After having a few 'lean' months I've noticed that May and June have been more busy on the fake front, with a couple of new types that I'd heard about before but never seen personally.
I suppose the longer the effects of the recession last, the more we will see in any event.
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Monday, 26 April 2010
April 'Fakewatch' Part 2
Today (Monday 26th April) I got a handful of pound coins in my change and immediately my 'trained' eye was drawn to a particular coin.
Having inspected it, it turned out to be my first Royal Ornamental Arms dated 1996 (which should be Irish Celtic Cross). The edge lettering was as close to being perfect as probably can be achieved but the Llantrissant mark was slightly wrong and they've also included the dot that occurs on the Bridge series, (2004 till 2007), coins between the curved wavy lines.
Keep looking....
Having inspected it, it turned out to be my first Royal Ornamental Arms dated 1996 (which should be Irish Celtic Cross). The edge lettering was as close to being perfect as probably can be achieved but the Llantrissant mark was slightly wrong and they've also included the dot that occurs on the Bridge series, (2004 till 2007), coins between the curved wavy lines.
Keep looking....
Friday, 23 April 2010
April 'FakeWatch'.....so far
After going through a 'barren' period of not seeing many fakes and thinking that finally the word has got round and more people are aware of the problem, then April comes along and has been a month long 'Fools Day' joke, with me having received 6 fakes in the month.
Irish Flax 89, (when 89 is meant to be Scottish design) - This is my second one ever of this type
Welsh Dragon 2000
Irish Celtic Cross 2001 - With bust almost 180 degrees wrong
Irish Celtic Cross 2001 - Wrong font on edge lettering
Ornamental Arms 2003
Forth Bridge 2004
So a variety of types over the month, roll on May!!
Irish Flax 89, (when 89 is meant to be Scottish design) - This is my second one ever of this type
Welsh Dragon 2000
Irish Celtic Cross 2001 - With bust almost 180 degrees wrong
Irish Celtic Cross 2001 - Wrong font on edge lettering
Ornamental Arms 2003
Forth Bridge 2004
So a variety of types over the month, roll on May!!
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Opened My Mouth Too Soon
No sooner do I mention and blog that things have been a bit slow on the fakes front, I've been down to the shops (Co-Op and my local newsagents) and come home with £21 in loose £1 coins, from a starting £30.
Upon checking these 21 coins, I found two fakes. The first was a 2002 3 Lions, where the head and lions line up almost perfectly but what gave it away was the incorrect font type around the edge of the coin and no '+' Llantrissant mint mark between the end of Tutamen and the start of Decus. A good quality fake though.
The other scores a 10 out of 10 in my 'fakes' collection. Its a 1990 Welsh Leek design with the 2nd Queen Portrait. The lettering around the side was spot on when compared with 'real' 1990 coins. What drew my attention was that as a 1990 coin it had been supposedly circulating for 20 years but shows no signs of wear and tear. Perhaps from an Uncirculated Set that someone has had to use as spare change. Ok I thought of that and there was still something else that wasn't quite right.
When I reviewed the Leek design again, I noticed that it was slightly offcentre and the standard beading and edge detail was very near the actual edge of the coin itself on the left hand side, suggesting some sort of stamping process onto a blank disc that was perhaps not fully lined up.
If it took me nearly 20 minutes to come to the decision that it was fake, then imagine how many people it would fool if it was just in a handful of loose change passing from one person to another.
Upon checking these 21 coins, I found two fakes. The first was a 2002 3 Lions, where the head and lions line up almost perfectly but what gave it away was the incorrect font type around the edge of the coin and no '+' Llantrissant mint mark between the end of Tutamen and the start of Decus. A good quality fake though.
The other scores a 10 out of 10 in my 'fakes' collection. Its a 1990 Welsh Leek design with the 2nd Queen Portrait. The lettering around the side was spot on when compared with 'real' 1990 coins. What drew my attention was that as a 1990 coin it had been supposedly circulating for 20 years but shows no signs of wear and tear. Perhaps from an Uncirculated Set that someone has had to use as spare change. Ok I thought of that and there was still something else that wasn't quite right.
When I reviewed the Leek design again, I noticed that it was slightly offcentre and the standard beading and edge detail was very near the actual edge of the coin itself on the left hand side, suggesting some sort of stamping process onto a blank disc that was perhaps not fully lined up.
If it took me nearly 20 minutes to come to the decision that it was fake, then imagine how many people it would fool if it was just in a handful of loose change passing from one person to another.
Saturday, 27 March 2010
Slow Going On Fake Collecting.....Perhaps A Good Thing!!
I haven't posted on this website for quite a while but its really because I haven't got much to report other than I've noticed that perhaps due to the increased awareness of fakes, over the last 4 or 5 months I've probably only had about a dozen more and they are all of types I'd previously identified.
Many people I talk to, who previously weren't aware of the problem, are now able to spot fakes for themselves.
In a very very strange way I'd hate to see the fakes completely eradicated as its a section of coin collecting thats a little bit different to the norm.
Anyway, on with my anorak!!!
Many people I talk to, who previously weren't aware of the problem, are now able to spot fakes for themselves.
In a very very strange way I'd hate to see the fakes completely eradicated as its a section of coin collecting thats a little bit different to the norm.
Anyway, on with my anorak!!!
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Your Own 'Fakes'
What does your own fake collection consist of? What dates and design combinations do you have?
Have you noticed any particular designs or year dates more typical in your area or noticed any particular spates of a certain coin cropping up time after time over a short space of time?
Post your comments accordingly.
Have you noticed any particular designs or year dates more typical in your area or noticed any particular spates of a certain coin cropping up time after time over a short space of time?
Post your comments accordingly.
Recommended Read - Blogsite Special Offer
Like many of you, I've read up as much as possible on fake pound coins and scoured the internet for information. So far to date, the best reference I've come across is the following, which has been offered to any of you readers out there at a special price.
'The Cheat In Your Change', by Ken Peters, is an info-packed 24 page A5 booklet and (other than the Royal Mints own downloadable info) is, in my opinion, the best reference guide you can lay your hands on.
Normally priced at £3.80, this booklet is available for just £2.50 (including postage) and is available from Ken @ Envoy Publicity, 8 Kings Road, Biggin Hill, Kent, TN16 3XU.
If you decide to get a copy, please let Ken know its because you read about the offer on this website.
'The Cheat In Your Change', by Ken Peters, is an info-packed 24 page A5 booklet and (other than the Royal Mints own downloadable info) is, in my opinion, the best reference guide you can lay your hands on.
Normally priced at £3.80, this booklet is available for just £2.50 (including postage) and is available from Ken @ Envoy Publicity, 8 Kings Road, Biggin Hill, Kent, TN16 3XU.
If you decide to get a copy, please let Ken know its because you read about the offer on this website.
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