The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-26
COUNTERFEIT COINS
NOT EASY TO MAKE
Many Metals Used in Manu-
featuring the limitations
of Real Money.

The most dangerous counterfeits are
struck off from die, and are usually
limitations of gold coins Molds of vari-
Gus kinds are extensively used, but
counterfeits so made are inferior to
those made with a die.
IN c0unterfeits made from mold let
tering, milling. and reeding are usual
| ly poor, weight very defective; the coins
| lack the sharp and clear-cut appear
ance of genuine coin. Most counterfeit
silver coins in circulation are
made from mOlds, as it is an inexpens-
| i've form of counterfeiting. Some fair
/ specimens have been produced in this
| way, but usually they are much light
er than the genuine, and IL of required
weight differ IN diameter or thickness,
says Counterfeit Detector.
| Various molds are used by counter
/ feiters, principally platinum. silver
| copper, brass, anthony, aluminium
/ zinc, type metal. lead and their numer-
Gus compositions.
Compositions Dangerous.
Among the most dangerous counter
I feits OF gold coin are those OF COM
| position Of gold, silver and copper. They
! are a low grade gold. and the acid test
| shows they lack the hneness of stan
| dard gold used by the United States
( mint, which is 800 fine, or 2119 carats-
! These counterfeits average from 100
| 10 800 fine. Platinum counterfeits are
! dangerous, as the metal used gives re-
/ quired weight and they are heavily
| gold plated When they have been in
! circulation for a time the plating wears
| of, especially on the edges.
The most dangerous counterfeit OF ST.
yer coin is made of a composition Of
| anthony and lead, the former metal
! predominating. These cOunterfeits are
cf the dollar, have a fine appearance,
| and 'eavily silver plated, with fair
I ring Some are only slightly below the
/ standard weight.
Some pieces among the smaller coiTs
are made Of brass struck from die,
and when heavily plated are fair lmi-
tations. They lack required weight ex-
| cept in a few Instances. COUnterfeits
Of type metal, lead and other compost
lions are much lighter than genuine,
Those having required weight are much
too thick.
Sweating Money.
Genuine coins Of all kinds for the
sake Of gain are tempered with in vari-
Gus ways These operations are con-
fined almost exclusively 10 gold coins,
which are sweated, plugged and hlled-
Sweating is removing a portion OF the
gold from the surface OF coin The pro-
cess does not interfere with the ring
and as the portion removed is gener-
ally slight. the coin is left with a very
fair appearance. weight only being de-
fective. The principal methods Of sweat
ing are the acid bath, fling the edges
| OF. reediug. The operator finding a proht
II The small quantities Of gold removed
, from numerous pieces. The average re
. duction in value OF coins subjected 20
these processes is one-twentieth 70 one
{ tenth.
Plugging is done by boring holes IN
the coin extracting the gold and hlllns
the cavity with a cheaper material;
, | The larger cOins-double eagles anu
eagles 600 and SO pieces)-are used Tor
ms Durpose Holes are bored into the
% coin from the edge or reedlnE, the solu
. | extracted and the cavity filled with a
base metal. The small surface OF tn me
plugging material where II is SHOWN on
The edge OF the coin, IS covered with goId
- and reeding retOuched with NE or
machine THE average loss in value 10
| coins treated in this way Is from one
? eipbfb 10 one-sixth. Coins OF this kim
are very dangerous. as they are pefiecL
: | in aDDearance. the edges only having
/ | been tempered with.
Filling Is Frequent.
] Filling is most commonly done by
, saving the coin through from the edge
or reeding. removing the interior portion
t ana replacing it with a cheap metal.
Coins of all denominations from quarter
/ eagles TO double eagles are subject 70
this process. When platinum is used TO
p repIace the gold extracted the coin has
the same weight as genuine. By this
l process. coins lose four-fifths of their
! value, as the original surfaces are left
; only o paper thickness.
5 When edges have been covered with
s gold and reeding restored the coin has
the appearance Of being genuine, having
correct size and weight and a fair ring.
E Sometimes the covering of gold on
Y edges is so thin that filing can be dis
2 tinctlv seen. When other and less cost
iy filing than platinum is used coins
are of light weight and have bad ring
T If Of correct weight they are too thick
r Another method of filling Is sawins
. the coin partly in two from edge OF
/ reeding. on one side leaving thin anC
thick portion. The thin side Of the colI
is turned back and the gold extracted
e from center of thicker portion. The
{ cavity is filled with base metal and sides
o. pressed back into original position and
4 sOIdered or brazed together. II Is
> difficult to give average loss to coin;
I treated in this manner, as hardly any
' two seem TO have the same amount OF
gold taken from them.
Detecting COunterfeits.
Il For detecting counterfeit coin com
Q pare impress, size, weight, ring and gen.
r eraI appearance with genuine coin Of
I same period and coinage. The three
d tests OF weight, diameter and thickness
Z should be applied, for IL is almost i'm
8 possible for the counterfeit TO comply
:. with these three tests without being
r genuine metal.
I'll HomeSeekerS,
q. g.