reproductions / fakes

[Guest Peter_I'm_a_Guest]

There seem to be quite a few 'reproduction' coins for sale.

How can a beginner like myself identify these?

What if someone 'ages' a reproduction to make it look old?

I know that a reputable dealer would not sell these as genuine but other sellers may not be so honest!

Peter.

[kuhli]

As I replied in your other thread, EDUCATION is your answer. Arm yourself with the knowledge, and you will never fall victim to these "reproductions." Before you begin spending large sums of money on coins, I encourage you to invest a small amount of money on some reference materials that are pertinent for your collecting interests. For British coins, I would recommend getting Collectors' Coins Great Britain 2005, available on this site (the owner of this site is also the publisher of this book). I would also recommend that once you determine your specific area of interest, you look for advanced reference materials for that specific area. These may be a little costly, but in the long term, the knowledge you gain from them will save you much more than the cost of the book.

As far as the scruples of the dealers that sell these reproductions, again, you must educate your self on this. For local dealers, that you can visit in person, make a couple visits before any major purchases. Look at the material they have on display. Watch the way they treat other customers. Talk to them. Tell them your interests, and see what their response is. Character is something that should be considered when working with a local dealer. Is he trying to help you with your collection, or is he merely out to make a profit from you. For on-line dealers, again, research is the key to success. Talk to members here, or other public forums, get feedback and opinions. E-mail the dealers to ask questions. See how they respond, and if their replies are timely or not. Again, this is their show of character. Make a small purchase to "test the waters". This will show you how promptly they respond to your order, how much care they put into the packaging, etc.

Bear in mind that just because a dealer sells these "reproductions" does not make them a shady type of character. As long as they are up-front and honest about it, then I have no problem with them. You also have to consider what the reproduction coin is. For example, the 1933 penny reproductions are often purchased to fill in the blank hole that will never get filled, otherwise.

[Guest Guest]

Kuhli

My other posting was moved so I lost sight of where it had gone!

Thanks for taking the time to pass on some very useful advice. I will act on it.

Peter.