Detecting Counterfeit and Altered US Coins

Question 1

How long ago has counterfeiting coins has been going on?

Answer 1

2700 year ago

Question 2

Fourees

Answer 2

Base Metal covered with precious metal of Greece and Rome coins.

Question 3

Best Known artists to copy coins and medals?

Answer 3

Giovanni Cavino

Question 4

How many and type of coins did Giovanni Cavino copy?

Answer 4

Over 140 Copies of large Roman bronze coins and various medals

Question 5

Paudans

Answer 5

A copy of a Roman coin

Question 6

A Greek counterfeiter

Answer 6

Caprara

Question 7

How many and when did Caprara counterfeited coins?

Answer 7

Nearly 80 Greek Coins and in the 1820s

Question 8

What caused the expansion in both the quantity and quality of counterfeiting

Answer 8

largely to Industrial Revolution

Question 9

Thomas Wyatt Between 1840 and 1860

Answer 9

Who copied nearly all types of the 1652 issues of Massachusetts silver and when?

Question 10

Montroville Dickenson

Answer 10

In 1850s he counterfeited Sommer Island shillings and 1776 Contnental dollars

Question 11

Alfred S. Robinson

Answer 11

Who was the Hartford coin dealer of the 1860s, was responsible for nearly a dozen copies of U.S. Colonial and fantasy coins, along with medals?

Question 12

William Idler

Answer 12

A coin dealer from Philadelphia in 1860s, was responsible for copies of the 1792 Washington half dollar and the Baltimore penny.

Question 13

John Adams Bolen

Answer 13

An engraver from Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1860s made eight copies of Colonial coins, including the bar cent and Higley copper.

Question 14

Francis Hennings

Answer 14

Made more than 300,000 counterfeit Jefferson nickels in 1954.

Question 15

What type of counterfeit gold coins produced in the 1960s and 1970s were considered to be some of the most sophisticated counterfeits of their time.

Answer 15

Omega

Question 16

Emanuel Ninger- counterfeit 1880 $50 notes

Answer 16

Who was called the “Pen and Ink Counterfeiter”?

Question 17

What was the most widespread era of counterfeiting in American history?

Answer 17

Civil War

Question 18

Craftsmen gained what experience during the Civil War to help them create counterfeits?

Answer 18

Minting process by producing trade and Civil War tokens. Casting methods though arms production and bullet moldings.

Question 19

What did the mint forget to put on the reverse of the 1883- V nickel?

Answer 19

Denomination of the coin

Question 20

What are the most commonly altered U.S. coins?

Answer 20

1909 S VDB cent and the 1916-D dime.

Question 21

Weight Scale

Answer 21

A digital scale for weighing coins, with sensitivity to a hundredth of a gram.

Question 22

Magnification

Answer 22

Most numismatists use a seven to ten power lens or loupe to help with authentication.

Question 23

Specific Gravity Test

Answer 23

This is a density test that yields a ratio of the coin’s weights to that of an equal volume of water.

Question 24

Specific Gravity Test Equipment

Answer 24

Question 25

Specific Gravity Test Math Formula

Answer 25

Question 26

Who engraved dies for many legitimate early American coins, was convicted of raising the value of 10 penny notes to 10 pounds.

Answer 26

Abel Buel

Question 27

What is a caliper or micrometer used for?

Answer 27

To measure a coin's diameter and thickness. -Measure coins diameter in three or four places and take largest reading. -Coins made before 1836, didn't have retaining collars. Take several measurements and average them

Question 28

Scanning electron microscope

Answer 28

A scanning electron microscope is a type of electron microscope that produces images of a sample by scanning the surface with a focused beam of electrons.

Question 29

Drawbacks of x-ray analysis

Answer 29

Question 30

What are the five areas to check in authenticating a coin?

Answer 30

1.- Weight 2.-Diameter 3.- Thinness 4.- Density 5.- Composition

Question 31

Weight

Answer 31

Question 32

Diameter and Thickness

Answer 32

Question 33

Density

Answer 33

Question 34

Composition

Answer 34

Question 35

What do genuine U.S. coins have, that counterfeit coins don't?

Answer 35

Sharp details

Question 36

Typical Characteristics for Mint Issue

Answer 36

Question 37

Wear and Circulation

Answer 37

Question 38

Minting and Striking Characteristics

Answer 38

Question 39

Edge Characteristics

Answer 39

Question 40

Planchet Variation

Answer 40

Genuine coins typically have more planchet problems than counterfeit coins. Since U.S. Mint blacking sheet, or strips, are rolled out under pressure, many parallel scratches are visible on the surface of a blank. If the striking pressure is not great enough to remove these striations, they will be visible on the coin. Since counterfeits generally use nearly perfect, polished blanks, the appearance of planchet striations, or scratches, on weakly struck areas of a coin is a good indicator of authenticity.

Question 41

Tonal Qualities

Answer 41

Question 42

Mintmark and Date Style

Answer 42

Question 43

Toning

Answer 43

Question 44

Consistency

Answer 44

Question 45

Dies are Distinctive

Answer 45

Question 46

Die Polish

Answer 46

Question 47

Die Polish

Answer 47

Question 48

Die Flow

Answer 48

Question 49

Loss of Detail

Answer 49

Question 50

Manufacturing Differences

Answer 50

Question 51

What was done to coins in the 9th century to prevent clipping.

Answer 51

A small cross was design on the reverse for all English coins

Question 52

Raised Extra Metal & Repeating Depressions

Answer 52

Question 53

One-to-one Transfer Dies

Answer 53

Question 54

Diagnostics of Transfer Die Counterfeits

Answer 54

Question 55

Spark Erosion Dies

Answer 55

Question 56

Diagnostics of Spark Erosion Counterfeits

Answer 56

Question 57

Impact Dies

Answer 57

Impact die counterfeits are relatively rare. Host coins are set into secure mounts, and softened blank metal dies are pressed against the host coins. This is repeated with different host coins until the desired details are imparted on the dies. The dies are then tempered, or hardened, with heat. Such dies are generally of poor quality. Usually it is only the center of the die that has the proper detail, while towards the rim, the detail because more eroded. Impact dies are made from scarce, rather than rare coins, due to the destruction of host coins.

Question 58

Diagnostics of Impact Die Counterfeits

Answer 58

Question 59

Cast Dies

Answer 59

Question 60

Diagnostics of Cast Die Counterfeits

Answer 60

Question 61

Hand-Cut Dies

Answer 61

Question 62

Electrotype

Answer 62

Question 63

Electrotype Process

Answer 63

Question 64

Roman Plated Coins

Answer 64

Question 65

Diagnostics of Electrotypes

Answer 65

Question 66

Casting

Answer 66

Question 67

Lost Was Process

Answer 67

Question 68

Centrifugal Castings

Answer 68

Question 69

Diagnostics of Cast Counterfeits

Answer 69

Question 70

George Cruikshank

Answer 70

Question 71

Vacuum Castings

Answer 71

Question 72

Diagnostics of Vacuum Castings

Answer 72

Question 73

Repairs

Answer 73

Question 74

Whizzing

Answer 74

Question 75

What period were most U.S. Coins mintmark alternated

Answer 75

Late 1950s and early 1960s

Question 76

Embossed Mintmarks

Answer 76

Question 77

1795 Large Cent Diagnostics

Answer 77

Question 78

Answer 78

Question 79

1815 Large Cent Date Alteration

Answer 79

Question 80

Answer 80

Question 81

Bungtown Token

Answer 81

Question 82

1856 Flying Eagle Cent Date Alteration

Answer 82

Question 83

1856 Flying Eagle Cent

Answer 83

Question 84

Answer 84

Question 85

Answer 85

Question 86

1909-S VDB Cent Mintmark Addition

Answer 86

Question 87

1909-S VDB Cent Mintmark Addition

Answer 87

Question 88

Evasions

Answer 88

Question 89

Answer 89

Question 90

Answer 90

Question 91

Answer 91

Question 92

Answer 92

Question 93

Answer 93

Question 94

Answer 94

Question 95

Answer 95

Question 96

Answer 96

Question 97

Answer 97

Question 98

Answer 98

Question 99

Answer 99

Question 100

Answer 100

Question 101

Answer 101

Question 102

1931-S Cent Date Alteration

Answer 102

Question 103

1931-S Cent Date Alteration

Answer 103

Question 104

World War II counterfeit

Answer 104

Question 105

Answer 105

Question 106

Answer 106

Question 107

Answer 107

Question 108

Answer 108

Question 109

Answer 109

Question 110

Answer 110

Question 111

Answer 111

Question 112

Answer 112

Question 113

Answer 113

Question 114

Answer 114

Question 115

Answer 115

Question 116

Answer 116

Question 117

Answer 117

Question 118

Answer 118

Question 119

Answer 119

Question 120

Answer 120

Question 121

Answer 121

Question 122

Answer 122

Question 123

Answer 123

Question 124

Answer 124

Question 125

Answer 125

Question 126

Answer 126

Question 127

Answer 127

Question 128

Answer 128

Question 129

Answer 129

Question 130

Answer 130

Question 131

Answer 131

Question 132

Answer 132

Question 133

Answer 133

Question 134

Answer 134

Question 135

Answer 135

Question 136

Answer 136

Question 137

Answer 137

Question 138

Answer 138

Question 139

Answer 139

Question 140

Angelo Delnoce

Answer 140

An engraver of American Bank Note Company. He was arrested in 1893 for counterfeiting a million dollars in Argentine paper money

Question 141

Answer 141

Question 142

Answer 142

Question 143

Answer 143

Question 144

Answer 144

Question 145

Answer 145

Question 146

Answer 146

Question 147

Answer 147

Question 148

Answer 148

Question 149

Answer 149

Question 150

Answer 150

Question 151

Answer 151

Question 152

Answer 152

Question 153

Answer 153

Question 154

Answer 154

Question 155

Answer 155

Question 156

Answer 156

Question 157

Answer 157

Question 158

Answer 158

Question 159

Answer 159

Question 160

Answer 160

Question 161

Answer 161

Question 162

Answer 162

Question 163

Answer 163

Question 164

Answer 164

Question 165

Answer 165

Question 166

Answer 166

Question 167

Answer 167

Question 168

Answer 168

Question 169

Answer 169

Question 170

Answer 170

Question 171

Answer 171

Question 172

Answer 172

Question 173

Answer 173

Question 174

Answer 174

Question 175

Answer 175

Question 176

Answer 176

Question 177

Answer 177

Question 178

During the Civil War, the North issued what to replace scarce coins?

Answer 178

Question 179

Answer 179

Question 180

Answer 180

Question 181

Answer 181

Question 182

Answer 182

Question 183

Answer 183

Question 184

Answer 184

Question 185

Answer 185

Question 186

Answer 186

Question 187

Answer 187

Question 188

Answer 188

Question 189

Answer 189

Question 190

Answer 190

Question 191

Answer 191

Question 192

Answer 192

Question 193

Answer 193

Question 194

Answer 194

Question 195

Answer 195

Question 196

Answer 196

Question 197

Answer 197

Question 198

Answer 198

Question 199

Answer 199

Question 200

Answer 200

Question 201

Answer 201

Question 202

Answer 202

Question 203

Answer 203

Question 204

Answer 204

Question 205

Answer 205

Question 206

Answer 206

Question 207

Answer 207

Question 208

Answer 208

Question 209

Counterfeit Gold Coins

Answer 209

Question 210

Counterfeit Gold Coins

Answer 210

Question 211

Answer 211

Question 212

Answer 212

Question 213

Answer 213

Question 214

Answer 214

Question 215

Answer 215

Question 216

Answer 216

Question 217

Answer 217

Question 218

Answer 218

Question 219

Answer 219

Question 220

Answer 220

Question 221

Answer 221

Question 222

Answer 222

Question 223

Answer 223

Question 224

Answer 224

Question 225

Answer 225

Question 226

Answer 226

Question 227

Answer 227

Question 228

Answer 228

Question 229

Answer 229

Question 230

Answer 230

Question 231

Answer 231

Question 232

Answer 232

Question 233

Answer 233

Question 234

Answer 234

Question 235

Answer 235

Question 236

Answer 236

Question 237

Answer 237

Question 238

Answer 238

Question 239

Answer 239

Question 240

Answer 240

Question 241

Answer 241

Question 242

Answer 242

Question 243

Answer 243

Question 244

Answer 244

Question 245

Answer 245

Question 246

Answer 246

Question 247

Answer 247

Question 248

Answer 248

Question 249

Answer 249

Question 250

Answer 250

Question 251

Treasury's Money Laundry

Answer 251

Question 252

Answer 252

Question 253

Answer 253

Question 254

Answer 254

Question 255

Answer 255

Question 256

Answer 256

Question 257

Answer 257

Question 258

Answer 258

Question 259

Answer 259

Question 260

Answer 260

Question 261

Answer 261

Question 262

Answer 262

Question 263

Answer 263

Question 264

Answer 264

Question 265

Answer 265

Question 266

Answer 266

Question 267

Answer 267

Question 268

Answer 268

Question 269

Answer 269

Question 270

Answer 270

Question 271

Conclusion of Counterfeit Coins

Answer 271