Now you know how to avoid fakes.....

[Shamatti]

OK, so when we start out stacking we are on a steep learning curve. We have all made mistakes, bad buys, even a fake item. But we learn right? We become savy to the ways of the fleabay, and we find better places to buy stuff, suppliers and contacts etc....

 

But here is a thought...... have you ever gone back over all that stuff you bought when you were new to the scene? You know, that first coin, first 1 oz bar, first whatever-it-was, and checked to see that it isn't a fake?

 

This is the embarrassing place I found myself in this week. I sold on an item which I have had for a couple of years, purchased when I was not quite so up to date with all the things that could go wrong, or even realised that I should check my items to make sure they were legit. Well, this one was not legit. It was a fake. I had no idea. Why? Because I am always so careful!!! I check my stuff to make sure it is right! etc!

 

Thing is, it never occurred to me to go back to all the stuff I purchased as a novice and check that!

 

How many things in your collection are from way back when? Have you retrospectively checked them all to make sure they are all OK?

 

I will be testing all my old purchases this weekend. Fingers crossed! lol

[silversword]

Luckily for me I only started buying PMs recently, and only after doing months of research which included reading about and watching videos about fakes and how to avoid them. Thus far I've only been buying from respected dealers (and only after thoroughly checking the company background) because I still don't trust myself to be able to spot a good fake especially without having the genuine article already for comparison. This May have cost me more but it provides some comfort.

After buying my first pre-owned coins from a dealer, I was still paranoid; what if they had missed a fake and passed it on? Unlikely but possible. So everything I buy gets tested now as a matter of course.

Scales, calipers (must get a micrometer at some point) and rare earth magnet come out for every new purchase, and I check fine details with a loupe. Not sure how much more I can do without getting into expensive machinery. Don't want to use acids on coins...

Happy to say everything I've bought appears to be genuine thus far. The thought of buying from eBay still worries me.

[Ares]

Most of my first purchases are numi and weren't expensive enough to be worth faking, that and they were all from a local guy who is a family friend. Trust his judgement. He had some fake Chinese Morgans (clearly labelled fakes) and it was really interesting to see if you looked carefully you could see "Reproduction" or WTTE on the face.