Counterfeit Detection and Problem Coins Books and Sources
yspsales
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I wont be able to make any educational seminars at the big shows nor attend the Summer Seminar in 2020.
Scanning Ebay, I have found many books on the subject. Some old, some new, and some specialized.
What are your favorite counterfeit Detection books?
Any input on other books dealing alterations, cleaning etc...?
I did pick up this book... The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, 2nd Edition
BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out
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The ANA published a book years ago:
J. P. Martin/'Detecting Counterfeit and Altered U.S. Coins'
Try to find a copy from amazon.com or Abebooks
There are books by others, Bill Fivaz, 'Lonesome John', Don Taxay, etc., mostly out of print but can be obtained if you are patient.
Also get Winston Zack's recent book, entitled 'Bad Metal: Copper and Nickel Contemporary Circulating Counterfeit United
States Coins
However, these books alone aren't enough. Keep an eye out for brief articles reporting new counterfeits here, in The Numismatist, on CoinWeek, etc. Also check the TPG websites for brief reports of recently submitted coins that were determined to be counterfeit. The really good ones require a great deal of knowledge and patience to ferret out.
BEFORE you worry about trying to determine whether a coin is a counterfeit, it is imperative that you know what the real thing should look like. This includes details in the design, and die characteristics. Weight is also important, and sometimes the diameter can be a bit off.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
My comfort zone is modern clad/silver in the way of proof/mint sets.
Morgans and Buffs would be in my circle of competence.
The ANA grading class I took helped but I have a big problem with gold.
Grading is one, but a couple of personal pieces threw me. $2.5's Classic and Liberty Heads I bought from a friend (raw). Figured one was cleaned and both AU. Bill Fivaz confirmed the cleaning but they were XF.
What really got me was the different color (not toning) of gold.
They were minted at different mints and decades apart.
Small loss but lesson was learned so I have stayed away from gold.
Just looking to broaden my CofC
BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out
Go to Doug Winter's website---I think that he posted an article about the colors of gold coins from the various mints.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
When it comes to counterfeits I use Google to get the information I'm looking for.
I got the two volumes of "Lonesome John" ... $13
ANA Correspondence Course book Detecting Counterfeit and Altered US COINS... $7
The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, 2nd Edition... $7
Whitman guide book of united states gold counterfeit detection... $12
Made an offer for Taxay's book
Not a bad haul for $40 and should be some good reading for several weeks.
Any opinions on Newman & Mallis... U.S. COIN SCALES AND MECHANICAL COUNTERFEIT COIN DETECTORS?
How about Counterfeit Gold Coins Alfred Dieffenbacher 1963 (US France, Swiss, British Gold Coins)?
BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out
Taxay's book is good. He also wrote a book on the U. S. Mint and coinage, quite interesting. You might also have a look at what's uploaded to the Newman Portal regarding counterfeit detection.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
I have contributed to some of the images on this site on the Newman Portal: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/imagecollection/510561
Newman & Mallis is a book that focuses on 19th-century mechanical counterfeit detectors, but not counterfeit coins per se. I bought a copy because I have about a dozen antique counterfeit detectors, and I wanted to learn more details about them.
You will not learn much from Dieffenbacher's book, considering what you have purchased.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
If concentrating on a series, the best are always detailed die variety studies. Knowing the characteristics of various classes of counterfeits and alterations is fine and good, but it is very difficult to fool someone who is familiar with discriminating details of the dies and their states in production. Should definitely understand the more general signs of counterfeits. Augmenting that with die varieties makes the assessment much more confident.
https://www.money.org/uploads/Counterfeit Detection Vol.2.pdf
Collector, occasional seller
Noticeable differences in the color of gold from different mints. Especially noticeable in Charlotte and Dahlonega pieces.