On fake coins

This is exactly why I have so much gemstone testing equipment. Thankfully EBAY is good about returning your money. China and India have given me the most fakes. So all diamonds/gemstones are tested on two of three different machines, inspected through a microscope and verified the moment they land at my door.

I've also sent messages immediately after a buy to let them know any and all stones will be tested using appropriate equipment upon arrival. That often gets them to just cancel the sale and reimburse me before shipping.
 
So, silly me.... I like to bid on silver coins from time to time on ebay. A few weeks ago I went after a Morgan that only had a minute to go and got a great price with a last minute bid! 16 bucks or so, 20 dollars total with shipping. Then, when I'm checking my items, I see the seller no longer exists...check the shipping status and it's on it's way from China. I think to myself "ohhhhh !!!!...I just got had". A few searches reveal that most any coin like that coming from China is a fake. And yep, comes a couple weeks later and it has this ridiculous "patina" applied and fails the acid test...

So I'm thinking I should just chuck this thing. And while I'm thinking that, I start to think: what if someone chucked one and somebody like me digs it up?? Would that not be the absolute worst?? Finding your MORGAN SILVER DOLLAR and then finding out it's a Chinese counterfeit??? Man....

Anyway, don't be silly like me....watch out for the Chinese fakes...…..take a minute to check that you are bidding on an item from a seller with a good long history...

Junker is on the left.


At least you know how to test silver. A lot of people put tje acid on the object itself.
 
I wonder what the response would be if you walked into a coin shop or flea market with a caliper and a scale so you could check each individual coin. I have purchased both items I will take them with me to the flea market next time I go.

Some fakes are so well done the weight and dimensions are correct.
 
Some fakes are so well done the weight and dimensions are correct.

Yeah, the weight was pretty close. My real dollars are showing .93/.94 oz. and the fake is .95 oz.

The real ones ring up about 93 on the fisher while the fake was 84.
 
Yeah, the weight was pretty close. My real dollars are showing .93/.94 oz. and the fake is .95 oz.

The real ones ring up about 93 on the fisher while the fake was 84.
I’m assuming that a magnet doesn’t stick? Any idea what type of metal that is?
 
I wonder what the response would be if you walked into a coin shop or flea market with a caliper and a scale so you could check each individual coin. I have purchased both items I will take them with me to the flea market next time I go.

I take instruments to test stones every time I go to a gem show. The one time I was asked if I trusted the vendor, I just said "I don't trust the guy who sold it to you."
 
My real dollars are showing .93/.94 oz. and the fake is .95 oz.

The real ones ring up about 93 on the fisher while the fake was 84.

This is also a GREAT way to determine! Use your Metal Detector to tell you what you got there! When Me and the Wife sit and sort pennies, Zincs from Coppers, this is exactly what we do! We set the rig on the countertop, go into Delta Pitch tones and simply wave each coin near the coil!...the Coppers ping in Higher, the zincs lower...so its faster and easier than looking at dates...
 

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If you ever go to China keep a "lound" eye out.

Odds are within the first few days you'll see your twin on the street selling the latest MS Office suite under 20 dollars, a Rolex for 8 bucks, any pre release new movie you want to include the pre start checklist for the Space Shuttle along with the pre docking addendum.

So, when you go to the airport to leave don't be surprised when the customs guy says weren't you just here??

Stanley market outside Hong Kong is your one stop shop.
 
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So, silly me.... I like to bid on silver coins from time to time on ebay. A few weeks ago I went after a Morgan that only had a minute to go and got a great price with a last minute bid! 16 bucks or so, 20 dollars total with shipping. Then, when I'm checking my items, I see the seller no longer exists...check the shipping status and it's on it's way from China. I think to myself "ohhhhh !!!!...I just got had". A few searches reveal that most any coin like that coming from China is a fake. And yep, comes a couple weeks later and it has this ridiculous "patina" applied and fails the acid test...

So I'm thinking I should just chuck this thing. And while I'm thinking that, I start to think: what if someone chucked one and somebody like me digs it up?? Would that not be the absolute worst?? Finding your MORGAN SILVER DOLLAR and then finding out it's a Chinese counterfeit??? Man....

Anyway, don't be silly like me....watch out for the Chinese fakes...…..take a minute to check that you are bidding on an item from a seller with a good long history...

Junker is on the left.

If it's counterfeit, you can get your money back. Just fine a complaint, and eBay will refund you. You won't have to send it back, either.

I once bought a roll of 20 Morgans, and they were all fakes (16 of them still had the word "COPY" stamped. LOL). I simply filed a report, and 3 days later, all my money was back, no requirement to return the product. I then sold off the Copy-marked ones on eBay for $7 a set of 3. They went FAST. (magicians use them). It's the only time I've ever made money on a bad deal! :laughing::laughing:

Bottom line. File the complaint, get your $20 back (they refund shipping, too!)
 
I've had people on metal detecting boards call me a liar when I tell them the Chinese make counterfeit coins in denominations as small as a US dime or penny. I refuse to post the link to the sales sites I have seen and I think they just want that so they can buy some fakes and scam people with them.

Like posted above, they sell counterfeit coins from all over the world if they think they can profit from it.


As to taking tools to verify authenticity, I've seen it a LOT and wouldn't think of buying from someone I don't know without doing every check I am capable of. Scales, calipers, super magnet and a link on my phone to each coin's dimensions. I haven't carried the tools to do specific gravity, but if I was going to buy a lot, I would rig something up and take it with me.




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I saw some fakes here last year that were also from China. They were even silver plated. The weight was slightly heavy, that's NEVER going to happen with a real coin showing wear. When you tested with acid directly on the coin it ate right through the light plating.
 
If you fake a $20 bill, you'll go to jail for a long time. They dont care about a coin thats basically only a collectible.

Not long ago a girl was arrested because she paid for her school lunch with a two dollar bill. They didn't know they were real. A police officer friend of mine took one of the joke Obama three dollar bills to a fast food place and gave it to the girl at the register for his meal. She started to give him change. He said "No, it's a joke. It isn't real!" The girl answered "It has the President's picture on it."
 
If it's counterfeit, you can get your money back. Just fine a complaint, and eBay will refund you. You won't have to send it back, either.

I once bought a roll of 20 Morgans, and they were all fakes (16 of them still had the word "COPY" stamped. LOL). I simply filed a report, and 3 days later, all my money was back, no requirement to return the product. I then sold off the Copy-marked ones on eBay for $7 a set of 3. They went FAST. (magicians use them). It's the only time I've ever made money on a bad deal! :laughing::laughing:

Bottom line. File the complaint, get your $20 back (they refund shipping, too!)
So you can buy fakes on ebay an make bank? Too crazy! Shouldn’t have told us that!
 
I always make sure to change item location to USA only and use PayPal on feebay! Hate getting scammed have a few stories myself.
 
Well, there is a reason why chinese jewellery is mostly silver 999 and gold 999. Hard to fake that.
The fake coins aren't just from China . China does have the population and resources.. that's why it's seems more common. Lots of fake stuff coming out of Europe and other Asian countries.. for example sunglasses . Huge wad of fake top brands coming from japan
 
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