Post Your Counterfeit Coins Here (Educational Thread)

...this example is listed on Dan Sedwick's website, under his "Modern Pirates" section, "Fake Cobs To Avoid" ... this is a cast copy of a genuine, hand struck Mexico City 1646 P 8 Reales "Royal" that belonged to a famous collector, Lázaro ...
..."Royals" were very carefully struck, with as much detail of the dies showing, as possible ..."Royals" were not for circulation, but were presentation pieces for Royalty & important members of society, & represented the the pinnacle of Spanish Colonial numismatic artistry...
...they were made with special flans, using special dies with subtle yet distinct differences from the commercial production...
...most of the dies were arranged in medallic alignment ( MM rather than MW ), and instead of a hastily applied strike, thought and effort was obviously given to the strike's centering and evenness. Overall, the high degree of craftsmanship employed in the manufacturing process for these well-made, hand selected issues was unparalleled in the New World...
...I bought this in 1998, at a Memphis flea market, knowing it was fake. The seller had no idea what it was, but that it was silver, & I paid $15, buying it as an educational piece ...
...The genuine Royal would sell for many, many thousands of dollars ...
...this one does represent actual die design from this date (1646), therefore, does hold some value ... it's my favorite counterfeit ...

Nice one, mrwiskers - thank you for sharing it and the background information. Have you determined that it is actually cast in silver?

So basically "Royals" were similar in function to early Proof coins - only available by request or produced for special occasions, like the coins in the King of Siam set.

How have I only just now seen this thread ?



Well this is my latest acquisition.
My main reason for commenting is to ask ilsesee if I can use his images from http://goccf.com/t/352646&whichpage=7#3807848 (2004 Menai £1 Fake) to update the page on my website. The coin is listed (doubled portrait and all) but the images I have are terrible in comparison.

http://thefakepoundcoindatabase.co....004NOSE.html

...THE SAME FAKE "SPANISH 8 REALES COB" FOR SALE BY 2 DIFFERENT SELLERS ON ebay...
ebay item number:266687871083
................AND..................
ebay item number:276347510151
....................Screenshots for posterity:


...


..These fakes are identical, pop up frequently on ebay (as genuine) ... they were poured into a mold, not hand-struck...both sellers have been informed in the past, but are re-posting these fakes ...

...because of the nature of their manufacturing, NO TWO COBS ARE EXACTLY ALIKE (referencing their shape & strike characteristics) ...( a quick study of the process will explain why) ... If you see 2 identical cobs, at least one is fake ... (most likely both) ...
...Any members here that would like a quick tutorial on this subject, please email me, I'd be glad to share this info ...

France 12 Deniers (1 Sol) 1791 cast counterfeit. 10.13 g, compared to 12.23 g for copper (KM# 601) and 13.37 g for bronze (KM# 600). Casting bubbles evident and granularity in fields, mushy devices, and improper color.

Interesting example!

..I like it too, & agree that it's more interesting ... most likely contemporary, as it is underweight & appears worn from circulation ...cool find...