The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-07-04
$13,49e,s26
Recapitulatlon.
s791,769.976
COUNTERFEIT COINS.
How They Are Bade and How to Direct
 Them.

struck from a die and are usually irf1i- tations of gold coins. Mods of various kinds are extensively used, but counter feits so made are inferior to those made with die The die-made commercials have a fine appearance, lettering and milling being sharp and clear, and the ring usually good, in some instances almost perfect facsimiles of genuine. They are usually a trifie short weight, however, and the edges or reeding not so sharp and clear as in genuine. Many of these coins are full weight, says Dickerman's United States Coin Detec- tor.
 In commercials made from mold let tering, milling and reading are usually poor, weight very defective; the coins lack the sharp and clear-cut appear apce of genuine coin. Most counterfeit silver coins in circulation are made from molds, as it is an inexpensive form of couhterfeiting. Some fair spe- cimens have been produced in this way, but usually they are much lighter than the genuine, and If of required weight differ in diameter or thickness.
 Various metals are used by counter feiters, principally platinum, silver, copper, brass, antimony, aluminium zinc, type metal, lead and their num- erous compositions.
 Among the most dangerous counter feits of gold coin are those of a com position of gold, silver and copper They are a low grade gold, and the acid test shows they lack the fneness of stand ard gold used by the United States Mint, which is 900 fine, Or 21.19 carats. These commercials average from 400 to 800 fine. Platinum commercials are dangerous, as the metal gives required weight, and they are heavily gold plat ed. When they have been in circulation for time the plating wears off, espe- cially on the edges.
 The most dangerous counterfeit of silver coin is made of a composition of antimony and lead, the former metal predominating, These commercials are of the dollar; have a fine appearance, are heavily silver plated, with fair ring; some are only slightly below the stand ard weight
 Some pieces among the smaller coins arc made of brass, struck from a die, and when heavily plated are fair in1i- tations They lack required weight, ex- cept in few instances. Counterfeits of type metal, lead and other compost tions are much lighter than genuine; those having required weight are much too thick.
 Genuine coins of all kinds, for the sake of gain, are tempered with in va rious ways These operations are con- fined almost exclusively to gold coins which are sweated, plugged and filled.
 Sweating is removing a portion of the gold from the surface of coin. The process does not interfere with the ring, and as the portion removed is general ly slight the coin is left with very fair appearance, weight only being de- fective. The principal methods of sweating are the acid bath, filing the edges or reeding, the operator finding a profit in the small quantities of gold removed from numerous pieces The average production in value of coins subjected to these processes Is from one-twentieth to one-tenth.
 Plugging is done by boring holes in the coin, extracting the gold and filling cav ity with a cheaper material The larg- CT coins-double eagles and eagles ($2O and BIO pieces)-are used for this pur- pose. Holes are bored into the coin from the edge or reeding, the gold ex- tracted and cavity filled with base metal. The small surface of the plug ging material, where 1t shows on the edge of the coin, is covered with gold and reeding retouched with a file or machine The average loss in value to coins treated in this way is from one eighth to one-sixth, Coins of this kind arc very dangerous, as they are per- feet in appearance, the edges only hay ing been tempered with.
 Filling is most commonly done by saving the coin through from the edge or reeding, removing the interior DOT tlon and replacing it with cheap met al. Coins of all denominations, from quarter eagle to double eagle, are sub iected to this process. When platinum is used to replace gold extracted the coin has same weight as genuine. By this process coins lose four-ffths of their value, as the original surfaces are left only of paper thickness.
 When edges have been covered with gold and reeding restored the coin has the appearance of being genuine, hav- ing correct size and weight and a fair ring. Sometimes the covering of gold on edges is so thin that filling can be distinctly seen. When other and less costly filling than platinum is used, coins are of light weight and have a bad ring. If of correct weight they are too thick
 Another method of filling is saving reedlng, on one side, leaving thin and thick portion. The thin side of the coin is turned back, and the gold extracted in from center of thicker portion. The cavity is filled with base metal and sides pressed back into original posi- tion and soldered or brazed together. It is difficult to give average loss to coins treated in this manner, as hardly any two seen have the same amount of gold taken from them.
 For detecting counterfeit coins, com- pare impress, size, weight, ring and general appearance with genuine coin of same period and coinage. The three tests of weight diameter and thick ness should be applied. for it is almost impossible for the counterfeit to comply