Copies of coins. How to distinguish a fake?

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

Numismatics is a very interesting way to touch history. But sometimes funny things happen, and the treasured acquisition has a much shorter history than we would like.

History of fakes

With the first money, fakes began to exist. Naturally, counterfeit is created for the purpose of profit, however, even coins that have gone out of circulation are not immune from a replica.

There are a huge number of ways to counterfeit coins, and the development of technology contributes to this process. If a few hundred years ago it was possible to determine the authenticity of a coin in front of you without much difficulty, now it is an incredibly difficult process even for specialists.

Fakes of old coins

Disused money is also of interest to counterfeiters, but already in the form of antiques. An inexperienced numismatist is quite capable of acquiring such a counterfeit. Sometimes the quality of a fake is so high that even an experienced eye can be deceived.

For the most part, not very rare coins are copied, the price of which ranges from a couple of tens to hundreds of dollars. This trend has developed in order to mislead novice collectors of not very rare and seemingly similar to the originalcopy.

Royal coins

Copies of royal coins can be found mostly silver, but there are also many gold items. When looking for rare pieces of silver, you can most likely stumble upon a fake, because it is very difficult to verify the authenticity.

Copies of coins made of gold are much rarer. Mostly due to the fact that when buying such a coin, the numismatist will be extremely careful and secure himself with a detailed check of originality.

Almost all the coins of the times of tsarism acquired their own copies. Finding copies of coins online or in an antique shop is not difficult, but reliable sellers with a reputation always point out the lack of uniqueness.

Replacing the original

In some cases, copies of coins are an alternative way out for numismatists. Many coins were issued in small numbers or are very expensive and rare. A modern forgery of such rare antiques will find its place in the collection. Almost all high-quality fakes will be exactly identical to the original.

In addition to fakes, there are also copies issued as a souvenir. The difference between a fake and a high-quality replica at a lower price, as well as inconspicuous details. When making a fake, absolutely all the subtleties are observed, and some elements are specially added or eliminated to the replica.

How to spot a fake

It will be difficult for a simple laymandetermine if the coin is genuine or not. But there are several basic possibilities for determining a copy of coins.

The easiest option is to compare the coin with the original. In this case, there is a high chance of recognizing a fake. It's usually in the little details that make the difference, so it's important to pay attention to the little things.

Sometimes a counterfeit coin has a different color. This is the lowest quality copy. Silver coins have a lighter tint, while a bad fake is more similar to aluminum. Better fakes can be made of silver or plated with precious metal.

Quite often there are copies of the coins of Russia or the Soviet Union, which have a greater weight than the original. For example, a ruble minted in 1924, in perfect condition, weighs 20 grams, while its fake counterpart weighs 21. Do not miss the opportunity for weight loss in original coins during use, but the difference should be negligible.

Studying the Groot can also bear fruit. Usually, comparison with the original allows you to identify copies of the coins. How to distinguish a fake with the help of Groot? It is very likely that the copy will have minor inconsistencies with the original coinage. For example: sometimes on fakes there is no name of the mintzmeister or the letters are uneven.

Some fakes are misleading with their vintage look. The appearance of the plaque gives the coin solidity and awakens confidence in the authenticity. But this trick is quite easy to do with acid or baking.coins. The result is a home-made patina on a newly minted coin.

More problems arise with expensive and rare specimens. Forging such rarities, the craftsmen take into account all the details, and it is simply difficult to determine the uniqueness by eye. For such cases, there are various examinations and tests that will help not to run into a fake. For greater reliability when buying coins, you should contact reliable places with an established reputation.

Modern coins are also subject to copying. It may seem strange, but there is also a fake of small Russian coins, some series of which are of great interest to collectors.