A new Technology - A New Threat

AbesNeighbor · July 10, 2011 10:40PM

I was viewing, with interest, the new technology of 3D printing. Apparently they can remake tools and duplicate-exact replicas of just about anything, including food utilizing this new technology. Will they be able to replicate an MS66 or 67 gold rare coin without detection?

I suppose that is why we have Secure Plus with PCGS, but what if someone alters the coin just enough to be different from the actual coin? If you can mix ingredients in chocolate to duplicate old designs, then it seems to me that you can mix gold, copper and zinc, as well as silver to replicate collectible coins.

Any other thoughts on this subject?

JamesMurray · July 10, 2011 10:49PM

I read about the chocolate printer , i wouldn't care to try it myself and would probably stick with Hersheys. It occurs to me the chocolate will almost certainly suck , it'll look nice maybe..but don't expect anyone to eat it.
Besides that , the chocolate used must be in a liquid form initially,quick drying much like ink does , which begs the question of how does a printer get metal to a liquid form in order to manipulate it. I don't see it happening and i predict a big flop for the choccie printer.

erickso1 · July 10, 2011 10:50PM

I may be off the mark here but wouldn't a 3D printer have trouble replicating the metal flow lines and luster that is present on the coins you talk about?

AbesNeighbor · July 10, 2011 10:52PM

I don't know about the luster or the flow of metal due to heat... But, I'll bet someone is trying to figure it out...

GRANDAM · July 10, 2011 11:46PM

They have been doing that since the 1960's on Star Trek. The machine is called a replicator

GrandAm

RedTiger · July 10, 2011 11:51PM

It is coming. Each year, each decades, fakes will be of higher and higher quality, including the fake slabs for their fake coins. Eventually it may destroy the hobby. Fakes already are making a big dent with thousands of fakes worth millions of dollars being moved each month on Ebay and Craigslist. Right now that is only a small percentage. The really bad part is that those duped buyers are reselling at other venues, such as coin clubs, small shows, flea markets and now those venues are also suspect. Be careful out there.

kahokia · July 10, 2011 11:53PM

Captain Janeway will not give this technology to a less-developed culture. It violates the prime directive of the Federation. No worries.

COALPORTER · July 11, 2011 12:25AM

Sometimes it is called Rapid Prototyping. This is a really fast changing area and already replacing traditional machine shop tools.
Last I knew, it could not yet do the details of a coin, but someday
I would not be surprised if it could make a 99% copy.

partagas · July 11, 2011 12:27AM

They only can print copys that are polymer based not made out of metal. You can print a plastic copy but not metal, so coins are safe.

Here is a link

3d print

topstuf · July 11, 2011 12:43AM

mmm

airplanenut · July 11, 2011 1:01AM

Right now I don't think they can get the fineness needed to replicate a coin, and I'm not sure if anyone is using metal. Most of these are done with corn starch or, with newer machines, plastic somewhat like that used for Legos.

kiyote · July 11, 2011 1:12AM

By the time we can use 3-D printers to crank out rare coins to fool the expert from printers we'll have flying cars that can shoot lasers and animal translators so I won't care because everythiing else will be so awesome.

LindeDad · July 11, 2011 2:41AM

So will this be how they make the next generation of chocolate coins?
Yum Yum....

dcarr · July 11, 2011 4:08AM

I'm familiar with this technology. The resolution is good, but nowhere near high enough to replicate luster.
The "printed" 3D models are usually wax or other polymer, which can the be cast in whatever metal ("lost wax" casting method).
But to do this, you would need an accurate 3-D digital model of the coin to start with, then 3-D print it in wax, then cast it.
You'd get better results by skipping the 3-D printing and simply make a mold of the original coin and cast it in the traditional manner.

There are 3-D printers that can print in metal. They start by laying down arrays of microscopic stainless steel spheres (which stick together).
Then the voids between the spheres in the part are somehow backfilled with molten bronze. There is some shrinkage during this process
and details are lost. Again, for coin replication, better results would be obtained using other methods.

stevek · July 11, 2011 4:40AM

I hear those alchemists are gearing up to produce the valuable metals.

A new Technology - A New Threat

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