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 Replies: 36 / Views: 9,355 |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1529 Posts |
As more and more interest are shown in Aussie Coins, would be collectors should take heed that we too have a number of forgeries, especially in the medium to high ticket items in the predecimal era. Some of the forgeries are so good that unless you know what to look for you could be buying a lemon. Here is a typical forgery of a 1947 Florin ( why anyone would want to forge this common coin has me beat). Coin is made out of aluminium/lead. Coin is a lot lighter than a real one when weighed.   There you are Terry, this is one "horrible" looking coin...  |
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Pillar Of The Community
3147 Posts |
Thanks lim118 as I sure don't want that one. I prefer uncirculated or proof, unless of course, its a key date and in that case I will take what I can get! They must have factories in Asia pumping out fake coins on an assembly line as I saw about a dozen RARE Trade dollars listed on ebay the other night, one right after another, so they didn't seem quite so rare then? |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1079 Posts |
Lim that looks identical to a coin I sold on ebay many months ago. You are right why anyone would want to forge that coin is beyond me. However that is what makes that particular coin more interesting and worth a bit more. |
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New Member
Australia
13 Posts |
quote:
Originally posted by KLD
Lim that looks identical to a coin I sold on ebay many months ago.
You are right why anyone would want to forge that coin is beyond me. However that is what makes that particular coin more interesting and worth a bit more.
Most of the Australian florin forgeries are contemporary coins. A florin was a lot of money in those days. The forgeries were mostly made from the lead of car battery terminals. They were made to be spent not to be sold to collectors. |
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Pillar of the Community
 Australia
1529 Posts |
quote:
Originally posted by rodsell
quote:
Originally posted by KLD
Lim that looks identical to a coin I sold on ebay many months ago.
You are right why anyone would want to forge that coin is beyond me. However that is what makes that particular coin more interesting and worth a bit more.
Most of the Australian florin forgeries are contemporary coins. A florin was a lot of money in those days. The forgeries were mostly made from the lead of car battery terminals. They were made to be spent not to be sold to collectors.
If I had those sort of abilities, I would have done a Mr Gee, his "creations" were that perfect that it fooled even the very experienced numismatists of his day...as I understand it, he was only caught out in the end due to provenance or the lack of it. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
853 Posts |
I recently purchased a number of "bulk florins" for the silver. In it were 2 florins from the 1940's...made of silver but obviously cast. I asked the same question as lim....the cost benefit of forging them just is not there.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1079 Posts |
Hey bigfella are they same as Lim's or different?
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
853 Posts |
The ones I have are of poorer quality. Lim's look cleaner. The ones I have still have small air bubbles on the surface making the surface look rough. The coins I have are also darker.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1079 Posts |
Are they on your website for sale?
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New Member
Australia
45 Posts |
quote:
would be collectors should take heed that we too have a number of forgeries, especially in the medium to high ticket items in the predecimal era.
Very few in key areas, a lot of very crude ones for evey year. Most Australian pre-decimal proofs pre-1955 are forgeries but are as rare as the real thing, I have seen a few David Gee forgeries slabbed by US TPGs as genuine items. The 1930 and 1923 coins are often the subjuct of crude fakes mostly altered dates, think the problem for 1923 guys is the 1928 version being exactly the same as 1923 (not 100% sure on the date) so altered dates are harder to detect. As for comtempory forgeries, most are from lead or silver ( nearly everyone actually made their own fishing sinkers back then so metal working was not an uncommon skill.) In the case of silver forgeries , it was still profitable to have silver content in forgeries. As to why, apart from the high buying power of the coins back then, people today are forging $1 and $2 coins, must be worth it or why bother? |
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New Member
Australia
45 Posts |
A bit more info on Mr Gee, he had original (repaired) dies to stike with and or original coins to cast from.
Makes it very hard to spot the forgeries when struck from original dies, but the dies had to be repaired or de-rusted so often there can be very minor giveaways, usually relating to design (slightly wrong design for that year).
When they first appeared, the differences could be explained away as die variations until they were finally caught.
Mr Gee spent time in prison and whilst in lost most of his fingers to bolt cutters whilst a guest of HRH.
His forgeries are now as collectable as the coins he intended to copy.
Go figure.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1529 Posts |
Thanks Cruzi for that in depth insight to Mr Gee, there was an interesting article about him in one of the issues of CAB but I can't remember which issue it was.
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New Member
Australia
45 Posts |
Heads I WinJeffery Watson, Don Thomas and Jack Bennet 1986 Angus & Robertson Unit 4 , Eden Park 31 Waterloo Rd North Ryde NSW 2113 Australia ISBN 0 207 15246 2 Top Read ! 
Edited by Cruzi
01/17/2006 8:42 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1529 Posts |
Thanks again, I will order a copy from Angus Robertson.
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Valued Member
119 Posts |
Lim, Do Angus & Robertson still have copies? I've been trying to get hold of a copy for years.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1529 Posts |
Welcome to the Forum thesandpit.... I am still waiting for a reply from Angus & Robertson to my query/order...if I have any further news I will keep you informed. |
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Replies: 36 / Views: 9,355 |
Posted 01/03/2006 12:20 am
