Regarding old coins

How to find which is real and which is duplicate

1. Learn what the real coins look like. Read reference books and on-line resources (like Numista). Look at real coins in person.
2. Learn how fakes are made and identified. Read books and on-line resources (like old messages in this forum). Look at fake coins in person.
3. Don't assume all the information in books and web pages is accurate. (I've found in accurate photos on Numista, but not many.) Study enough sources to gain the ability to judge the sources.

Feel free to post questions about authenticity in this forum. Don't post lots – post one, learn from the answers and examine your coins, and them post one more if you still have questions. And read the forum policy before posting.

kokkan

How to find which is real and which is duplicate

Have a nice weekend.

   It really takes experience gained by time, by reading, by an example of a real coin.

And often that's not even enough.  Coins have been counterfeited and minted illegally in all time periods.

   So the very concept of old includes a very large axis and great demands on one collector.

Whenever there is the slightest suspicion - color, weight, letters, etc. always first consider the coin as suspicious and ask or check.

Always watch out for coins where the price is far, far greater than the weight of the metal.

Furthermore, there are a large number of already traditional coins which are always considered to be fakes until they are proven to be genuine.

I wish you a nice collection.

Ivan

Some of the more obvious things to consider:

Shape - even when freshly minted, they often weren't perfect circles. If it looks too circular, probably a modern piece.

Pattern - As they were hand produced, off-centre strikes were very common. Perfectly centred examples are usually preferred by collectors & so are more frequently forged. Of course, real coins can be central & fakes can be off-centre, but it can be something to watch for.

Condition - As with everything, condition is key. The higher the condition, the higher the value. So forgers are more likely to aim for that market.

Consider how much time has passed since it was made. Are the details still sharp? If so, take extra care. It can still be real, but is also the more likely target of a forgery.

Value & Asking Price - if the price looks too good to be true… it must be magic! 😉

Depending on the era, there can be a lot of information out there on the net. Poke around, read whatever you can find. Don't trust everything, but try to cross reference websites (and if possible, text books).

Don't buy expensive pieces until you've done your homework enough to consider yourself an informed amateur. Start with lower value pieces - probably in non-precious metals or, depending on your budget, small silver coins. That way, you'll start to subconsciously pick up on things that just look & feel right. It's hard to explain & might take a few years, but if you're truly interested, it will come.

And if you do get caught out by fakes, at least they're low value that you can chalk up to experience.

If you can, see if there's any local collector groups. Maybe some of them share the same era & can show you examples. Learn from others. Often people love to talk about their passion hobbies & can have hoards of good specific info.

Buy from trusted dealers. Can be hard when you're just starting out, but it can be easier if you can draw from other people's knowledge. If online, check feedback & how long they've been operating. Also, see where they operate from in relation to the coin.

Forgery is of course in every country. But if you saw a rare ancient coin pop up for sale from a new seller in a typically poor country - that's a bit more suspect.

And finally, never be afraid to ask questions. We've all been new hobbiests at some point. Even if your question sounds daft, better to speak & learn than to remain ignorant. 🙂