Counterfeit CWT's
Insider2
Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
I wrote about an increase of these in Numismatic News a year or so ago. IMO, it may be getting too late for many of us to detect these fakes. That's because many genuine CWT are crudely made - they look fake. IMO, over the past decade (especially) well made counterfeits have been assimilated into the market. Since the best defense is to know what the genuine coins should look like, older CWT collectors and dealers who were in business in the 1970's are the folks who need to weed out the fakes. Not all CWT "struck with rusty dies" are genuine!
The coin I'm posting here reminded me of the problem. THIS PIECE IS NOT DECEPTIVE but it did get past a token dealer and one inattentive (?) experienced, authenticator. It is a naked eye fake as the color of the core (lead, tin, alloy) shows through the copper surface. It is a cast copy of FulD#37/43. Note the "steel" color on the relief and rim showing through the copper plating. The surface is porous.
Comments
scary....
Thanks Insider for helping expose the crooks.
@Insider2 Thanks for the post. While scary, it's also helpful.
I wanted to hit the "like" button for your post but I sure as heck do NOT like counterfeits. And the "agree" button seems presumptuous because I'm not sure I know enough to agree. I definitely don't want to hit the "LOL" button because counterfeits are no LOLing matter. So that left the "disagree" button but I figured you probably already had enough disagrees ...
You like the post and the information that the original poster shared - not what some nefarious fool did to forge a CWT.
Geez !!!
Thanks @Insider2 ... always appreciate your informative and educational posts. Cheers, RickO
There is a subtle difference between die rust and a cast copy. Usually the die rust is less pronounced into the surface of the piece than a crude casting. I wish I had some photos, but just can't find a CWT with lots die rust at the moment.
Here is a rare and crudely made CWT that is genuine. It does have some environmental issues, but examples of this variety have such problems.
There is a small amount of die rust on this Mint State example.
I don't think I've seen a fake CWT, so I just learned something.
I don't even know why they counterfeited this one as it is not a particularly valuable one.
Unless they were practicing for much more valuable ones.
Good post @Insider2
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
This is a very rusty die. Raised irregular lumps of EM (extraneous metal) on the coin as planchet metal filled rust pits in the die.
This is surface corrosion "into" the coins surface.
The fake CWTs I see from China are too thick and the edges are not normal.
Keep in mind that dies were copied by issuers using a battery and electrolytic solution. These copy dies look like rusted dies.
Here are three fakes from China:
Interesting !!!