I realize this thread is OLD. But, as a Spanish Colonial Numismatist, who takes it very VERY seriously, I can tell you, that, Gulf Stream Rarities 100% produced counterfeits under their (I should say HE, Terry Sullivan) own certificates but also, he faked hundreds of framed 1715 Fleet cobs, using fake Cobb Coin Company COAS, embossed, with his OWN seal! These fake coas, he would emboss just lightly enough, so that it was hard to read the words GULF STREAM RARITIES INC. You have to take a flash light to it, to see that the embossing is fake. But, also the font and lettering on these fake certs, is missing serifs and spotty, as he just photocopied a rea COA. If you see a cob in a frame, that you can not take out and inspect, do NOT buy it. If you want a framed coin, believe me when I tell you, hobby lobby can do it a hundred times nicer, for a lot cheaper - especially with an existing frame.
Anyway.
What the guy does, is he takes a coin, and makes a cast copy of it, then, he clips and alters the shapes of the coins so that if you saw two of the same coins side by side, in their frames, they would appear different at a glance. However, the host strike is always the same. These things have been fooling collectors, as well as large auction firms for decades - which some selling for very good money. And they pop up at least once a month on Ebay. Almost always from a seller in Florida, which means, they likely are still being produced, or the majority of them reside there in private collections by people who got suckered by this wank in the past never knowing it - though, some of them do, and have tried to pass them off as genuine, knowing full well they are counterfeits.
I have collected a good number of these fakes, but I am always looking for more photos of them because there is no telling just how many he made. IF you have photos of a GSR, or suspect framed CCC fake, PLEASE send photos to me, ASAP as I am working hard on a new booklet of FAKE COBS, as well as making a case against this scum bag.
Moving on.
Like the GSR framed fakes, the CCC counterfeits also are framed, with the same light grey (sometimes green) matting, and paper dust cover on the back. This guy, was clever! Another example of his counterfeiting MO, was not only to clip the cast coins, but he put them with different COAS, or with his counterfeit Cobb Coin Company COAs, he would put the same cast clones in, for example two different frames, one with clipping to change its shape, glued upside down on a fake COA with a serial number, the other, unclipped, glued in correctly, without a serial number. He would also mix them in with cheap shipwreck coins in large frames with a mix of wrecks. Of the mixed wreck large frames, I noted that the 1715 Fleet is always fake, the Dutch Riders are fakes, and the rest were cheap coins like VOC coins, Admiral Gardner and an extremely low grade Atocha coin. His fakes are silver, a few have been pewter or a white metal. The silver being of varying alloy. Mostly Sterling Silver - I have access to XRF testing, and I use it. As mentioned, I take this stuff seriously, especially authentication of these coins, because there are so many fakes, and so many sharks who will lie threw their teeth about a coins provenance to sell it. It is a massive turn off, and if I didn't love these coins so much, I would have walked away from this corner of numismatics decades ago. To put it plain and simple, you absolutely have to know your coins.
Anyway,
Sullivan owned a framing business, hence the frames. But, that paper dust cover, which costs 1$ to have done, nobody ever wanted to tear off to investigate the coins in fear of ruining the frames. Strange, isn't it we worry more about a piece of paper backing, than the 150+ $ we may be losing on the fake coin.....
Anyway. I am just here to update, and say that YES these are known fakes, this company and its counterparts are NOT to be trusted because its own, Terry Sullivan, is a counterfeiter and conman. So, once again, IF you have any photos of suspected fakes, or can provide any photos of framed GSR cobs, or shipwreck coins, please share them, or contact me.
Thanks
Collect Smart, and Caveat Emptor!
R
Here are just a few of his counterfeits.
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![:-\](https://www.treasurenet.com/smilies/undecided.gif "Undecided :-\")
