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Evidence of Casting

Pitting, filled cracks, field dips, edge seams, filing, soft features, lack of detail, casting sprues, ghost images...

91 files, last one added on Nov 16, 2019
Album viewed 1739 times

Evidence of Pressing

Machine pressed vs. hand struck.

16 files, last one added on Jul 02, 2015
Album viewed 918 times

Evidence of Modern Tool Use to Cut Dies

Machine made dies...

20 files, last one added on Jun 02, 2010
Album viewed 719 times

Style Deviations

Deviations from subtle to strange, forgers rarely get style right...

8 files, last one added on Nov 17, 2011
Album viewed 330 times

Epigraphy Deviations

Forgeries often have the wrong style of letters in the inscriptions.

3 files, last one added on Oct 22, 2017
Album viewed 297 times

Fabric Deviations

Wrong metal, wrong size, no edge cracks for a type that always has them, strange shape for the type...

12 files, last one added on Aug 17, 2010
Album viewed 300 times

Artificial Patina, Toning and "Make-up"

Not every coin with an artificial patina is a forgery, but it is an indicator. In any case an artificial patina is a fake patina.

43 files, last one added on Sep 15, 2022
Album viewed 595 times

Work of Known Forgers

Slavey, Lipanoff, Becker, Christodoulos, the Black Sea hoard, the Toronto Group, etc. STUDY IMAGES - only list here if you explain how to use the image to learn the work of the forger. Otherwise list under the type as a regular fake coin report.

1330 files, last one added on Nov 26, 2021
Album viewed 741 times

Replica Marks

All replicas should be marked as replicas. Many are not, but some are. Here are some examples.

331 files, last one added on Oct 13, 2018
Album viewed 559 times

Bulk Lots of Mixed Types

Groups of fakes or replicas of different types sold together may offer clues to identifying fakes from the same workshop.

104 files, last one added on Sep 18, 2015
Album viewed 611 times

Tooling

A tooled coin is not a forgery, but it is a fake. Tooling is also used to cover up cast fakes.

88 files, last one added on Aug 22, 2022
Album viewed 524 times

Fake Coin Edges

The edges of fakes often provide the clues to condemn them. Some of the examples here are very different from genuine coins; others are very close to the original type.

45 files, last one added on Nov 18, 2020
Album viewed 827 times

Modern Fake Dies

504 files, last one added on Nov 26, 2021
Album viewed 456 times

Other Indications of Forgery

21 files, last one added on Apr 05, 2019
Album viewed 639 times

14 albums on 1 page(s)

Last additions - Fake Coin Study Images - Learn to Identify Fake Coins

Close-up of false patina on fake Aelius denarius 11 viewsSo bad... Zero silver.
Just look at the fill.. ugh. I so wish this would have been real.
Whou would do such a thing? I know exactly who was complicit in selling this.

Ron C3Sep 15, 2022

Julian II Follis of Heraclea12 viewsVery badly tooled obverse*AlexAug 22, 2022

Transfer and modern dies from Sicily 28 viewsTransfer and modern dies from Sicily Din XNov 26, 2021

Cigoi, Caligula, Germanicus 17 viewsDie match number 100 in "Opus monetale Cigoi, Bologna 1966 von Lodovico Brunetti "
CNG sold die matching one but cast and brass cast as Cigoi 100

Din XNov 26, 2021

Babylon forgery, Tryphon4 viewsMYRINA AND RELATED FORGERIES by Philip Kinns
There numbrer 24a and a hybrid with same reverse die number 27Din XNov 26, 2021

Thebes, Stater Caprara, Kinns 21 13 viewsThebes, Stater Caprara, Kinns 21

https://ikmk.smb.museum/object?id=18284813Din XNov 10, 2021

Samos, Caprara, Kinns 59 13 viewsSamos, Caprara, Kinns 59

https://ikmk.smb.museum/object?lang=de&id=18284833&view=rsDin XNov 10, 2021

Macedon, Caprara, Kinns 10 4 viewsMacedon, Caprara, Kinns 10

https://ikmk.smb.museum/object?lang=de&id=18284803&view=rsDin XNov 09, 2021