Fakes And Forgeries

I have a copy of Charles M. Larsons's very good book: 'Numismatic Forgery'

Gives lots of detail on how forgeries are made, but little on HOW to identify them, other than from inference as to how they are made.

Now there is a subject if you did enough research, you coulld write such a book for us all. One of the real problems with counterfeits is some are so good, many experts can not tell. Some of the faked Silver Dollars have been made with the exact same Silver as the originals. Some have been melted down to make more Numismatically higher valued coins. With todays coin collecting hobby craze, more and more different types of fakes are being found all the time. Worse yet is the latest fun they are having making faked PCGS slabs with fake coins inside.
And it is not just the really vauable coins either. So many faked coins of lesser values are popping up all the time. Some how someone has the ability to take a Mint mark off one coin and glue it on another one. Sure wish I could find a Copper S added to a Silver coin.
I remember as a kid we had so much fun removing a leg of the Buffalo on the Nickel. Or removing the D on a 1922 Cent. I like all the plated 1943 Cents that are around. I've got some that are Chomed, Zinced, Tinned and a few Copper plated.
Yes someone should really write practically an encyclopedia on them all

Some of the most dangerous fakes are made with 3D laser optic profiling the data, from which is loaded into a cutting machine that has a diamond stylus. An original matrix (10x) is cut, using a computer program loaded with the data from the 3D optic laser optic scanning.

This matrix is then tooled carefully before a reduction hub and die is made.

The fake coins are made from melted down .900 silver from common coins, rolled and punched in the normal way. When they are struck, they can show all of the characteristic lustre of a newly minted coin.

These fakes can still be picked by examining the minute tooling marks left behind on the matrix, and of the artificial patination and wear, with the use of comparative photomicrography.

Even the collector can defend himself against these nasties, with the use of a USB microscope, and the use of the 'Net, to compare his pictures with, as well as discussion here in the CCF.

There is an analogy in the development of tank armour, and anti tank weapons designed to defeat it. Better armour gives impetus for the weapons designers to find a better way to defeat it, which gives impetus to the armour designers to design a better way to defeat the weapons ranged against it,---ad nauseum.