A Look At Replica U.S. Two Cent Pieces posted by Penny Guy

[CSJournals-migration]

With counterfeit coins flowing into the collector market, learn how to easily spot one manufacturers replica coins.

 

The numismatic hobby is facing perhaps it's most threatening challenge, that of replica coins from China and other overseas locals. Low cost, and in some cases, surprisingly good quality reproductions are flooding America via a number of portals, most notably eBay.

 

Such auctions provide a low cost outlet for the unscrupulous to market their wares. This brief study will examine the replica two cent pieces that are being sold today. A sample order was placed to allow close examination of the currently available specimens. The following pages depict the best replica, of 10 samples ordered, along with a genuine example. The follow notes will help to guide examination of these coins.

 

Note that the counterfeit specimen shown here is not marked as a COPY or REPLICA as required by the Hobby Protection Act. When purchased the photographic sample was marked as a replica, thus the sample shown here was purchased as such. Upon delivery it was noted that the coin was not marked as required by law.

 

Let's examine twelve key differences of a counterfeit two cent piece to an authentic piece. Please refer to the photographs below.

 

General Observations

1. Diameter correct at 23 mm, weight correct at 6.22 grams.

2. Distinct ringing tone when dropped, unlike a genuine example.

3. Obverse has very weak, mushy details.

4. Dentils simulation not close to original spacing or shape.

 

Obverse

5. Date font is much fatter and flatter than any original coin.

6. Numerals actually touch each other on many specimens.

7. Surfaces display many fine scratches likely from cleaning after manufacture.

8. Obverse device and field surfaces granular as though coin was cast.

 

Reverse

9. Reverse image details far more clear and distinct than obverse.

10. The 7th outside leaf should be in various positions under the first T in STATES, but these replicas show that leaf far to the left of the S in STATES.

11. The N and S of CENTS are noticeably shorter that the other letters.

12. All dates show a full upper serif of the letter D of UNITED. Note that the both the proof and circulation strike genuine 1864 and 1865 dated coins show a full upper serif on the letter D, all other dates do not.

 

See more journals by Penny Guy

[SPHansen]

Great info... I've run across this recently, and its always good to know. I have several raw 2-centers and am planning to put together a graded set in the future. I guess movies aren't the only thing they pirate...

[Mokiechan]

Fascinating and scary at the same time. I know we had counterfeits in the old days but these Chinese counterfeits are getting better and better. Thank you so much for sharing your diagnostics.

 

Malcolm

[BULLY]

Just a question, playing devil's advocate here for a moment.

 

Now that the counterfeiting for this particular coin is exposed and perhaps word will be widely spread, photographed, and details will appear in a variety of numismatic publications, electronic or print, essentially making the information "go viral," will the counterfeiters not:

 

1. Just stop making fakes of this coin and start making fakes of something else?

or

2. Make a better counterfeit? It's sort of like building a better mousetrap, that logic.

 

I'm not saying that we as collectors shouldn't be informed of what to look for, and that publishing news about counterfeit detections isn't a good idea.

 

But, might it at all perpetuate more counterfeiting?

 

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, well, maybe I am, but let' ignore that for a moment.

 

Some say that Third Party Grading companies like NGC and PCGS are a great benefit to the hobby because they help keep counterfeits out of the marketplace. Well, that makes us dependent on their services.

 

So, what happens? Then counterfeiters started counterfeiting NGC and/or PCGS holders. Does anyone remember that happening?

 

Then both NGC and PCGS started imaging all the coins (well, most anyway, they don't admit it, and they don't publish numbers of how many they miss, but they don't image all of them) they grade, so a certification look-up not only shows what the coin SHOULD BE but shows the coin.

 

Then NGC and PCGS make "counterfeit resistant" type holders, with holograms and other security features.

 

Now, counterfeiters are back to making fake coins.

 

Does anyone see a cycle developing here?

 

It's sort of like conspiracy theorists who believe that it's the ANTI-VIRUS companies like McAfee and Norton who release all the viruses so you have to continue to buy their updated protection against these new threats.

 

Does it, or will it ever end? It's rhetorical really, but food for thought nonetheless.

[Mokiechan]

Another Slant

 

Counterfeiting has been going on since coins were first minted and nothing we do is going to change that fact. The diagnostics on the Two Cent piece that Penny Guy discussed were not subtle and were not designed to full anyone but the most naive of consumers. In fact, according to Penny Guy, the coin was stamped "replica" in the advertisement though it was not stamped appropriately when it arrived at his home. This implies the seller knows many buyers will try and resell the coin to an unwary buyer. .Why else would such a piece be made?

 

I am very aware of the issue and do not buy raw coins anymore for that reason. I understand slabs have also been counterfeited but, luckily, the coins in those slabs tend to be rarer and more expensive dates that I will never collect anyway. PCGS and NGC both provide tools for verifying the slabs so that helps as well. So even though we're not in a perfect world, I am reasonably confident that my current collection is counterfeit-free.

 

I would rather have such counterfeits publicized than not. I applaud Penny Guy for providing a service to the Numismatic Community.

 

Later

Malcolm

 

PS- I do own a counterfeit U.S. Trade Dollar but it is an obvious counterfeit and was even sold as such buy the local dealer where it was purchased. I paid 10.00 for the novelty.

 

 

[PennyGuy]

Thanks all for the comments

 

Bully: I think we can assume that counterfeiters will continue to ply their trade, and that they will continue to improve their product. All we can do as collectors is to improve our knowledge and share our knowledge in an attempt to warn others. Hence this Journal entry.

 

The quality of the few counterfeit slabs I have seen does concern me, the quality is improving all the time. We have to continue our focus on the coin to protect ourselves. I began collecting back in the dark ages (over 50 years ago) and learned some lessons the hard way. The rise of TPG's has certantly helped our hobby, but the overwhelming majority of my collection are all raw coins. The only certified coins are in my two registry sets of two cent pieces. But I started with raw two cent pieces to learn the series. That experience along with good reference books have helped me immeasureably. I do have another set of counterfeit two centers not depicted in this Journal, but those are not even bronze and the color of the coins alone should warn off any potential purchasers.

 

Our own education is the key, lets keep sharing information.