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 Replies: 16 / Views: 12,571 |
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Pillar of the Community
France
1591 Posts |
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Valued Member
Sweden
347 Posts |
I'm always impressed by people who can tell immediately if a coin is a fake or not. I wish I had that ability too, so if anyone could share some very obvious tips (as a start) that would be highly appreciated!
Love the idea of showing fake coins, comparison with real coins would be even better so we (at least I) can compare and learn to understand how to see a fake (also with help of description of the details that makes it a fake)
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Pillar of the Community
 France
1591 Posts |
A good start is to read all swamperbob's posts, he is the specialist on those coins (and fakes made for those reales) It's actually easier to spot fakes by having them in hand though (by their weight, by details not appearing on the picture - the first place to check being the coin's edge) Anyway, I hope we can make a nice topic which could teach how to avoid mistakes I (and other) made on ebay while collecting those pillar dollars :) |
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Pillar of the Community
France
1591 Posts |
Here is a nice one, sold as fake, which can be a nice way to figure out wrong details : http://cgi.ebay.es/CARLOS-III-8-REA..._1927wt_1141Details which can be hints : * The price (good start :p) * The writing seems weak in some places (ind near the 8 for example) just near places which don't seem to have wear * Some letters are missing parts (G - on the same side) * Some details are weak / mushy where they shouldn't (the small flower on the left of the date for example) * Despite some wear, the coin's background is "too clean", no mark anywhere. * We cannot see the edge on the picture, but that would be another stuff to check (or a picture to ask to the seller) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1801 Posts |
I see nothing wrong with the Potosi 8 reales coin at first glance. It looks fine to me but I am late for work so I will look closer at this thread again later today. I didn't have time to look at the rest of the coins.
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Valued Member
United States
167 Posts |
Regarding your listing of fakes I also can't find any obvious clues on the 1780 Potasi 8R. Looking at vol 1 of G.Calbeto I can find 2 samples of 1780 PTS pieces and it seems that the style is within stylistic variance for that mint. I do have a Chas III but a Mo rather than an PTS & the hoard date of 1779. It also has clean surfaces: http://www.coinsandhistory.com/coun...al.html#1779Also I have a lab quality analytical scale: it might be interesting to order the 1780 PTS to see what the weight is & how the edge looks. The other possible fake coins you've posted do look off however. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1801 Posts |
Now that I am home and can spend some time, the 1780 doesn't look quite right to me. The portrait is off somehow but I can't put my finger on exactly what is wrong. Like the original poster, I've learned ot go with my gut and I would pass on that coin without real close hands on examination.
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Pillar of the Community
France
1591 Posts |
As I said, I was not sure about the 1780 potossi and the 2 others - I just found them suspect. I don't intend to buy them anyway, else my first try would have been to ask the seller for edge pictures :) Anyway, I invite anyone spotting fakes on ebay (or elsewhere actually) to post it here and describe what's wrong - as I hope this will help newcomers to figure out fakes more easily. And as we said, if you have doubts, the best is to stay away (or at least get more pictures / check the coin in hand) |
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Pillar of the Community
France
1591 Posts |
Here is today's fake, I'm alost sure of that one (the guy is almost honest, he says he don't know wether the coin is genuine or not) : http://cgi.ebay.com/MEXICO-PILLAR-D...t_500wt_1156Hint : the dentiles on the side of the coin don't go in the same direction and don't seem regular. Those are mechanically made on silver pieces before the coin is made, and should intersect in the same direction (center of the coin usually) |
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New Member
United Kingdom
41 Posts |
Looks like a 1970s cast type of fake.... not a modern one but easy to spot because of the rim.
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Valued Member
United States
425 Posts |
I think MathieuMa has good reason to say "fake" on these three Bust Dollars! Just like he said, "First Impression", They just look too perfect, they are the wrong color for old silver, and one has clear bubbles/poc marks. Its true you would need alot more information to prove them fakes, but he is on the right track!
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Pillar of the Community
France
1591 Posts |
Actually, seems someone bought one of the 3 fakes ... Well, here is a new set of 3 fakes, although the last one is not a pillar dollar, I liked the way it looked (among other things, the castle design) http://cgi.ebay.com/1768-MM-MEXICO-...t_500wt_1131That one has many issues - two die breaks on the shield side (how the heck a die break can be seen on the edge of the coin, where the die shouldn't have punched), missing details (breaks in the shield design), some bumps (in the middle of the bottom C for example), strange endings on some letters (the surface should be flat, not going down slowly - as the dies were punched) I leave an extra mega hint for the end for that one http://cgi.ebay.com/1757-MM-MEXICO-...t_500wt_1131Same seller, similar issues, plus added bubbles on the pillar side (coins were punched, not melted ...) Last one for fun, this is a cob - I liked the rounded design of the details :) http://cgi.ebay.com/1656-BOLIVIA-8-...t_500wt_1131Here is a proper similar cob : http://coins.ha.com/common/view_ite...=13413#PhotoHere is an extra link for cobs collectors - which list many different kind of fakes (that one is included) : http://www.sedwickcoins.com/fake_cobs.htmTo finish, here is the worse detail on this set : the edge just look VERY bad (such sharply cut edges are common on fakes from this serie). |
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Pillar of the Community
France
1591 Posts |
Oh, another one from china ... Those are easy to spot, at least by seeing they come from china, and the seller has negative ratings about fakes :) http://cgi.ebay.com/MEXICO-SPANISH-...t_763wt_1116Visually, the coin looks weak striked, and not detailed. Even with a used die, letters edge don't look smooth like that (even when used) The background of the coin is wayyy to clean. A coin with such low details would be a used coin, moreover a used coin wouldn't have been used the same way all over. Another strange thing is that the crown seems to have added details, compared to the rest on the shield side (compared to the weak letters) The flowers seems to have been redone - but are weak at the same time (those have lotsa details on a real coin) The metal doesn't look like proper aged silver - sometime they try to age the coins better than this though. A view of the coin's rim would give this a final blow :) Hope that helps some wandering here ! Mathieu |
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Pillar of the Community
France
1591 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
France
1591 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
France
1591 Posts |
Here is today's fake - this time with pictures (as auction tend to disappear quickly) :   Link : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...t_2155wt_882Seller : gbcoinshop (4949, 100% positive) Here are stuffs I saw on that one : * unknown shipwreck * surface looks too clean for sea salvadged * edge dentils don't all go in the same central direction * 3 strange die cracks on the left of the shield * surface seems to have leftover metal / strange bubble looking holes (could be from sea salt though, but the look of the coin don't correspond to that) Fake coin confirmed by a serious coin dealer - and reported as fake to ebay :) Edited by MathieuMa
03/14/2011 3:31 pm
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Replies: 16 / Views: 12,571 |
Posted 03/02/2011 04:45 am
