Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-10-09
COINS THAT ARE BASE
Metals and Methods Used In
Making CounterieitS.
HOW THEY MAY BE DETECTED

Spurious Coins Cannot Stand IN.
Three Tests OF Weight. Diameter ard
Thiekness-Gold Pieces That Arc
sweated, Plugged or Filled.
The most dangerous counterfelts are
struck from a die and are usually irni-
tations Of gold coins. NIolds Of varl-
Gus kinds are extensively used. but
counterfeits 50 made are Inferior to
those made with a die.
In cOunterfeits made from 4 mold
lettering. milling and reeding are usu-
ally poor and weight defective. The
coins lack the sharp and clear emf an
pearance Of genuine coin. Most coun-
tertelt silver coins IN circulation are
made from mOlds. as Il IS an inexpen-
sive form OF counterfeiting. Some fair
specimens have been produced IN this
way. but usually they are much lighter
than the genuine and IL Of REQUIRED
weight differ in diameter or thickness.
various metals arc used by counter
feiters. principally platinum. silver
copper, brass. anthony. aluminium.
zine. type metal. lead and their nu-
merOus compositions.
Among the most dangerous counter
feits OF gold coin are those of 4 COM
position OF gold, silver and copper.
They are low grade gold. and the
acid test shows they lack the fneuess
or standard gold use1 by the United
states mint. which S 900 fine. or 21.1o
car2tS. These counterfeits ave~ace
from 100 70 500 fine Platinum coun-
IL 1884.
used gives required weight. and tho,-
are heavily gold plated. When they
have been iD circulation for Il time the
plating wears or. especially on the
edges.
The most dangerous counterfeit OF
silver coin Is made cf q composition Of
anthony and lead. the former. metal
predomina,in-. These counte-fe;ts are
OF the dollar. have fine appearance.
are heavily silver plated. with fair
ring. and some are only slightly below
the standard weight.
some pieces among the smaller coins
are made OF brass. struck from q die.
AMI when heavily plated ere fair iul-
tauous. They lack required weight.
eNccl IN ferv Instances. Counto~reit-
OF type metal lead and other COMPOST
lions are much lighter than genuine.
THOSE having required weight are
much too thick
Genuine collins OF all kinds. for the
sake OF sain. are taupcrcd with 81 va
rious ways These operations are con-
fined almost exclusively to gold coins
which are swcated, plugged and filled.
Sweating is removing q portion OF
the gold from surface Of coin. The
process docs not interfere with the
ring. AID as the portion removed is ceu.
orally slight The coin Is left with q
very ioir appearance, weight only be
ing defective. Tho principal methods
OF sweating are the acid bath. flirr
the edges or recding. the operator find
Ing profit Ga the small quantities OF
gold removed fran numerous pieces
Tho average reduction IN value OF
coins subjected TO these processes 4.
from one-twcnucth 10 oue-tenth.
IluSS!ng IS done by boring holes II
the coin. extracting the gold ana nllina
4 the cavity With a cheaper material. Til,
f larger coius-double eagles and eagles
twenty and ten dollar plecesl-arC
used for this purpose. Tho small
surface OF the plugging material
where IL shows on the edge 81 The coin
Is covered with gold and the rcedln.
f retouched with file or machine
f The average loss IL value t. coin.
treated IN THIS way IS from cre-eichth
To one-SiNth. Coins Of this kind ar,
very dangerous. Is they are perfect
IN appearance. only the edges havln.
been tampered with.
Filling is most commonly dome Tx
+ saving the coin through from the edr,
f or rcedinC. removing tie Interior nor
. uon and replacing it with chean met
| al Coins ~ au denominations from
quarter eagle Cd double eagle are sub
JecleI - this process. When platinum
Is used % replace gold extracted Tie
coin has same weight as genuine. By
+ this process co.oS lose four-afthS q,
the.r value. rs the original surfaces arr
left only Of paper thickness.
When edges have been covered wifi
| gold and recl-o- restored the coin ha.
the appearance Of being genuine. hay
. Ing correct size and weight and fail
I ring. Sometimes Tie covering CT Colt
4 on edges Is 50 thin that filling can T.,
+ distinctly seen. When other and les,
costly filling than platinum is used
f coins are Of light weight and have 3
bad ring. II of correct weight they
F are too thick.
Another method OF films Is Saw,n.
the coin partly IN two. from edge Of
reedloG. on ono side. leaving tbir
and thick portion. The thin side OF
the coin Is turned back AMI the col,
extracted from ccDtcr Of thicke. DOR
ton. The cavity is filed with bas,
metal ana sides pressed back INFO or..-
mai position ana so,Jorcd or IrazeC
together. Il IS difficult % give aver
F age loss 10 cc.os treated i'm thtS man
ne-. rs hardly amy two seen have III,
same amount of sold taken from them
For detecting counterfeit coin cor,
pare Impress. size. weight. ring and
/ general appearance with genuine coin
f or same period and coinage. The three
tests Of weiGAt. diameter and thick
ness Should he applied. for IL IS nj
most impossible FOR the counterfeiter
to comply with these three tests with
out using genuine mCtal-COunterfeit
DStector.
Courage Is fire. Bullying IS smoke. -
BeacOLsfcld