1

<< <i>This seller has to know these are fakes, right? >>



the obverse pic is a real EP, the reverse pic is a fake EP...

vpr & derryb, both your ?'s have been answered here numerous times, as well as with pics,
should be an easy find with search function...

tneig

At what price point will the fakes become more valuable than the silver counterpart. I think I'll buy some fakes as an investment hedge since PM value is sinking.