Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-21
Methods Suggested by Which They
May Be Detected.
MANY DIFFERENT METALS USED
ingenious and Painstaking Showers
of the "Queer."
THE PRINCIPAL ISSUES

1T is not always easy to detect counter
feits OF gold and silver COINS said d.
rector of the Mint Roberts to a Star re-
porter. especially where they are of good
weight and extra fine finish, and the pecu-
liar slippery surface by which many coun-
terfeits may be detected is absent
The public, in their haste in the ex-
change of money. should find time to scruti-
nfze with care each coin 1t is handled.
There is always much counterfeit coin in
circulation: no more now. perhaps than in
previous years. The secret service agents
have Seen especially active recently, and
their efforts have been productive of the
most gratifying success in detecting coun-
terfeiters and securing convictions.
How Coins Are Coanterfefted.
Our presses at the mints are extremely
heavy. weighing 1900 pounds. Naturally
a piece Of gold or silver struck from their
dies is as nearly perfect as 1t is possible
to make a coin Yet counterfeiters, with
their light presses and dies. manage to do
some very clever work. The product of
molds, favorite method with the smaller
fry Of counterfeiters. is inferior to that of
the dies. The absence Of the clear cut APP
pearance of the genuine coin, the defective
weight, the imperfect lettering and mill
ing and the indistinct reeding on the outer
edge Of the coin are the distinguishing
characteristics which will guide the public
in detecting coins thus made. Italians are
the greatest offenders against the law with
mold-made counterfeits The most ex-
pert turner's out of metal counterfeits have
been regular makers of dies who wanted to
get rich quickly.
The standard Of gold made by our minis
is 800 fine or 21.19 carats. The English
standard is 916 fine. A new $50 counterfeit
Is probably a composition Of gold, copper
and silver, the gold being Of low grade. l
have however known of COunteYfHttS which
were 800 fine, and they range down to 400.
The fac SMILES are often quite perfect, with
a clear ring. and sharp. well-appearing let
tering and milling, being well calculated to
deceive those who are not used to the
handling Of coins.
The Metals Used.
platinum is a metal which gives the re-
Quired weight, and Is extensively used IN
gold counterfeiting. Clear-cut coins are
made from this metal and heavily gold
plated. They are comparatively easily passed,
especially when first put into circulation.
After time the plating wears OF about
the edges, and its spurious base is revealed.
In order to give weight, counterfeiters
often increase the diameter of the coins
slightly. but sufficient to make an appre-
cable difference. Lead. type metal. zinc
and anthony are the metals principally
used for silver counterfeiting. and copper,
brass, silver and platinum for gold imita-
tons. Counterfeits of lead and type metal
are easily detected, and are passed on ig-
norant persons or foreigners.
"Antimony and lead are the component
parts of the most dangerous counterfeits of
silver coins, the antimony furnishing the
bulk of the coin. When struck from good
dies, with a heavy plating of silver, they
give forth a good ring, and present a pretty
fair substitute for the genuine article. The
dollar is the denomination most counter
feited. These coins are but little below
standard weight. Some of the counterfeits
of the subsidiary coins are made of brass
struck from die, and heavily silver plated
These may be readily detected, as they are
light weight.
"Counterfeits are. of course, made of gen
uine silver. of standard weight: in fact
some have more silver in them than the
genuine coin, which is 412la grains We
confscate these coins when We receive
them. The counterfeiters rely. of course
upon the increased value of the white metal
when it is changed from bullion into coin
for the profit, and 1t is considerable.
The SkilIful Treasury Experts.
Counterfeit gold coins may be executed
with such exquisite precision that they will
pass muster under the eyes of bank tellers
and others used to the handling Of coins.
though the average teller generally detects
spurious coin on sight But none get by
our treasury experts. Their faculty the
result or years of study and handling of
coins, in detecting a counterfeit is marvel
GUS. They seem to know a spurious coin
W AiSt4Acl, luouSn II is really the result
OF training. Yet even these men, as skill
ful as they are, occasionally have doubts
raised In their minds as to whether a coin
is genuine or not. II suspicious, the coin
puiidlng, and its exact weight and fneness
determined.
Coins are now and then turned into tbe
treasury upon the supposition that they
are counterfelts, because they fail to give
that peculiar clear ring of a genuine syold
piece, though they present otherwise the
appearance of being genuine.
This singular incongruity is accounted
Tor by the fact that the coin has a small
blowhole in the interior of the metal. or
the flaw consists of a crack OF split near
tn. edge. Experts know where to look for
these imperfections imperceptibIe to Others
and with powerful magnifying glass they
are quickly made manifest.
United States Treasury Tests.
IF the public will remember three cardi
nal points in determining the spurious from
the genuine, and which are used by the
treasury experts, it will be a difficult mat
ter to pass off a counterfeit upon one who
Is accustomed to handling money. We call
them the test Of weight, diameter and
thickness
1T has been demonstrated that counter-
fefters do not combine these three reoui-
sites with spurious metals. One or the
other or all, are sufficient. Bear this test
In mind, note carefully the weight ring
size. impress milling and reeding, all Of
which requisites may be taken in with a
glance. and will always carry about
with him pretty good 'detector.'
How Coins Are Tempered With.
The men who make 1t their business to
cheat the government out of gold adopt
several processes. saw coin recently
which had been filled so cleverly that the |
fraud was apparent only upon the closest
examination. The SO and so pieces are
mostly used for this operation. The coin |
was sawed through from the edge by a |
saw Of minute proportions and exquisite |
the interior removed and the cav
ity filled with platinum, which brought the |
piece up to standard weight, though it lost |
three-quarters of its value. 1t gave forth
a good ring. II 1t had been filed with a
base metal other than platinum 1t would |
have lacked the ring and been Of light
weight
In some Of these filled coins the exterior
walls Of gold are as thin as ordinary writing |
paper. Once the cavity is filled. the sides are
clamped into the original position and
brazed together. The edges are skillfully
with gold, the reeding, or the
minute corrugations or ridges on the edge
restored. and the coin Will pass readily in |