Theres the following to consider In plagiarism theres always some original lurking of which the plagiarism embodies an unauthorised duplication But in forgiary the existence or lack thereof of an original is immaterial Quite simply the forgery in its material embodiment is not what it purports to be I have come to this analysis by studying the Protocols of Zion We know now quite conclusively that it is a plagiarism But is it a forgery as it is asserted to be to this day by many My view is that the original manuscript  which has since it was handled by Serge Nilus has disappeared  is or was a forgery written allegedly by certain Jews etc However that forgery having disappeared what we have remaining is the text an immaterial thing It is the meaning not the physical letters of the alphabet arranged on paper which constitutes the plagiarism So a forgery requires just what the word embodies  a forge One cannot divorce the forgery from its physical embodyment and still have the crime  All this becomes confused more by our modern technological computer revolution which makes duplication incredibly easier than ever before But CDs are forged not plagiarized these days  just like paper money that has not actually rolled off its governments printing press Things are easily confused here And this is way The very nature of money require all particular denominations to look the same more or less And so the crime of forgery is not the resemblance or lack thereof but merely its inauthenticity  and thats fundamenta lly tied to its physical embodiment Thats not at all the case with plagiarism however If one were to translate a plagiarism into another language the crime of plagiarism would persist But one cannot so alter a forgery So I think it is duplication which distinguishes the two Again plagiarism implies an original of which it is a copy in whole or in part But in forgery there is no other original or the item presented is an original so to speak And since the question boils down to this authenticity of an original presented how can there be a crime without a body And thats why the material embodiment in the case of forgery is so fundamental In other words no forgery of monetary currency has taken place until such time as the forged plates have been created