How to distinguish a genuine silver coin from a copy. How to distinguish a counterfeit coin or copy from the original. Signs of new coins

Fake coins from the times of Peter I and Catherine II

In recent years, the Russian numismatic market has been flooded with counterfeit coins from tsarist times.

The most common counterfeit rubles are from the Catherine era, 1727 and 1777, respectively, as well as money from the reign of Peter.

The reason is the ease of manufacture and reduced attention from numismatists.

The large number of counterfeits of rubles from the time of Catherine suggests that the matter has been developed quite widely and has been put on stream.

The obverse and reverse of these coins were copied very well by scammers, but despite this, it is not difficult to distinguish a fake.

How are counterfeit coins of Tsarist Russia made?

In Russia, such counterfeits are made by casting; before the process, a coin circle is first made.

The stamps used are not real, but copied from genuine coins, starting with specimens from the era of Peter.

Copying methods vary, but the final result is quite convincing.

On fakes, it is possible to achieve even the characteristic stamp shine, which appears due to the increased content of precious metal.

For example, experts, using spectral analysis, revealed that the fake ruble of 1727 contains as much as 98% silver, while the original copy contains 85%. Increased whitishness also indicates a high standard.

How to spot a fake?

Identifying a fake

The easiest way to distinguish a fake from an original is to check it with a magnet. Money in Russia during imperial times, starting from the reign of Peter, was made from silver, which was 90% contained in the coin, and the remaining 10% was copper. Such an instance will not be attracted to a magnet.

This method can identify low-quality fakes made to adjust the weight with the addition of metal alloys. A coin that is too light indicates the polymers it contains. The most difficult object to recognize are coins with the addition of non-magnetic alloys, which can be displayed clean water only a specialist.

Most characteristic external sign fakes - a different edge design, since the edge was not made using the correct technology and is distinguished by a slightly reduced relief. Technical expertise based on this feature will be able to easily distinguish a fake.

In order to freely navigate the nuances of the appearance and characteristics of coins, it is advisable for any numismatist to purchase highly specialized catalogs in which each copy is described in detail, and high-quality illustrations and photographs will only help to better understand the variety of ancient coins.

Appearance coins contain many small details that are not always visible to the naked eye. Therefore, a magnifying glass is a must.

In specialized stores you can purchase a spectrometer designed to determine gold or silver impurities.

One of the most important tools is electronic scales. Counterfeit coins often differ in weight from the original by literally a fraction of a millimeter, so a numismatist needs a high-precision instrument. It is the non-standard weight of the specimen that usually makes it possible to distinguish a fake. For example, in the case of silver or gold coins, starting from the era of Peter the Great, the actual weight of the counterfeit is always less than that stated in the catalogue.

Ways to sell fakes

Counterfeit coins of Tsarist Russia on spontaneous markets

In Russia, scammers are trying to sell coins from tsarist times, telling legends about the treasures they found. In particular, in Moscow, the version of coins found on the site of dismantled houses is widespread, since demolition of old buildings is commonplace in the capital.

Often, lovers of easy money pretend to be builders and come to specialists to check the authenticity of coins. Moreover, they bring copies of any years of the royal period, starting from the era of Peter.

In the Moscow region, similar scammers are common, but now acting as “road workers.” For counterfeits, criminals demand tens of thousands of rubles from a gullible victim, for example, for copies of allegedly ancient coins from the reign of Peter.

Although the sad truth is that they were purchased on a Chinese trading site and their real cost is within 100 rubles apiece.

It can be very difficult to distinguish a fake, and even impossible for an ignorant person. The business of making counterfeit coins in Russia has reached such a level that the differences from the original are often:

in size - tenths of a millimeter;
by weight - tenths of a gram.

One ruble with the image of Nicholas II

On a Chinese trading website, similar rubles are offered in batches, with free delivery to Russia.

Many different coins are sold there, starting with specimens from the era of Peter.

For example, a genuine ruble from the time of Nicholas II has a cost ranging from 17-97 thousand rubles, and at a virtual auction you can purchase it as a whole set for 140 rubles apiece.

The situation is complicated by the fact that the Chinese manufacturer is ready to provide customers with additional services to bring the royal coin into line with the original copy.

They have a well-established precise adjustment of weight, and when purchasing in bulk, coins can be specially given an “outdated” look, and then even an ordinary copy of the Peter the Great will look as close as possible to the original.

Responsibility before the law

The difficulty is that manufacturers and people who buy such coins in Russia cannot be called counterfeiters and brought to justice before the law, since the trade is in money that has gone out of use. Also, the Chinese do not hide the fact that their copies are not real and are replicas, so they can freely cross the Russian border.

But offering a counterfeit under the guise of an original is considered fraud and such actions are subject to criminal penalties. Although most often criminals pretend to be ignorant and ask specialists for help in assessing the authenticity of the allegedly found coins. Numismatists can be advised to never purchase dubious items on the street, otherwise it will be extremely difficult to prove the guilt of criminals in the future.

As you know, the numismatic market is growing and developing, perhaps because of this, cases of fraud in this area have recently become more frequent. This mainly concerns coins of Tsarist Russia. The essence of the deception is to sell to the average person for a large sum of money, copies of coins of Tsarist Russia, passing them off as original. It is worth considering that if earlier there were also cases of fraud associated with counterfeiting coins, then these were high-quality copies on which, for example, the year of issue or mint mark was interrupted with pinpoint accuracy, or there were high-quality sealed holes (defects). At the moment, the cheapest copies made from counterfeit steel are in use. IN best case scenario, you can find a coin made of copper with the finest silver coating. In order to give a counterfeit coin the appearance of an ancient artifact, manufacturers use a special coating that absorbs shine and makes the coin darker. Copies of coins of Tsarist Russia they try to sell it right on the street, and these scammers have a lot of tricks.

As a rule, on the street, under the guise of an ordinary alcoholic, a homeless person, a drug addict, a builder, or simply a person who sincerely needs money, they tell stories about where they themselves got the expensive rarity. The stories are very different: “they dismantled the house and found a treasure”, “I plowed the garden and came across coins”, or “found it in a pond”, “received it as an inheritance” and the like. A popular way to sell a copy is the following “performance”: a rough-looking, elderly man with a characteristic smell of alcohol approaches any passerby on the street and offers to buy coins from him. He says that he is a former collector or something like that (know that this is a LIE). He further explains that, due to his addiction, he is selling off his collection, and essentially asks for really little (for the original), only 1000 rubles (for example) per coin, and even promises a discount if you take several coins at once. In fact, the price of this coin is about 100 rubles. In China Copies of coins of Tsarist Russia they produce and have always produced, but they sell them as copies, at appropriate prices. This is done so that collectors can fill the hole in the collection, i.e. missing very expensive coin. Such copies of coins of Tsarist Russia can be purchased freely on the same Ali Express and from numismatic dealers in Russia, which is what the scammers realized. At some point everything copies of coins of Tsarist Russia abruptly disappeared from sale. When asked about this, the sellers said that all copies were simply sold out. I would like to note that it is not numismatists or numismatic dealers who are engaged in fraud with these copies in public places, but the same people who run the beggar business. And the organizers of this kind of deception, under any pretext, and on almost every corner, try these copies of coins of Tsarist Russia sell it as original.

There are several ways

1. This is the sound that a coin makes when you throw it into the air, or hold it on your finger, you can hit it with a pencil or other coin. The sound should be ringing (thin) and long-lasting, similar to the sound of crystal - this is a sign of authenticity. A non-silver coin has a dull sound, ends quickly and is not ringing.
2. If the coin is magnetic, then it is copy, V Tsarist Russia coins were not made from magnetic metals.
3. Upon closer inspection, you can see a joint on the edge of the coin. Copies often made of two parts (obverse separately, reverse separately), and then they are fastened together.
4. The edge often does not correspond to the coin, for example, a coin from the 18th century, but the edge was made from a coin from the 19th century.
5. The coin can be checked using Uzdennikov’s catalogue, for example, if you found this coin in the proof and rare section and there are only a couple of copies in circulation, then this significantly reduces the likelihood that you have the very same museum exhibit. That's why it's rare because passers-by don't have them lying around.
6. Check the weight, if the weight does not match the catalog (the weight is accurate for coins 1797-1917), then it is a copy. For coins of the 18th century, the weight may vary +-2g. If there is more difference, then it is a copy. You can use our online catalog of coins of Tsarist Russia at the link http://www..html

I want to say that without checking the coins seem quite authentic and aged well to the eye.

In any case, you should not buy coins by hand. It is better to go to a trusted auction, online store, official market or specialized store. I wish you that if you buy copies of coins of Tsarist Russia, then you know that this is a copy.

Due to the increasing interest in numismatics in the world, the number of counterfeit coins is also increasing exponentially. This is especially true for rare, ancient, expensive coins made of precious metals, but rare coin defects are also counterfeited.

Experienced numismatists say that after 2 years of active interest in numismatics, a collector, willy-nilly, begins to distinguish original coins from fakes. What might a novice numismatist need to determine the authenticity of coins and, in general, how to determine for himself whether it is a real rarity or a fake?

Authenticity Tools

It is very advisable for a beginning numismatist to have the following tools in his arsenal:

Detailed catalog of coins with a full description of the specimens of interest to the collector and their high-quality color photographs. The catalog contains not only a description of the obverse and reverse, but also physical and chemical characteristics, such as the alloy of the coin, its weight, etc.
Electronic balance necessary to determine the exact weight of the specimen under study and compare it with the weight indicated in the catalogue. There are known cases when coins made of gold and platinum were sawed in half and part of the precious metal was taken out from the middle. Then the cavity was filled with another metal or alloy and the two parts were connected so that it was simply impossible to notice the manipulations with the naked eye. But electronic scales always showed the difference between the catalog weight and the actual weight.
Magnifying glass will help you study all the small details of the specimen being studied with its description and photograph in the catalog.
Spectrometer. Such a device is extremely necessary when working with rare and expensive coins- the most counterfeited, by the way. It helps to determine the presence of impurities in the metal, thereby identifying the fake.

Initial assessment of coin authenticity

If you do not have the necessary tools at the time of purchase, and the coin seems very interesting from a collecting point of view, try to determine its authenticity in the following ways:

Sound

If you throw a coin on a flat, hard surface, the original copy will make a ringing, clear sound, while a counterfeit made from counterfeit metal will hit with a dull sound, unusual for coin alloys. By the way, the hydrostatic weighing method allows you to determine the composition of coins made of two-component alloys.

edge

Its edge can tell a lot about a coin, and it’s worth taking a closer look. The presence of suspicious grooves, horizontal seams, often carefully disguised, as well as a smooth, blunt edge indicate the dubious quality of the coin. Numismatists are often interested in such coin defects as “stamp rotation,” which counterfeiters readily counterfeit. And if the seller refuses to take a copy out of the capsule so that you can carefully examine the edge, it’s worth considering whether this money is really genuine.

Reverse and obverse

Examine the details of the images on the reverse and obverse - fake copies often have small details missing or blurred, and there may also be small bubbles that are invisible without a magnifying glass.

Color and shine

The shine and color of the metal can also tell a lot about the money. Too bright a shine for a fairly old coin is a sign of excessive polishing. An artificial patina may be present, but only experts can determine its authenticity.

Visible damage

Chips, abrasions, and damage to the edge can tell about the composition of the metal from which the coin is made. Sometimes it is clearly visible that the coin is only coated with noble metal, and there is some inexpensive alloy inside. Of course, there are such coin defects as “metal mix-ups”, when copper coins, for example, were minted from brass by mistake, but this happened very rarely, possible defects are also recorded and described in catalogs, so always keep reference books at hand.

Bead condition

Pay attention to the condition of the collar. If it is not clearly defined, seems erased or too streamlined, this may be a sign that the coin was not minted, but simply cast.

Finalization of details

Counterfeiters also commit mechanical modifications to parts of the obverse or reverse. This is especially true for coins with many varieties, some of which are rarities. The process usually involves under-engraving, filing down signs, soldering letters, etc.

A re-issued coin (specially minted coin, re-issued coin, re-issued coin) is a counterfeit coin, but with its own specifics.

They are made using dies that were either actually once used to make coins, or they were made specifically for collectors or display purposes.

New coins are also called coins that were issued outside government mints, but with original stamps. Reissued coins are generally not used in circulation.

What kind of coins are these?

Occasionally, out of ignorance, fakes are also considered remakes, and the professionalism of their production is often such that even experienced numismatists cannot understand that this is a remake or a copy made by a fraudster.

From a historical point of view, a specially minted coin is the same as a fake, albeit made with the approval of the mint. They are often used to deceive novice collectors. That is why they should be considered separately from both the fake and the original coin and be able to distinguish them if they meet.

Signs of new coins

A remake has, but not always, signs by which they can be distinguished from the original:

Newly made stamps rarely exactly copy the design of the original. If the difference is established, then it is worth determining from the catalogs whether it is a crude fake or a remake.
Fantastic remakes. Most often, such re-issued coins are made using unpaired dies.
The remake and the original differ in sample or alloy. For reissue coins, which must be made from valuable materials, special alloys are not made; they are made from the alloy available at the time of minting.
The original can be distinguished from the remake by its different weight. At the same time, the mass of originals made of gold, silver and their alloys was always carefully controlled. But there are also exceptions. Copper coins, which were issued before the times of the USSR, could seriously deviate in weight from the standard weight.
Reproductions very often do not have patina or scratches, their surface is smooth. Only some of the gold and silver coins were polished. Most genuine copper coins have a damaged surface.
Reproductions are most often drawn up without a edge, less often - with an edge that does not correspond to the original, or the remake is edged manually. You can distinguish some remakes from the original by the letter H on the edge.
There are special remakes that do not have corresponding originals. For example, copper coins of various denominations dated 1806, while this year only five-kopeck coins were made from copper.

If the remake was minted on blanks of the same metal and with the same stamps as the original, then such a fake will often be impossible to distinguish.

This is, say, the “Gangut” ruble. The original was issued in 1914, a remake was already in the USSR in 1927, but most of the rubles known now are remakes, and they were made using genuine stamps, with the correct edge and material, weight and hallmark corresponding to the original.

Also, some coins that retain the appearance of the original, but are marked with a valid issue date, are not considered new.

For example, the “Sower” gold chervonets, issued in the USSR in 1923, was also produced in the period from 1976 to 1982, and a million of such chervonets were produced annually. Technically, the “Sower” is a remake, but it was recognized by the State Bank of the USSR, and the Bank of Russia is now recognized as a means of payment.

Some originals are completely impossible to obtain for collection - they either have not survived or were not produced at all.

This is a very rare case; in addition to the “Ganut” ruble, there are only six such remakes: 50 kopecks made of silver from 1699; 2 silver rubles issued in 1722 and 1726; single-sided copper coins minted in 1760 for 10 and 4 kopecks, as well as 1/2 kopeck; silver ruble 1827.

In general, in the 18th-19th centuries, remakes were produced on a small scale, but they were of very high quality. Collecting was a popular hobby among noble people.

Many collectors from the royal circle, using their connections, ordered the printing of coins of a special mintage at mints.

As such, there was no ban on the issuance of collectible coins that are not involved in circulation. Many numismatists and scientists were against the remakes, and in 1890, Alexander III signed a decree banning their release. However, not everyone complied with the order. The “Reichel” and 1699 half-rubles, as well as the “Konstantinovsky” ruble, were clandestinely issued.

New coins in the history of the USSR

Later, in the USSR, the Soviet government repeatedly printed re-issued coins with the design of gold five- and ten-ruble notes from the tsarist era, which could hypothetically be useful for settlements with foreign countries that did not recognize Soviet currency.

Around the same time, in 1927, the USSR mints began issuing large numbers of new coins (for some of them the number has not yet been established, it is simply known that they minted a lot of them) for sale to collectors.

They were sold through numismatic auctions conducted by the Soviet Philatelic Association, but their price per set was high, and mostly they were bought not by citizens of the USSR, but by foreign collectors, often used as gifts for foreign politicians.

Already in the 30s, the USSR stopped issuing coins of special mintage.

In 1955, after the resumption of production of remakes, complete sets of USSR coins of 1931-52 were issued, with a circulation of about 50 copies.

In the 80s, in addition to the “Sower,” the USSR issued “Soviet commemorative and anniversary coins in denominations of 1 ruble, of improved quality.”

The attitude of numismatists towards new items is not always good; many consider them to be fakes, since they do not have historical value. However, they have collector's value. Therefore, remakes of a rare gold coin are inferior to it in price, and rare remakes of a well-preserved widespread coin will be more expensive than it.

The authenticity of a coin from the times of Tsarist Russia can be established through examination. Examination of a coin is a series of activities aimed at research in order to prove or disprove its numismatic value. As the number of Russian collectors grows, the number of fakes also does not remain the same. To avoid getting into trouble, you need to contact the appropriate service, and also know the obvious characteristics of a fake.

In this article we will talk about professional expertise and provide some tips to help you figure it out on your own.

What is the difference between counterfeit and counterfeit? The counterfeit coin was made in the same historical period as the original, with the goal of replacing it in payment. It often costs more than the original itself! A counterfeit is a modern copy of a coin.

A counterfeit should not be confused with a remake, which is an “official” counterfeit made by the bank. The price for such a copy is appropriate. If you don’t have a rare coin in your collection, it’s better to buy a new one than the right copy, the authenticity of which you doubt.

Coin examination methods

An elementary way to make sure that there is an attempt at falsification is to compare the coin with a standard, if one is available. Otherwise, you will have to check the catalog photo and reference descriptions. But this information is not enough to estimate the cost, so this point is followed by others.

Measurement of physical parameters.

Weigh the coin on electronic scales need to be accurate to the milligram, and the resulting value must coincide with the catalogue. The same goes for thickness and diameter - they should be measured to the tenth of a millimeter using a caliper. Deviations of a millimeter cast doubt on the authenticity of the coin.

Examination of the authenticity of royal coins

The problem of proving the authenticity of royal coins is the lack of standardization and technology for their production. Differences in coin weight may be noticeable. Appearance may also differ. The angle of the notches on the edge and the angle of inclination of the letters in the inscriptions will be different, even if the coins were minted within one year. This applies to all 18th century coins.