counterfeit coins

Gazes

I see all the posts and articles about counterfeit coins. In coin world there is a new story about a counterfeit 2015 proof American Eagle. My question is how difficult is it to counterfeit a coin? My first reaction is that it would be terribly difficult. However, as widespread as it seems to be it makes me think it is easy.

brendanlam

I guess, the question is it is worth to spend time and money to made it? If you answer is yes, then I don't think making counterfeit coins that hard.

BillJones

Originally posted by: brendanlam
I guess, the question is it is worth to spend time and money to made it? If you answer is yes, then I don't think making counterfeit coins that hard.

Getting it completely right is hard, but the bad guys are getting better at it.

Insider2

Counterfeit coins have been around for centuries. The simple answer is: Ease of production depends on how much the fakers wish to spend on equipment. One of my authentication instructors in the 1970's said an ANA member had visited a "counterfeit mint operation" in Lebanon. They were using the same equipment as the US Mint. He joked that the authentication service staff should get paid a great deal of money to go over there and show them how to make a "good" fake.



Anyway, it would be very difficult to impossible for most of us to make a deceptive counterfeit.

ricko

Most of the counterfeits are shoddily done... some are quite good.... the really, really good ones have not been detected yet ..... Most U.S. counterfeits are older coins and done to fool collectors, since modern coins are not worth much in commerce now...Cheers, RickO

Insider2

Originally posted by: ricko

Most of the counterfeits are shoddily done... some are quite good.... the really, really good ones have not been detected yet ..... Most U.S. counterfeits are older coins and done to fool collectors, since modern coins are not worth much in commerce now...Cheers, RickO

Just curious, do you happen to know what coin series these undetected counterfeits are in or is this your opinion or an educated guess?

LindeDad

Didn't the mint recently get taken for several million dollars by redeeming counterfeit coins? Seemed to remember it being mentioned here.



Found it...5.5 Million fraud.

Sonorandesertrat

Originally posted by: ricko
Most of the counterfeits are shoddily done... some are quite good.... the really, really good ones have not been detected yet ..... Most U.S. counterfeits are older coins and done to fool collectors, since modern coins are not worth much in commerce now...Cheers, RickO

I fully agree with RickO's opinion. There are counterfeits that fooled collectors, dealers, and professional graders for decades (micro-O Morgans, the transfer-die counterfeit gold coins that John Ford sold,...). I do believe that there are really good counterfeits that have not been detected yet. There is a parallel in the fine art world---the famed Met director, art historian, and rabble-rouser Thomas Hoving once noted that the really good fake paintings (Old Masters to 20th-century works) are still hanging on the walls of museums and collectors' homes. See his book 'False Impressions'---it's an interesting read and there are some striking parallels with numismatics.

EagleEye

I would think that a counterfeit Proof Eagle put into an original mint box would be very easy to pass off. Many buyers don't look carefully at the coin - they may not even open the box.

LindeDad

Originally posted by: EagleEye

I would think that a counterfeit Proof Eagle put into an original mint box would be very easy to pass off. Many buyers don't look carefully at the coin - they may not even open the box.

Isn't this happening right now with reports of 2015 Eagles in the news?

colonialjohn

amazon.com/gp/product/1981898042/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Problem solved. JPL.