As some of you know I am a world authority on contemporary counterfeits (i.e., normally off-metal issues that co-circulated with the regal (legitimate) issues of the same time period (i.e., Machins Mills Coppers in the U.S.
Red Book). These Modern Chinese fakes pretty much have screwed me up the ability to sell these historic issues easily on
ebay to other specialists around the WORLD - so in my mind I am not a big fan of these people <BG>. I have studied these pieces and have done XRF analysis on these pieces.
The primarly results of the major:
1. German Silver (Cu/Zn/Ni)
2. Iron/Nickel - If Fe is >20% the piece generally becomes magnetic. They exist in varying amounts.
3. Debased Silver with copper but alloys (1) and (2) above are generally preferred over (3).
There may be other alloys but these are (3) principle alloys found after analyzing around 30-40 direct purchase coins of various types from a source near China.
On older issues like pre-1850 you can tell by the edge or they have that dull white look. The edges appear new - you simply can't fake a 200 year old edge. Like some other collectors say - buy slab, know mintmark locations, etc.
After awhile you can spot "THE LOOK." From (1) - (3) above silver has a high coin ring - these (3) coin rings the PITCH will be LOWER.
Bottom line - they are WELL MADE and are struck in a good minting press ... to a new collector - they are DEADLY.
John Lorenzo
Numsimtist
United States
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Posted 10/30/2011 2:31 pm
