What area of US numismatics is least likely to be targeted by counterfeiters?

RYK · March 11, 2009 8:47AM

We have all, by now, seen examples of counterfeit Trade dollars, Bust dollars, and gold dollars, all of which seem to be or have been areas targeted by the counterfeiters in some point in time.

What about two cent pieces? Trimes? Charlotte quarter eagles? Fat Head $5's? Proof Washington quarters? Twenty cent pieces? Barber halves? J-202 FE cents?

Are there some areas that are unlikely to be the target of counterfeiters (and should we be flocking to them)?

drwstr123 · March 11, 2009 8:51AM

That depends upon the cost of manufacture. If it's cheap enough, then anything can be reproduced. I suspect that the free market will prevail, and the crap that doesn't move will be abandoned.

LucyBop · March 11, 2009 8:52AM

Kennedy Halves..

Whom in their right mind would want to counterfeit those horrid eyesores.

nycounsel · March 11, 2009 8:53AM

Are there some areas that are unlikely to be the target of counterfeiters (and should we be flocking to them)?

Coins that don't have much value are unlikely to be counterfeited. Clad coins for instance.

We shouldn't flock to them because if demand grew to the point where they became valuable, they would become a target for counterfeiting.

RYK · March 11, 2009 8:54AM

<< Kennedy Halves..

Whom in their right mind would want to counterfeit those horrid eyesores. >>

Good one!

and nice to see you, Lucy.

derryb · March 11, 2009 9:20AM

prezzie dollars

silvergoldnut · March 11, 2009 9:24AM

SBA DOLLARS !!!

even if they are copied, how cares.

adamlaneus · March 11, 2009 9:25AM

Zincolns.

Go ahead, flock to them if you want to. But those, too, would be counterfeitted if there was a potential of a shred of profit.

Are you looking for a valuable coin that nobody will ever counterfeit? I don't see that happening.
If DCarr's spaceman coin was counterfeitted with the "Mr. Bill" variety...
If Henning saw fit to make counterfeit nickels...

It seems to me you need to go into the world of absurdity to avoid counterfeits.
Such as coins that simply make no sense at all. (Good answer, Kennedy Halves!!!)

TorinoCobra71 · March 11, 2009 10:16AM

<< Kennedy Halves..

Whom in their right mind would want to counterfeit those horrid eyesores. >>

No love for the hairy heads, eh Bopper?

TC

JRocco · March 11, 2009 10:20AM

Any Modern cr@p excluding bullion.
We don't even collect the real ones.

SeaEagleCoins · March 11, 2009 10:23AM

<< Kennedy Halves..

Whom in their right mind would want to counterfeit those horrid eyesores. >>

Lucy...

Where the heck have you been girl???? You have been missed... what's up in hepcat city?

ColonialCoinUnion · March 11, 2009 10:24AM

I would suggest that nothing will be immune.

Stella · March 11, 2009 10:29AM

Sacagawea or Presidential Dollars would be unlikely candidates for counterfeiting in my opinion.

savoyspecial · March 11, 2009 10:30AM

>>I would suggest that nothing will be immune>>

CCU, is this your cryptic way off suggesting that is it the Immune Columbia pieces that are the least counterfeited?

adamlaneus · March 11, 2009 10:32AM

<< Sacagawea or Presidential Dollars would be unlikely candidates for counterfeiting in my opinion. >>

Although it boggles the mind, both the Susan B. and the Sac Dollar have been counterfeitted:

Link

OnlyGoldIsMoney · March 11, 2009 10:42AM

Eisenhower Dollars

ColonialCoinUnion · March 11, 2009 10:44AM

<< >>I would suggest that nothing will be immune>>

CCU, is this your cryptic way off suggesting that is it the Immune Columbia pieces that are the least counterfeited? >>

Um, no.

Norseman88 · March 11, 2009 10:45AM

<< Kennedy Halves..

Whom in their right mind would want to counterfeit those horrid eyesores. >>

Me thinks possibly you, by the way nice Goat I've got a 2006 spice red metallic M-6 with a Borla catback.

Staircoins · March 11, 2009 10:45AM

There. I win.

savoyspecial · March 11, 2009 10:47AM

I've got it!! Elongated Cents

19Lyds · March 11, 2009 11:02AM

<< Eisenhower Dollars >>

Whoops! They've been doing IKE's as well!

Quarternut · March 11, 2009 11:17AM

Some areas of Exonumia such as Love Tokens...

QN

RedTiger · March 11, 2009 11:26AM

<< Any Modern cr@p excluding bullion.
We don't even collect the real ones. >>

I don't think that is safe either. There is still plenty of profit in fake clad coins. Counterfeiting currently circulating Chinese coins is a big business, so I would imagine American fakes, good enough to get into vending machines is almost a certainty as well.

There is a long list of coins I won't buy any more from unknown sellers, no matter if they are in the U. S. It is trivial for the counterfeiters to find willing accomplices in the U. S. Paranoid? Maybe, but I have read reports on this forum and the World Coin forum of low value fakes (under $20) in many areas, darkside and U. S. Again, if it costs 7 cents to make a fake, there is still plenty of profit even at $1. The suspicion level is quite low right now on the low cost stuff.

P. S. Nice to see Lucy's pixels.

JZrarities · March 11, 2009 11:51AM

Body Bags.

Who wants a counterfeit?
I like mine real.

PerryHall · March 11, 2009 8:47PM

Any extremely rare coin collected by specialists such as patterns, $4 stellas, early gold, etc is less likely to be counterfeited.

RYK · March 11, 2009 9:32PM

<< Any extremely rare coin collected by specialists such as patterns, $4 stellas, early gold, etc is less likely to be counterfeited. >>

Patterns is the niche that gave me the idea for this thread. In another one, some were questioning the authenticity of an R8 pattern. It occurred to me that I have not seen any examples of counterfeit patterns and that given their small collecting base (compared to Morgans, Saints, coronet gold, 09-S VDBs, etc.) and relative illiquidity, this was an area that would be relatively safe.

I am sure that MrEureka will make the next post with three hundred examples of counterfeit patterns. I have seen some pattern replicas on ebay, too, so counterfeits may not be far behind.

Longacre · March 11, 2009 10:29PM

Have they counterfeited currency yet? It seems like getting the right feel of the paper might be an issue (at least for the mom and pop operations).

jonathanb · March 11, 2009 11:25PM

I recently saw a counterfeit pattern on eBay. One of the goloid patterns, I think. It looked strange, but I almost bid anyway. I figured that since so few people would recognize it at all, who would bother counterfeiting one of them? Fortunately, I looked at the seller's other items first, and he had a whole run of Chinese counterfeits that were clearly of the same manufacture as the pattern. Too bad.

So no, patterns aren't immune...

TwoSides2aCoin · March 11, 2009 11:41PM

Milk Spots

RedTiger · March 11, 2009 11:49PM

<< Have they counterfeited currency yet? It seems like getting the right feel of the paper might be an issue (at least for the mom and pop operations). >>

Counterfeiting $100 bills is what keeps the economy of some countries afloat. Large scale ops are rumored to be in North Korea and some Middle Eastern countries. This is one reason the U. S. keeps changing the money, trying to stay ahead of the fakes. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the old paper money (real and fake) is never demonetized. Who knows if that day will come? I do think that classic era currency is a less active area for the Chinese. Fake coins are easier and much easier to move in quantity.

PerryHall · March 11, 2009 11:54PM

Has there been much of a problem with counterfeiting exonumia---tokens, medals, CWT, HTT, etc?

Staircoins · March 12, 2009 2:16AM

<< 

<< Have they counterfeited currency yet? It seems like getting the right feel of the paper might be an issue (at least for the mom and pop operations). >>

Counterfeiting $100 bills is what keeps the economy of some countries afloat. Large scale ops are rumored to be in North Korea and some Middle Eastern countries. This is one reason the U. S. keeps changing the money, trying to stay ahead of the fakes. ... >>

Here is a thread on the currency forum where just yesterday a very good counterfeit $100 turned up at a New England bank. The note was good enough to pass the 'counterfeit detection pen' test, and even had the proper watermark.

In this instance, I would consider nature of the threat to be more economic than numismatic, however, so it may fall outside the context of the OP.

Scary, nonetheless.

MPLunatic · March 12, 2009 3:11AM

I think this thread goes to show that any series is a target of counterfeiters, who would wanna counterfeit an ike dollar and why is beside me but I guess if you have too much time on your hands?

pmac · March 12, 2009 3:18AM

<< Have they counterfeited currency yet? It seems like getting the right feel of the paper might be an issue (at least for the mom and pop operations). >>

Are you serious?

CaptHenway · March 12, 2009 3:27AM

<< SBA DOLLARS !!!

even if they are copied, how cares. >>

I have a few counterfeit SBA's.........

Shamika · March 12, 2009 3:30AM

All moderns and proofs of all types.

CaptHenway · March 12, 2009 3:33AM

<< I've got it!! Elongated Cents >>

Can't remember where it was, but I once saw a machine where you put in a cent and a quarter, and wheels turned and lights flashed and the cent disappeared into a slot, and a few seconds later a pre-struck oval token dropped out into the tray. Not the piece you put in, nor was it "rolled."
TD

CaptHenway · March 12, 2009 3:35AM

<< Any extremely rare coin collected by specialists such as patterns, $4 stellas, early gold, etc is less likely to be counterfeited. >>

Like 1804 dollars????

ILikeMercs · March 12, 2009 3:36AM

<< 

<< Kennedy Halves..

Whom in their right mind would want to counterfeit those horrid eyesores. >>

Me thinks possibly you, by the way nice Goat I've got a 2006 spice red metallic M-6 with a Borla catback.

>>

poor kids and their modern crap.

BECOKA · March 12, 2009 3:47AM

Who is to say that there are not already good counterfeits in every area of numismatics. Maybe we just can't tell yet.

What area of US numismatics is least likely to be targeted by counterfeiters?

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