Hi,
I have this wonderful old silver coin from Myanmar which someone sold me saying it would be an error strike (you can see a big bulge on the feathers). In the meantime I am not sure if I was tricked. I learned that there are many fakes out there of this type of coin. So I need your opinion.
Weight: 11.37 gr (should be 11,66)
Diameter: 31 mm (fits)
Thickness: 1.95 mm (catalogue says 3mm)
Material: Silver for sure.
My last hope is, that the production back then wasn't as accurate as today...
HI Steve, thank you for your analysis. I am sure you are right. I am really angry that I was that stupid to believe the seller. Now I will have to get a genuine one...
Citeer: "Ronald70"HI Steve, thank you for your analysis. I am sure you are right. I am really angry that I was that stupid to believe the seller. Now I will have to get a genuine one...
sorry to see this I believe Steve is right it looks nothing like my own with smooth surfaces.
Unfortunately these coins are seldom seen for under £30 you're more than likely looking at over £50 for a good one :)
Firstly, agree with steve27 and Mark; it's definitely a fake for me.
HOWEVER, it's interesting in technical dimensions to me. It's really crude, and thinner and heavier than the real thing which means it's using alloys that aren't used in modern counterfeiting.
If it was the same silver composition as the original, you'd expect it to weight 2/3rds of the weight as it's 2/3rds on the thickness.
Silver has quite a high specific gravity, and I can't think of any reason why a modern counterfeiter would go for one higher when he could just increase the thickness.
Back in the 1850's, platinum was very cheap and used for forgeries; could it be a part platinum contemporary counterfeit perhaps? Unlikely, but is still weird, and kind of cool.
edit: I'm not saying it is; platinum was usually used along with copper to counterfeit gold coinage (eg. sovereigns) - I just think it's interesting enough to look into the line of counterfeiting more.
Citeer: "oggy"I find this coin interesting.
Firstly, agree with steve27 and Mark; it's definitely a fake for me.
HOWEVER, it's interesting in technical dimensions to me. It's really crude, and thinner and heavier than the real thing which means it's using alloys that aren't used in modern counterfeiting.
If it was the same silver composition as the original, you'd expect it to weight 2/3rds of the weight as it's 2/3rds on the thickness.
Silver has quite a high specific gravity, and I can't think of any reason why a modern counterfeiter would go for one higher when he could just increase the thickness.
Back in the 1850's, platinum was very cheap and used for forgeries; could it be a part platinum contemporary counterfeit perhaps? Unlikely, but is still weird, and kind of cool.
edit: I'm not saying it is; platinum was usually used along with copper to counterfeit gold coinage (eg. sovereigns) - I just think it's interesting enough to look into the line of counterfeiting more.
Interesting theory, but I'm not buying it. Back in the 19th century platinum was cheaper than gold, but I don't think it was ever cheaper than silver. Additionally, platinum is heavier per unit volume than gold, which makes it about twice the weight of silver. I would sooner believe lead was used (it's slightly heavier than silver), but it's a better bet the 3mm number isn't correct.
Citeer: "oggy"I find this coin interesting.
Firstly, agree with steve27 and Mark; it's definitely a fake for me.
HOWEVER, it's interesting in technical dimensions to me. It's really crude, and thinner and heavier than the real thing which means it's using alloys that aren't used in modern counterfeiting.
If it was the same silver composition as the original, you'd expect it to weight 2/3rds of the weight as it's 2/3rds on the thickness.
Silver has quite a high specific gravity, and I can't think of any reason why a modern counterfeiter would go for one higher when he could just increase the thickness.
Back in the 1850's, platinum was very cheap and used for forgeries; could it be a part platinum contemporary counterfeit perhaps? Unlikely, but is still weird, and kind of cool.
edit: I'm not saying it is; platinum was usually used along with copper to counterfeit gold coinage (eg. sovereigns) - I just think it's interesting enough to look into the line of counterfeiting more.
Interesting theory, but I'm not buying it. Back in the 19th century platinum was cheaper than gold, but I don't think it was ever cheaper than silver. Additionally, platinum is heavier per unit volume than gold, which makes it about twice the weight of silver. I would sooner believe lead was used (it's slightly heavier than silver), but it's a better bet the 3mm number isn't correct.
Yea, I didn't mean to say that it was platinum, just that it's possibly an interesting contemporary counterfeit if the dimensions are correct. I do think platinum at some point was used to counterfeit silver though, not sure where I remember reading that.
It'd be an alloy, so the numbers work, and it's the correct period. (1820-1880) You're right though, it was usually a gold plated alloy with copper to fool specific gravity tests for the most part.
I'm curious where this info originated, it's on this site, but it's not in Krause or any other reference I can find: "Thickness: 3 mm." Occam's razor leads me to believe this is where the problem is.
"Given both the weight and thickness are pretty much correct for wear, could this be a damaged coin as opposed to a forgery?"
I don't think so, but I would like to take a hammer to it
As far as I have been able to determine, the mintage for this coin is 200 or less. Yet there are about 40 available on ebay right now; thus, I'm thinking modern forgery.
Citeer: "Steve27""Given both the weight and thickness are pretty much correct for wear, could this be a damaged coin as opposed to a forgery?"
I don't think so, but I would like to take a hammer to it
As far as I have been able to determine, the mintage for this coin is 200 or less. Yet there are about 40 available on ebay right now; thus, I'm thinking modern forgery.
200 or less? This would be ultra rare. Where did you get this Information?
Citeer: "Steve27""Given both the weight and thickness are pretty much correct for wear, could this be a damaged coin as opposed to a forgery?"
I don't think so, but I would like to take a hammer to it
As far as I have been able to determine, the mintage for this coin is 200 or less. Yet there are about 40 available on ebay right now; thus, I'm thinking modern forgery.
200 or less? This would be ultra rare. Where did you get this Information?
Citeer: "Ronald70"Forgot to tell that the edge is reeded very nicely, maybe one point against a cast.
Here another pic of the coin in an even better resolution.
Nice reeded edge on an obviously counterfeit coin IMO.
Last night I was at a coin club meeting, and in addition to the topics we also do letters; they were Q and R. So there with a bunch of other Rupee coins, is one of these, in the possession of our club's president. The surfaces were nice and even (no bumps) and it was about 1.5 mm thick (by uncalibrated eyeball).
Citeer: "Steve27""Given both the weight and thickness are pretty much correct for wear, could this be a damaged coin as opposed to a forgery?"
I don't think so, but I would like to take a hammer to it
As far as I have been able to determine, the mintage for this coin is 200 or less. Yet there are about 40 available on ebay right now; thus, I'm thinking modern forgery.
200 or less? This would be ultra rare. Where did you get this Information?
