What Do You Think? Pillar 8R With Philippine Ferdin-7 C/S

fireandice556 When that coin was first posted - I wondered about putting it on another thread, but I was concerned I was boring people with Modern counterfeits.

The coin is not in my opinion real.

There are two beads in the crown of the counterstamp that have dark centers. They are located second from the bottom arc on both sides. This kind of depression often happens on cast replicas. But it can also happen due to post strike damage. However, other elements o the punch also show voids. I see many voids in the Punch detail which are wrong for a strike in the "field area". Voids in the punch detail have to match raised elements on the host coin. I do NOT see such a correlation. I would bet that the pattern for the c/s was a punch positioned over the globes. A punch done over details has missing elements while a punch on a flat surface usually does not.

I am also bothered by the host coin as well. It looks mushy (to use a highly technical term).

If I were bidding I would only bid conditionally. I would agree to pay as soon as the coin was encapsulated by a TPG and I could confirm the ID number and date of the encapsulation. I would offer to pay for the encapsulation of course and add say $20 for the delay. But I would NOT pay only on what I see and hear. A honest seller would agree, but a scam artist will have a number of excuses and NEVER agree.

The seller is new 8 feedbacks and any story about an inherited collection sets the red flags waving. He may be an honest fellow but I think anyone bidding here stands a better than even chance to lose his money.

I am NOT a Gambler.

@SwamperBob - Thanks for the analysis. as well as on how to deal with these scammers. I do see red-flags on his horde, but a benefit of the doubt since he's from Puerto Rico and only ships to the US. Not the usual Chine-mainland connection, but maybe they have spread their wings.

In this imperfect world, when you seen something too good to be true, it really is NOT true :) (pessimistic attitude) :D

@Pandesalapi - I'm hoping to get a copy of that book, although I only owned a single C/S -- not authenticated yet. All my reference materials on Pillars are copies of auction catalogs such as the Viceroy Amat and Yriarte collection. I also have a book of Pradeau. All which does not tell me which to look at when challenged with some crude to near-perfect counterfeits. Already burned with these local forger/scammer. Too bad for forgers, they have now to contend with SwamperBob's magnificent knowledge.

Swamperbob, your posts are never boring

That coin just went for $434.

I have really been enjoying these posts about counterfeits.