Fake Canadian Errors - Demolition Day

This weekend, an error collecting friend and I sorted through 4 single row boxes of "homemade errors" and "garage-job" errors. The intent was to keep a small representative set for teaching, and to remove the rest to be destroyed.

- Silver fake errors will be melted and destroyed.

- 1c coins (plated, fake clips, acid coins, etc.) were scored with a large X on both sides, and rolled up to be sent to the bank (my bank sends the 1c coins back to the mint).

- 5c coins were hammered with a beer punch, then if pure nickel, will be sold as "nickel bullion".

- 25c were going to be hammered, straightened, and if necessary struck with a beer mug counterstamp and put back in circulation, especially the fake brockages.

- 50c and nickel dollars were hammered with the beer punch and will be sent to the bank (my bank sends stuff directly to the Bank of Canada, then to the mint for the alloy recovery program).





Stuff that could not go back to the bank had a date with my hammer and vice and destroyed (see photo). A lot of these coins were acquired over the years, sometimes even bought them as "errors" just to remove them from the marketplace forever... In this batch, over 20 "acid coins" were destroyed and numerous fake brockages, clips and other creative errors.

If you ever get your hands on garage-job stuff, I would recommend destroying it. I am planning perhaps a September Coin Expo session on fake versus real errors...

If you ever find a coin out there, with a beer punch stamp on it. Know that it is NOT a legit error, and stop medal detecting at the Ottawa City dump!