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What's the best way to become an expert on authenticating coins?

Started by stinkycheese1,

13 posts in this topic

stinkycheese1

stinkycheese1

Posted
Posted

I really want to become an expert at authenticating gold coins.

 

I have a few books on it.

 

Bill Fizas's book on counterfeit gold, and the PCGS guide to grading and counterfeit detection. I'm not going to go on about how I think such and such coin is counterfeit, or my stupid obessoins in it. I just want some advice on what books to buy, what's the best way to learn to become good at authenticating coins (esp. gold coins)

 

Markfeld, how did you become good enough to authenticate and grade coins to be an NGC grader? NGC Is very good at authenticating coins.

 

I guess the answer is alot of experience, just looking at alot of coins, and knowing what to look for (musky/weak/fatty letters, dentils, spikes, repeating depressoins)

 

Is there anything tricky about it that I need to know about?

thumbsup2.gif

 

Thank you! laugh.gif

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PerryHall

PerryHall

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You only need three things to become an expert authenticator---a good magnifier or loupe, a good light source, and 20 years of experience. Seriously, you should look at and study as many slabbed gold coins as possible. After a while you will get a feel for what a genuine gold coin should look like. Also, studying some of the standard counterfeit detection reference books will be a big help.

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bsshog40

bsshog40

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I think there is a lot more than becoming a grader. You have to learn to be a grader. I would think that you would have to be extremely knowledgeable of all type coins. Thier designs, characteristics, varieties, and the smallest of details. How to be able to distinguish all types of coin conditions such as, cleaned, dipped, toning, DCAM, CAM, MS, AU, VG, VF. I think the list can get pretty extensive with what knowledge a person needs to become a grader. I think that it is a constant learning profession with every new year that coins are made minted or even found. I'm sure I could go on about this for a while and the only experience I have is trying to grade my own coins. 27_laughing.gif

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WoodenJefferson

WoodenJefferson

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-pennypyramid2.jpg

 

Start at the very top of the stack, by the time you get to the last one on the bottom row, you will know exactly what to look for.

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construct

construct

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Posted
ANA Summer course, then Practice, Practice, Practice !

 

I agree. The Summer Seminar was the most intense learning experience I've ever had in coins. I learned more in that we than I usually learn about coins in a year.

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Conder101

Conder101

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You only need three things to become an expert authenticator---a good magnifier or loupe, a good light source, and 20 years of experience. Seriously, you should look at and study as many slabbed gold coins as possible. After a while you will get a feel for what a genuine gold coin should look like. Also, studying some of the standard counterfeit detection reference books will be a big help.

Very good advice, I would add one more thing. Try to get a good look at as many known counterfeit gold coins as you can. You look at the genuine coins to learn what a real one looks like, you also need to look at fakes to get an idea what THEY tend to look like.

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jtryka

jtryka

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I have always heard that the most effective way to become an expert at identifying counterfeits of anything is to spend as much time as possible dealing with and studying the genuine article.

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RUSS BEGA

RUSS BEGA

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I think there is a lot more than becoming a grader. You have to learn to be a grader. I would think that you would have to be extremely knowledgeable of all type coins. Thier designs, characteristics, varieties, and the smallest of details. How to be able to distinguish all types of coin conditions such as, cleaned, dipped, toning, DCAM, CAM, MS, AU, VG, VF. I think the list can get pretty extensive with what knowledge a person needs to become a grader. I think that it is a constant learning profession with every new year that coins are made minted or even found. I'm sure I could go on about this for a while and the only experience I have is trying to grade my own coins. 27_laughing.gif

 

 

actually the best grader i ever knew told me that exact same thing, a good loupe keen eyes a good light source and 20 years of experience. DOn Bonsner told us this in my grading class at the ANA and it's true kind of you need to know the basics first but then it gets easy you get a feel for it smile.gif

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ant

ant

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how tall is the pyramid? do we know. and how much in face value would it take to make such a center peice.

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rbrown4

rbrown4

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Stinky,

 

Just an FYI, in the new edition of Coin World dated July 2nd on page 62 there is an article about Counterfit Gold. It is titled Taking Advantage - Hike in metal price spurs incidence of fake gold. It particularly points out a rise in Indian Head Gold Fakes. ICG has reported quite a bit of fake gold coming in to them for grading. In one lot of about 20 Indian Head $2.50 and $5.00 pieces about two thirds were fake!

 

It also mentions the ANA Authenitification Course mentioned above. Sounds like a good course to attend.

 

Rey

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