How do you distinguish between an electrotype and original?

crispy

The recent post regarding a Libertas has spurred my curiosity regarding electrotypes. I understand the process having researched it. My question is how do you differentiate between the electrotype and original? Are there any diagnostics that would supply clues to the origin of the piece? A video I viewed showed how a Tiffany vase electrotype would be produced. They said that pieces of the mold are soldered together and then silver plated. In the case of a copper original to copper electrotype, will it display seams? If not, what is the give away? The patina?

STONE

Weight, specific gravity, imperfections on the surface (such as bubbles, and a non-struck surface appearance) could ID electrotype's.

Justlooking

<< <i>Weight, specific gravity, imperfections on the surface (such as bubbles, and a non-struck surface appearance) could ID electrotype's. >>



Right. The surfaces are usually a little rough; it's usually fairly apparent in the fields.

Sonorandesertrat

Extremely high quality electrotypes will fool many, if not most, coin collectors.
Well-made pieces tend to have just a hint of a seam on the edge, the weight may be only slightly off (depending on the metal used for the fill material), there may be occasional raised pimples or blems (due to tiny air pockets in the mold), and no luster even when there is no wear. Average-quality pieces, as well as worn ones, will be easier to spot, since the fill material (usually lead) will peek through as black lead oxide and the weight will be more obviously off. Some people also use a 'ring' test, since the response of an electrotype to an edgewise drop onto a hard surface is a dull thud rather than the ring of a struck coin, but I don't like to do this to my pieces.
Some electrotype makers applied reeding or other edge devices where appropriate. Further, there are electrotypes that have been plated with another metal, usually silver.

Note: once in a blue moon, you may encounter exonumia (some historical medals) whose obverse and reverse shells were individually struck and then joined with fill material. These are not electrotypes. However, in the case of the famous Waterloo medal, people at the Royal Mint were afraid that the dies would crack (due to their large diameters and weights) if used in a medal press, so electrotypes were made by making impressions directly from the dies and no medals were struck.

Boosibri

Very education response Sonora, I learned something.

crispy

Thank you for the responses.

So, as in coins, having it in hand would seem to be the best way of determining whether you have an electrotype or original.
Not too surprising. It would be interesting to see a good electrotype next to an original in a high definition image. I'll have to root around a bit more to see if I can uncover one.

Again, thanks for the responses.

Flatwoods

Here is a faily well made medal electrotype.
The edge seam is a giveaway. The color is not right and the surfaces aren't what you would expect on
a genuine example.

DaveG

I've also seen an expert numismatist balance an electrotype on the end of his finger and tap the edge with a pencil to hear if it "rings" or "thunks".

Lakesammman

Here's a fake for you to study, from my collection.