Counterfeit coins!!!

[arizonaames]

I contacted my Senator and the Secret Service yesterday about the counterfeit coins that are being advertised and sold on Ebay. The Chinese counterfeiters call the coins "Replicas" and are being allowed to sell them in this country. I, for one, do not care if they call them "Replicas", shit, or red, white, and blue: they are still counterfeit coins and the governmant should do something to stop this. It will surely devalue our antique coin market as it has done to the antique market in China that is filled with fakes. Even the experts cannot tell the real from the fake antiques in China anymore. I implore everyone in this hobby to write or email your Congressman or Senator and, maybe, without a money handout, they will listen and protect our country from this onslaught.

 

[diggummup]

I disagree. An expert can tell a fake/replica coin from a real one. Heck, i'm pretty good at it myself and i'm no expert. As always- Buyer Beware! I wouldn't buy a rare or valuable coin off Ebay anyway unless the dealer was local and I could examine the coin personally. JMO

 

[Mackaydon]

Arizona:
The appropriate party to contact when counterfeit coins are being sold is the Federal Trade Commission. Advise them of a violation in Title 16 (Commercial Practices) Section 304.6. Ask for a case/reference number (if they'll give it out--to facilitate future communications) and follow up in a week or two.

The law is the Hobby Protection Act and it can be viewed here:
http://collectors.org/Library/Hobby_Protection_Act.asp

Don.....

 

[arizonaames]

I disagree. An expert can tell a fake/replica coin from a real one. Heck, i'm pretty good at it myself and i'm no expert. As always- Buyer Beware! I wouldn't buy a rare or valuable coin off Ebay anyway unless the dealer was local and I could examine the coin personally. JMO

Wrong...an expert will not even touch a Chinese antiquity now (Christy). The so called "Replicas" are too good for an expert to differentiate the difference. You must be referring to the coins that you might make.

 

[arizonaames]

Arizona:
The appropriate party to contact when counterfeit coins are being sold is the Federal Trade Commission. Advise them of a violation in Title 16 (Commercial Practices) Section 304.6. Ask for a case/reference number (if they'll give it out--to facilitate future communications) and follow up in a week or two.

The law is the Hobby Protection Act and it can be viewed here:
http://collectors.org/Library/Hobby_Protection_Act.asp

Don.....

The key here is what the Secret Service officer told me......it applies only if the coin or money is passed off as real when in fact it is not. With this, as well as with general thinking, there is consequential thinking involved. The person selling the item on Ebay is saying it is a "Replica". The first person buying the coin knows it is a Replica. 2 or 3 or 4 generations down the road, the person selling it now thinks that it is real. Since I lived in China for 2 years and have seen Replicas, I know that it will look like an old worn original coin from the USA. Ergo, it enters the market devaluing our real coins. Believe me, you or a dealer will not be able to differentiate between real and fake. The "Replicas" do not say Replica on them just like expensive watch Replicas or clothing items do not say Replica on them. But, I can see that this topic would rather be not seen by the community so that no action will have to be taken. This, I guess, is the American way. It reminds me of the 3 monkeys.

 

[Mackaydon]

Arizona:
I don't buy into that reasoning (the three monkey); that is why I posted a link to the Hobby Protection Act (HPA).
The law (HPA) is quite specific about replicating coins whether manufactured here or offshore--and imported to the States with the intent to sell.
I see 'relicas' as complying with the law and 'counterfeits' as not complying. I see relicas (with the word COPY properly incursed) as 'legal'; without that word properly incursed, they are illegal; fakes/counterfeits out there to deceive any buyer they can.
Don........

 

[goldseeker1982]

But, I can see that this topic would rather be not seen by the community so that no action will have to be taken. This, I guess, is the American way. It reminds me of the 3 monkeys.

Wow, two dissenting posts and just a few hours later we are all a bunch on monkeys.

 

[diggummup]

I disagree. An expert can tell a fake/replica coin from a real one. Heck, i'm pretty good at it myself and i'm no expert. As always- Buyer Beware! I wouldn't buy a rare or valuable coin off Ebay anyway unless the dealer was local and I could examine the coin personally. JMO

Wrong...an expert will not even touch a Chinese antiquity now (Christy). The so called "Replicas" are too good for an expert to differentiate the difference. You must be referring to the coins that you might make.

WOWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!! Now I might be making counterfeit coins huh? After reading your responses, personally I think you need professional

 

[Tank69]

I'm gonna play devils advacit here , I see AZ's point , I buy a ""replica"" I know it is but I pass it off to somebody who dont have a trained eye now that coin is in circulation as a real coin......remember guys not everyone is a coin expert or knows about fake coins .just my 2 cents

 

[Mackaydon]

Tank:
I see two problems with that scenario:
1. Section 304.3 of the Hobby Protection Act would apply to you--as being engaged in the 'distribution in commerce' of a "imitation numismatic item" (replica). As such, you are required to comply with that law (Act). If you don't comply (as per Section 304.6) you're in violation--as you would be if you sold a replica without first marking the 'item' as a COPY in a specific manner as noted in the Act.
2. If the 'item' is put back in circulation without the word COPY, it still isn't as a real coin-- it never was. It is put in circulation as a fake or counterfeit IMHO.
Don.........

 

[jeff of pa]

Personally Since I Don't reside in china
What they do There dosn't effect me.

& since EBay is Worldwide I Don't think
they have to play by just one countries rules,
but has to bend to all countries.

as for their counterfeits,
I don't think they would
Fool anyone who has Handled
the real thing, or knows
better then to buy coins from China

 

[BIG61AL]

This is not a new problem but the Chinese have stepped up the numbers of these coins showing up in the last few years. Personally if I were to buy high end coins [over $500] I would insist that it is professionally graded. I believe that experts can tell the difference with 99.5% of the coins in question. They have access to to highly detailed photos of known originals. All coin series have lets call them fingerprints that are distinct characteristics. An example would be star with six points. A genuine coin may have each point shaped like two flat sides at a angle forming a edge. A fake coin may have the same general shape but formed by a single flat surface. If someone is selling a very high grade rarer coin ungraded you should be suspect that its a fake.

 

[mlayers]

Talk about counterfeit coins. Right now there is a 1909S VDB for sale on Ebay. It says the S has been added. So he is telling you that the coin is a fake and he has $128.49 bid on it plus he still has over 2 days before it sales. Now why would someone pay this kind of money knowing that the coins is a fake. Is the person that is buying it hoping to resale it for a higher price to make a decent profit. If someone knows the coin is a fake then it should be against the law to resale it. They should get in trouble for selling a counterfeit......Matt












4

 

[allen]

if it says its fake or counterfeit, dont buy it !