Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-08-15
COINS THAT ARE BASE
Metals and Methods Used In
Making counterfeits.

MelatS anu WI eln00S USED In
Making counterfeits.
HOW THEY MAY BE DETECTED
Spurious Coins Cannot Stand the
Three Tests Of Weight, Diameter and
Thickness Gold Pieces That Are
sWeated, Plugged or Filled.
The most dangerous counterfeits are
struck from d die and are usually irni-
tations of gold coins. Molds OF Vari-
Gus kinds are extensively used, but
Ieounterfeits SO made are inferior to
those made with a die.
Iii counterfeits made from mold
lettering, milling and reeding are usu-
ally poor and weight defective The,
coins lack the sharp and clear cut APP
pearance of genuine coin Most coun-
terfeit silver coins ID circulation are
made from molds, as it is an inexpen-
| sive form of counterfe citing. Some fair
specimens have been produced in this
way, but usually they are much lighter
than the genuine and if OF required
weight differ in diameter Oh thickness.
Various metals are used by counter
feiters, prime pally platinum, silver,
copper, brass anthony, aluminium,
zinc, type metal lead and their nu-
merous compositions.
! Among the most dangerous counter
feits Of gold coin are those of a COM
position Of gold, silver and copper.
They are low grade gold, and the
acid test shows they lack the fineness
]of standard gold used by the United
States mint, which is 800 fine, or Fl 10
/ carats. These counterfeits average
/ from 400 to 500 fine. Platinum coun-
lterfeits are dangerous, as the metal
fused gives required weight, and they
Iare heavily gold plated. When they
have been in circulation for time the
plating wears of, especially on the
4 edges. "
The most dangerous counterfeit of
silver coin is made OF a composition Of
iantimony and lead, the former metal
/ predominating. These counterfeits are
of the dollar, have a fine appearance,
#Iare heavily silver plated, with fair
ring, and some are only slightly below
the standard weight.
Some pieces among the smaller coins
fare made Of brass, struck from die,
and when heavily plated are fair imi-
s|tations. They lack required weight,
Except in few instances. Counterfeits
iDf type metal, lead and ether compost
ltions are much lighter than genuine.
Those having required weight are
Imuch too thick. S3S
i Genuine coins Of all kinds, for the
sake OF gain, are tempered with in va
1rious ways. These operations are con-
Timed almost exclusively to gold coins,
which are sweated, plugged and filed.
Il Sweating Is removing portion OF
the gold from surface Of coin The
d process does not interfere with the
1 ring, and as the portion removed is gen
Ierally slight the coin Is left with a
VERY fair appearance, weight only be
ling defective. The principal methods
4 of sweating are the acid bath. filing
1.-The edges or reeding, the operator find
/ ing profit in the small quantities Of
Igold removed from numerous pieces.
The average reduction In value OF
Icofns subjected to these processes Is
from one-twentieth to one-tenth.
Plugging is~done by boring holes II
the coin, extracting the gold and filing
/ the cavity with a cheaper material. The
larger coins double eagles and eagles
twenty and ten dollar pieces III
), fused for this purpose. The small
& surface Of the plugging material
where it shows on the edge of the coin
Is covered with gold and the reedini
II retouched with file or machine
The average loss in value to coins
treated In this way is from one-eighti
!, Ito one-sixth. Coins of this kind ar
, very dangerous, as they are perfec
. lin appearance, only the edges havinj
j been tempered with.
Filling is most commonly done b.
. saving the coin through from the edg
]. Tor reeding, removing the interior por
] ton and replacing 1t with a cheap met
al Coins Of ali denominat lions from
Z Iquarter eagle to double eagle are SUI
i ljected to this process. When platinum
/ is used to replace gold extracted th
) coin has same weight as genuine. b
this process coins lose four-ffths o
their value, as the original surfaces ar
i. left only Of paper thickness.
! When edges have been covered wit
4 gold and reeding restored the coin ha
q the appearance Of being genuine, has
4 ing correct size and weight and d fal
( ring Sometimes the covering OF col
4 on edges Is SO thin that filling can !
Z distinctly seen When other and les
costly filing than platinum is use
coins are Of light weight and have
bad ring II Of correct weight the
are too thick
Z Another method Of filing 10 sawfn
Il the coin partly In two. from edge /
& reeding, on one side, leaving TIL
I and thick portion The thin side |
+ the coin is turned back and the gol