Best Book for Spotting Counterfeits/ Tooled Coins?

Coinguy19 · October 24, 2007 11:35AM

Anyone have any suggestions? I don't have a book specializing in this area yet.

CoinRaritiesOnline · October 24, 2007 12:16PM

The PCGS Grading and Counterfeit detection book is good. For gold coins, the new book on counterfeit gold coins by Bill Fivaz is the best book I have seen on the subject (color photos, well written).

StampAlarm · October 25, 2007 4:11AM

Tooled Coins: What are they? I use to be under the impression, and reading other peoples comments I believe they are too, that tooling meant tampering with the actual coin. It's not. It's tampering with the dies. Tooling lines and or marks can be found on both real coins and counterfiet coins. I got a bodybag on a 64 Kennedy from PCGS for tooling. Nice end tone so I sent it to SEGS. It came back a 64 with Ejection Damage on the insert.

What's tooling mean?

Jerry

Connecticoin · October 25, 2007 4:24AM

The Gold Counterfeit book by Fivaz is pretty good. Only about $16 at most of the online coin supply companies.

Hey coinguy, did you lose a sig-line bet?

lkrarecoins · October 25, 2007 4:31AM

What's tooling mean?

I believe that it is the moving around of metal, using a A"Tool", to make/change a number or mintmark, for example.

MadMonk · October 25, 2007 4:33AM

There's a guy "Skip" something or other. Anybody know who I'm talking about? He's quite the expert. You might look to see if he has a book in print. He uses flourescent light for some of his diagnostic work.

PerryHall · October 25, 2007 5:25AM

<< <i>What's tooling mean? >>

Tooling is moving metal with an engraving tool. It's done to create FBL's on Franklin halfs or FSB's on Mercury dimes for example. It's also done to sharpen features on circulated coins (hair and drapery features for example) to "raise the grade" of the coin. It's mostly done to fraudulently raise the grade of the coin.

sinin1 · October 25, 2007 5:33AM

look at some hobo nickels to see what can be done

woodwalker · October 25, 2007 5:38AM

Counterfeit Detection Guide by Bill Fivaz is a great book. It has the all of the main stream key dates and is pocket sized. I take my copy with me whenever I'm looking at coins. Look for it on ebay, I picked mine up cheap.

StampAlarm · October 25, 2007 5:43AM

<< <i>What's tooling mean?

I believe that it is the moving around of metal, using a A"Tool", to make/change a number or mintmark, for example. >>

Not according to the lingo definition. And that's what I'm talking
about. Tooling doesn't mean someone fooling with a coin like you
and PerryHall said. It's a name for machine damamge or marks
on the coin left from doing something from the dies.

Jerry

PerryHall · October 25, 2007 6:18AM

<< <i>

<< <i>What's tooling mean?

I believe that it is the moving around of metal, using a A"Tool", to make/change a number or mintmark, for example. >>

Not according to the lingo definition. And that's what I'm talking
about. Tooling doesn't mean someone fooling with a coin like you
and PerryHall said. It's a name for machine damamge or marks
on the coin left from doing something from the dies. >>

This is true. Frequently, when a counterfeiter makes a false die using a real coin as a model, he will touch up any minor blemishes on the false die by tooling the die. As an example, if the false die is cast, there may be a pimple where a small air bubble was traped during the casting process ("The die is cast!"). Authenticators look for these tooling marks when examining a suspect coin.

Best Book for Spotting Counterfeits/ Tooled Coins?

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