The Hartford republican., 1907-06-28
HOW They MAKE
COUNTERFEIT coins.
Expert Opinion on the Making of
Spurious United States
Currency.

various mtJalS tTt uStu Dy counter
feiters, principally platinum, silver
copper, brass antimony, aluminium
zinc, type metal, lead and their nu-
merous compositions
Among the most dangerous coun, er-
feits of gold c9in are those of com
position Of gold, silver and copper.
They are a low-grade gold, and ne
acid test shows they lack me flnen IS
of standard gold used by the United
States minJ, which is 900 fine or 21.19
carats. These counterfei,s average
from 400 70 500 fine. Platinum coun-
terfeits are dangerous, rs The metal us
ed gives required weight, and they are
heavily gold plated. Wnen they have
been in circulation for time the plat
ing wears off, especially on the edges
The most dangerous cuun erfeit Of
silver coin is made of composition IF
antimony and lead, the former meal
predomina,ing. These coun.erfeNs are
Of tine doller; have fine appearance.
are heavily silver plated, with fair ring;
some are slightly below The standard
weight.
! Some pieces among the smaller coins
are made Of brass, struck from de.
and when heavily plated are fair i'm
/ lstions. Tney lack the required weign.,
eXcept IN few instances. CounseYf
If type me- lead and other Compus
lions are much lighter than genuine;
those having r gquired WI gin. are nue.
LOO tnick.
Genuine coins Of Ill kinds, for taa
sake of grain, are iampercd win IN
various ways. These operations are con-
fined almost exclusively gold coins,
which are sweatod, plugged and filled.
Sweating is removing portion II
the gold from the surface # he coin
The process does not interfere vi
the ring, and as portion removed $
generally slght, jhe coin is left VIZ
a very fair appearance, weigh only
being defective. Tne principal mr,a-
DDS of sweating are he acid bath, FL
ing me edges or reading, tne operat1r
finding a prCfif IN the small quaint
tias If gold removed from numerous
pieces. Tic average ,educttoa IL va
lue of COINS subjected o taese pro-
cesses is from one-,wentlCth % one
tenth.
Plugging is done by boring holes n
The coin, extracting the goiG md fill
ing cavity win q cneap-r material.
The large coins-doubl- eeglrs 'and
eagles (20 and so p-ecesl- ara used
for ;his purpose. Holes AR" bored ir-
y tho coin from tne edg- pr reading. !
tne gold eX d, and .re cay y fill !
ed with base metal. Small sur
face Of tie plugging matcr-al, waere
L SHOWS on the edge. u ,ap com, is |
covered win gold and reading re-
;Juched win 2 file or machine. TIE
average loss in value 9 coins treat
I'd in tnis way is form one---ghth - |
one-siXtn. Coins Of this kind are
very dangerous, as lney are perfect |
in appearance, the edges Only nav
iag been tampcred with.
Filling is most commonly done by |
saving the coin through from the
edge OF Keeping, removing he in
terror portion and replacing ID with
a cheap mp,al. Com of all denomi-
nations, from quarter eagle 10 double
eagle are subjec; 10 This process.
When platinum Is used 10 rnplac- gold |
extracted ;he coin has same weight |
as genuine. BY mis- process coins
lose four-fif'hs Of their valua, as The |
original surfaces are left only If pa
per thickness.
When edges have been covered with
the appearance of being genuine, hav-
ing correct size and wcign, and fair |
ring. Sometimes the covering If gold |
on edges IS 50 min taa- filling can be |
distinctly seen. When olher and less
costly filling ;ran pla mum IS used |
coins are Of lgnt weight and lave n
bad ring. If # correct weight they |
are 100 thick.
Another meihcd Of filling IS saving
the coin partly in Two, from edge of
reading. on one side, leaving a thin
and thick portion. The thin SIDE of
the coin turned back and ne gold |
extract from the center or thicker
portion. Tne cavity is filled with
base metal and sides pressing back
into original portion and s0ldered or
brazed together. 1t is difficult 10
give average less TO coins .reated in
this manner, as hardly any ,wo seem
20 nave same amount Of gold taken
from them.
For detecting counterfeit coin COM
pare impress, size weight, ring and
general appearance with genuine cion
of the same period and coinage. The
tests of weight, diameter and thick
ness should be applied, for it is al
most impossible for the counterfeit
IN comnlv with these three teutS x.,;t h