Hi, I've stumbled upon this today : a gold replica (rather poorly executed, but still) of a Victorian sovereign. I've seen some Edwardian ones here that are reportedly made of gold. So is the one I bought. It even has some toning. No date ; the token measures 10 mm, and weighs 0,5 g., doesn't stick to a magnet. I have no reason to doubt it is gold (at least I think so), since I bought it from a reputable dealer whom I work with in my spare time, both in the store and at home. I got it for 5,00 $. I immediately saw it and had to buy it. I was wondering if any of you has ever seen that, or if you think it is doubtful ?
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
What ??? I am not a conman I work for someone who has a good reputation, I was trying to gather more info on that coin which I bought from him ! If you don't know what you're talking about, THEN DON'T TALK AT ALL !
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
Tony is right, the likelyhood it's gold is almost zero.
The indian head US $1 series are 13mm and weigh 1.672g. For a 10mm coin to weigh 0.5g and be gold, it'd have to be so incredibly thin it's probably inconceivable.
Alternatively, compare it to the gold plated fantasy coin from mexico, the '1865' maximillian peso, which is incredibly thin, gold plated, and has a 10mm diameter. And weighs 0.5g.
If you want to be sure of course, just do a density test. But to me it's fairly obviously not gold. Why on earth would you even think it was gold when it was for sale for $5 ?
Ok, maybe it's just gold plated, but he had no right to call me and my coworkers a conman ! And the coin is really thin. I have that "Maximillian" peso, and it was sold to me as an 8kt gold token. What puzzles me is that there are other coins we have at the store that are only gold plated, and they are sold as gold plated. So why would me coworker sell a tiny token as a gold token if it weren't ? I once saw a brass replica of the Gold Rush Fractionnal Coins, and I asked him to check it out, and he told me that it was a fake, with gold content at all. The color of that coin, compared with this one, is more brassy. Still it could be gold plated, but that's not like him to pretend. The store where I work is in business since 30 years and has a better reputation than the other one, whose owner is seen as a conman.
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
Citeer: "oggy"Tony is right, the likelyhood it's gold is almost zero.
The indian head US $1 series are 13mm and weigh 1.672g. For a 10mm coin to weigh 0.5g and be gold, it'd have to be so incredibly thin it's probably inconceivable.
Alternatively, compare it to the gold plated fantasy coin from mexico, the '1865' maximillian peso, which is incredibly thin, gold plated, and has a 10mm diameter. And weighs 0.5g.
If you want to be sure of course, just do a density test. But to me it's fairly obviously not gold. Why on earth would you even think it was gold when it was for sale for $5 ?
Its very possible for the coin to be gold (not just gold plated), 10mm across, and at .5g. The US $1 gold coins are also a little over 1mm thick, which is why it weighs so much for how small the diameter is.
Later Iranian 1/5 tomans and the various Ottoman 1/4 altins are almost all over 10mm, weigh between .3 and .5 grams and have a gold fineness between .800 and .900 (if I remember correctly).
Ok thank you Roublizer. I'll do some research on those tomans and altins tomorrow. I have an Ottoman coin like this one : https://fr.numista.com/catalogue/pieces5067.html and it's thin as hell, even thinner than this token (my token is thin but it still shows reeding on the edge. My Ottoman coin is so thin it's a little bent. I asked my boss to know how my coworker has proceeded to establish the content. My guess is also that maybe the gold in it isn't so pure, which would make for a small price. And yes, I have a gold dollar (one that I just swapped today with another one I had bought many years before, I had the opportunity to have a scarcer one in better shape for cheaper because it has a solder mount trace, which is not that bad) and yes they are thick ! I was surprised at how thick it was. And gold is by definition heavy, so a small coin will still weigh a lot.
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
Citeer: "Ginger"Ok thank you Roublizer. I'll do some research on those tomans and altins tomorrow. I have an Ottoman coin like this one : https://fr.numista.com/catalogue/pieces5067.html and it's thin as hell, even thinner than this token (my token is thin but it still shows reeding on the edge. My Ottoman coin is so thin it's a little bent. I asked my boss to know how my coworker has proceeded to establish the content. My guess is also that maybe the gold in it isn't so pure, which would make for a small price. And yes, I have a gold dollar (one that I just swapped today with another one I had bought many years before, I had the opportunity to have a scarcer one in better shape for cheaper because it has a solder mount trace, which is not that bad) and yes they are thick ! I was surprised at how thick it was. And gold is by definition heavy, so a small coin will still weigh a lot.
Do you know how to do a density test? This would clear it up once and for all, and save your worrying!
Well, I did a quick search on how to do a density test, and it seems complicated. I am not sure that my balance is precise enough for this, I only have one decimal. I broke the staples to open up the flip to check the edge since it was a little bit clipped. The part where it is clipped looks like a bit orange, but since it is located in the place where there is a little toning, it can explain why the color is different. Since the coin is not worth a lot, I took one the used staples and did a little scratch. It was fairly easy to do so (mind you I would NEVER perform that on a valuable coin lol !) and the scratch was of the same color as the rest. Gold being soft, it wasn't hard to scratch it with little pressure. Anyway, I know my coworker would never cheat on his customers, and he placed the coin in the display where we put our "highlights", the coins and bank notes that are worth more. Anyway, for the price I paid, it would not be a major disaster if it turned out to be plated.
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
Never saw a so disrespectful charge. The real crooks are those who first gave wrong informations to make their token sold in "high" price. You and your dealer are more victims of those guys. And finally you had the right reflex to investigate.
Administrateur du catalogue, référent de nombreuses nations antiques et de la Lorraine.
Catalogue administrator, numerous Antique nations and Lorraine referee.
My dealer always checks carefully before he puts something up for sale. I once saw a copy of those famous California fractionnal tokens, it interested me so my boss asked his colleague to check it out, telling me that he was sure it was a fake. However he wanted to make sure since his colleague is more specialized in coins (my boss knows stamps more). The week after he told me that it was indeed a fake, and that I could buy it for 5 dollars. I took it, thinking it was maybe gold plated. In fact it was just a brassy junk. That's why I am sure that the one I bought yesterday contains at least some gold, otherwise he would have stated otherwise. It cost me 5 dollars, so he bought it for even cheaper. But I agree it was a pretty mean thing to call me and fellow coworker "conmen". We are nothing near being conmen ! From the tests I made already, it seems to have at least a little gold. Just for the sake of fun having just a little more gold. I have enough gold coins so as to not be dotting a lot on this one lol !
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
There are also the gold fanams, which are small. And yet, they really contain gold. Mine is small, the edge is thin but the design is well raised above the edge. I think they are still lighter than this token. I should have not made the scratch to check, but I was trying so hard to find the answer, while waiting to ask my boss about this token, I couldn't see him yesterday. There were already tiny scratches on the token, which reveal the same thing. Well, I guess this is an occason to learn...
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
Put an end to it and do a basic acid test.
At best you have half a gram of gold whatever its content, therefore you are in profit a couple of $'s.
At worst Tony is 100% correct.
From the looks of the pictures the base metal is already showing through, drop some acid on it and watch it go green.
Regarding your original question, yes I have seen tat like this before and no they are not normally made of gold, with the exception of some jewellers copies of which yours clearly isn't.
Just my opinion.
I deny nothing but doubt everything, opinions are made to be changed, how else is the truth to be gotten at.
I know many coins have been copied by jewellers, but I don't think I've ever seen one. Except maybe the "tokens" belly dancers use, but I never paid much attention to them. What kind of acid would you use ? Would vinegar be enough (like when you clean old cents) ?
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
You need to test it not clean it, all of the information is out there readily available to all.
I believe it is Nitric for low carat gold and a mix of Nitric and Hydrochloric for higher carat.
Take it back to your friends shop, he should have a test kit.
Its a pre-requisite of anyone dealing in precious metals, yeah it looks like it might be is no guarantee.
Jewellers don't make belly dancer tokens by the way.
I deny nothing but doubt everything, opinions are made to be changed, how else is the truth to be gotten at.
I'll call my boss tomorrow, I've heard about the liquids we can use to test gold content. I don't remember seeing those liquids at the store, but then again I never had to use them myself and I am not aware of all the stuff he's got. My guess is that either there was a mistake, or he tested it. I can't wait to call.
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
Well, I think it would be better to put the coin away. I don't think it was worth worrying about it, and I spent the weekend doing so. The more I try to think there is an explanation, the less there seems to be any that goes the way I want. Anyway, I have other, real, gold coins. It's not like I totally lost something. Thank you
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
I work for someone who has a good reputation, I was trying to gather more info on that coin which I bought from him ! If you don't know what you're talking about, THEN DON'T TALK AT ALL ! 
