BI Contemporary Counterfeits

[Md. Shariful Islam]

I am not sure this Victoria 1901 coin is a Fake or Error? I need comment from experts please... 

[Md. Shariful Islam]

Its diameter is 30.2mm
and weight is 11.63g

[Bimat]

If it's copper, then surely a fake.

Aditya

[Md. Shariful Islam]

Shown the item to a jeweller close to me... Said it is genuine silver... No question in silver content... Another important thing is, its weight is also perfect considering the wears... Question is the Victoria young bust in 1901...

[Bimat]

On my computer's screen, it looks like copper.

Aditya

[Md. Shariful Islam]

Yap... I understand... Its not cleaned and has some yellowish stain on it... In pictures it may seem to be... But its genuine silver... And actually the jeweller from whom I collected the coin was not interested to sell it... He knew that its different... But I have some doubt... Despite of the doubt I collected it to take chance... If it is genuine, definitely it is rare...
I am convinced in one respect... The metal, weight and diameter is satisfactory... Next thing depends on  experts comments on other aspects of the coin...

[Figleaf]

If you correct the colour of the picture until the background is as white as you can get it, the coin turns sort of silver.

I have little hope that this coin is genuine. The two dies are some 60 years apart. In theory, they could have met by mischief, but in practice, the coin seems to have circulated too much for an obvious mule. I see two possibilities:

• an outright fake
• two genuine coins sawed through or filed off on one side and pasted together

If weight and diameter are correct, it is more likely to be an outright fake. Please check the edge of the coin for irregularities.

Peter

[Md. Shariful Islam]

The edge is perfect... Very perfect... Then the first option remains... If this was fake, fakers would print many of it (assumption)... But and my friends who collect british indian coins never saw such...
Still if it is a fake, does it have worth to collectors???

Islam

[Abhay]

Still if it is a fake, does it have worth to collectors???

Islam

Dear Islam,

Every thing has a worth, even a fake coin. But the BIG Question is - What is the price of the coin?
If you say that it is Silver, and if you have paid little over the silver value, (About Rs. 650-700), than in my opinion, it is worth it, but not if it is anything above Rs. 700.

Abhay

[Md. Shariful Islam]

Dear Abhay
Thank u for your valuable comment... Still I am gonna keep it... Paid a bit high premium... Despite happy...

And congrats as India become champ in WC cricket...

Islam

[Figleaf]

There are several kinds of fakes. One is the contemporary imitation of a coin that is wanted, but not present. This was the case in Burma, where British Indian coins sometimes circulated in insufficient quantity. Your coin may be a Burmese copy, though it looks a bit too good for that.

Another class of fakes is those who are meant to deceive people. They are of inferior metal content or weight or both. There are many of such British India coins. Again, this coin looks a bit too good for that.

The two classes above are appreciated and collected. The first class is more popular and often considered regular coins, especially when they are issued by a ruler. The second class is generally spurned, but advanced collectors tend to like them, without striving for a systematic collection. However, I know one collector who has what he calls a "black museum" of contemporary fakes.

The worst class of fakes is non-contemporary pieces made to deceive collectors. They are not collected and not valued. They are made to resemble high value coins, so they are often in excellent condition, unlike yours, which has enough wear for a pretty steep discount.

Many words to say "I really don't know what this is". Since that doesn't help you, I'll give you my best guess: contemporary counterfeit.

Peter

[Coinsforever]

I know one collector who has what he calls a "black museum" of contemporary fakes.

Black museum - A New word in dictionary of Numismatics.

Cheers

[Md. Shariful Islam]

Peter
Thank you for your very rich analytical comment... Your comment matches with my guess about the coin... I am happy to have the coin in my possession...
I saw another coin that had 1901 in one side and Edwrd vii on another side... I think that was an error coin... I could not buy that as the seller, a jeweller, was asking for 20 times of a regular coin...

Islam

[Bimat]

I saw another coin that had 1901 in one side and George v on another side... I think that was an error coin... I could not buy that as the seller, a jeweller, was asking for 20 times of a regular coin...

Glad you didn't buy it. Another fake.

Aditya

[Md. Shariful Islam]

Dear Aditya
That was long time ago and that was not the same jeweller... But believe me, later I searched the coin to bargin with the price... Did not get it... I would have been happy if I could buy it...
Islam