fake geocoins...from China!

[+GATOULIS]

Hello to all!

 

I do not know if someone made this question again, but I am wondering in something!

 

As some of you know already, I am a coin and banknote collector!

I am in Ebay coin forum too and I see there many posts about fake coins, new or old that are made in China! The guys there are so good that they can counterfait anything!!!

They are doing this for the money! sometimes is it very hard to identify if a coin is a fake or original!

 

so, I was wondering, if geocoins are made in China, isn't there a possibility that some guys there will try to make fake geocoins and put them in Ebay? you will only realise it when you will try to activate it!!!

 

I am not talking about cheap coins, but for geocoins that have value! In an other thread I saw some prices....

 

Since they make fake coins for the profit, they can do the same with geocoins!!(if they haven't done it already!) what would happent then???

 

By creating almost perfect fake coins, many collectors are not as they used to be! They are afraid!

What about geocaching?

 

I think many are buying from there too, trying to find better prices! So???

 

I have to say that I am talking only about chinese counterfaiters! Not for China people! Ok? I have not problem with China or Chinese people! Just not to be misunderstood!!!

[+Droo]

There was a geocacher who once posted on the coins forum how he'd melt down his wife's cheap jewelry to make reproductions of activated coins he'd find in caches. He'd keep the real coin and release the fake in its place. All the time and effort it took to make the fake was justification enough for him to keep the real thing rather than create his own collection of (pretty good) fakes.

 

As for making fakes at the mint.... I would imagine that the first person who tried to activate the coin and find the tracking # either does not exist or it belongs to another activated coin would sic the ebay watchers onto the sellers and make it tough to keep consistent sales going to make it pay.

Edited May 7, 2008 by Droo

[+ThePetersTrio]

There was a geocacher who once posted on the coins forum how he'd smelt his wife's cheap jewelry to make reproductions of activated coins he'd find in caches. He'd keep the real coin and release the fake in its place. All the time and effort it took to make the fake was justification enough for him to keep the real thing rather than create his own collection of (pretty good) fakes.

 

Ok - I had to read that part about 3 times before I got what you really meant.

 

Maybe there is something to this being blonde thing.

[+Droo]

There was a geocacher who once posted on the coins forum how he'd smelt his wife's cheap jewelry to make reproductions of activated coins he'd find in caches. He'd keep the real coin and release the fake in its place. All the time and effort it took to make the fake was justification enough for him to keep the real thing rather than create his own collection of (pretty good) fakes.

 

Ok - I had to read that part about 3 times before I got what you really meant.

 

Maybe there is something to this being blonde thing.

 

LOL... I just read that myself and cracked up.... smelly jewelry is such a turn on.

[+ThePetersTrio]

LoL - especially when it's cheap.

[Arf2-D2]

from wikipedia...

 

Chemical reduction, or smelting, is a form of extractive metallurgy. The main use of smelting is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction (for the production of steel) from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores.

 

Anyway, I hope the story isn't true! :-(

[+dflye]

I have heard stories/rumors of the factories overseas using the dies from prior runs for illicit purposes after hours once it is known what will fetch a fast dollar on ebay.

 

Then again, I've heard the same thing about pretty much anything produced in China that is a highly sought after item....the first and second shift workers produce the legit item, and then after the factory "closes" the third shift comes in to make the "replica" items on the exact same factory line....so you aren't really buying a "knock-off" item, you're just supporting the underside of the Chinese economy when you buy that Louis Vuitton handbag on some side-street in NYC!

[QuigleyJones]

I recall an episode where a asian mint sold extra/sample geocoins (I think the tracking # was the same of those properly sold). which were bought by challenge coin collector who intern sold them on ebay.

 

As for making fakes I cant see it happing it yet.

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

so, I was wondering, if geocoins are made in China, isn't there a possibility that some guys there will try to make fake geocoins and put them in Ebay? you will only realise it when you will try to activate it!!!

Technically, sure, it could be happening...but I wouldn't spend a lot of time worrying about it.

 

Why?

 

Because in counterfeiting, you want to follow the money. Volume is important. So you make fake watches or jeans or something. Onesy, twosy sales of fake geocoins on E-bay is hard way to make a living (especially when you can do much better by selling thousands of fake handbags or DVDs.)

 

It might happen from time to time, but it's probably more of an opportunistic one-time score than anything that is consistantly taking place.

[+nielsenc]

After almost 3 years, I have still yet to know of any Geocoins which have been made and re-sold. If they were going to start doing it, I would assume they would start with the Moun10bikes. As others have pointed out, there isnt enough volume to make it worth it, unlike the fake Rolex watches you find all over Asia.

 

I did meet a couple of 'enterprising' young guys. One from Seattle and one from Canada. The fellow from Seattle was buying fake handbags by the container and shipping them to Seattle. While the one from Canada was buying fake Rockport shoes and re-selling them to small stores.

Edited May 7, 2008 by nielsenc

[+joranda]

If they would or could do that, wouldn't they just get into the busniess of minting coins then. I'm sure they could make more money that way.

[+GATOULIS]

Good morning to all!

 

Well, they may not start with moun10bikes, but with other coins that cost! I have seen some prices.....

 

In coins they are really good! I have seen coins that should be silver and were not! To find out, you had to cut the coin!!! Mostly you can see it in small details and in the weight! You can see coins or even banknotes that even have worn on them, so show that they are real!!

the coins have patina.... it is a mess.

 

I hope this willl never come to geocaching! It will be....

 

Now about the other guy who melted jewelery to make fake coins..... what can I say!!! LOL

[+Eric K]

I personally don't think it would be a worthwhile endeavor for them.

 

Selling fake US coins is feasible beacause there is a high enough demand for them. QVC and those type of shopping shows have whole segments dedictated to coin sales.

 

The vast majority of the population has no idea what a geocoin is. Unless it gets to the point that geocoins are being sold on QVC I would highly doubt it would be worth their while to make counterfeits.

Edited May 7, 2008 by Eric K

[+007BigD]

I remember about a fella that had a coin of his go on ebay, it was never sold before and the supply was limited. I cant remember exactly what happened as to why he contacted the seller and If I remember correctly the coin was being sold with a bunch of other Non Geocoin auctions from the same seller.

Now either this person got a "lot" of coins from a manufacturer or it was the manufacturer, but what had happened is one or some of his coins were minted without his knowledge. I think the seller told the guy that it was somethin like a sample coin.

 

Anyhow, a coin got made, sold, then sold again and that coin was not authorized to even be made, I cant remember if there were any more unauthorized productions of his coin.

[+keewee]

I remember about a fella that had a coin of his go on ebay, it was never sold before and the supply was limited. I cant remember exactly what happened as to why he contacted the seller and If I remember correctly the coin was being sold with a bunch of other Non Geocoin auctions from the same seller.

Now either this person got a "lot" of coins from a manufacturer or it was the manufacturer, but what had happened is one or some of his coins were minted without his knowledge. I think the seller told the guy that it was somethin like a sample coin.

 

Anyhow, a coin got made, sold, then sold again and that coin was not authorized to even be made, I cant remember if there were any more unauthorized productions of his coin.

 

I remember that... it wasn't an Anthus geocoin was it? I remember it being quite a large can of worms that got opened and that a number of the geocoin vendors tightened up or clarified their terms and conditions as a result.

[+nashuan]

I was just checking out the coins and pins site when I noticed the following statement:

 

"Warning: There are people out there (especially on EBay) that fraudulently duplicate coins. This is against the law. If Aaron Charles Promotions becomes aware of any individuals or organizations that do this, Aaron Charles Promotions will seek prosecution to the full extent of the law. Besides, these duplications are of really poor quality."

 

Has anyone seen anything that might suggest fake coins are being produced? I've read some posts in the past that talked about this topic. Any update?

[+Mauison]

I was just checking out the coins and pins site when I noticed the following statement:

 

"Warning: There are people out there (especially on EBay) that fraudulently duplicate coins. This is against the law. If Aaron Charles Promotions becomes aware of any individuals or organizations that do this, Aaron Charles Promotions will seek prosecution to the full extent of the law. Besides, these duplications are of really poor quality."

 

Has anyone seen anything that might suggest fake coins are being produced? I've read some posts in the past that talked about this topic. Any update?

 

I've been in the geocoin hobby since early 2005 and I have never seen a counterfeit geocoin. I think the warning from Coinsandpins is just that, a warning to those who might be thinking about counterfeiting.

 

IIRC, the geocoin 007BigD is talking about was a Blazerfan geocoin that was made in Korea. It seems the mint sold a bunch of samples they had made to someone else, who then sold them on eBay, not knowing what they were selling. But technically it wasn't a counterfeit.

 

The geocoins keewee were talking about was a separate incident where non-trackables were minted along with trackables and the company kept the non-trackables, not letting the customer know they had minted them. So technically, not counterfeits either.

[+forthferalz]

Oh fakes geocoins on ebay is stuff and nonsense imho. It costs a bomb to make the things if you are earning Chinese money! even in China - no way you'll recoup it with a handful of sales unless you want to copy a Mbike v1 wooden nickel.

 

I was abit worried too early on and it turned out to be the designer had a different name on ebay to his caching handle - the prices were dearer because of the ebay cost and ebay wouldn't let him advertise his website!

 

there is one genuine fake incident I know of and the coin was not faked by china - it was amagrud's coin (oh hang it 99% sure - i'll go find the link ) - and i THINK it relates to a coin made in USA at Northwest territorial mint (edit: no I must be mad -it must be polished gold or silver plate! )- the angst is on the "trade only" coin thread from hazy hazy memory (no I can't find that thread darn ).

Edited May 19, 2008 by forthferalz

[+Anthus]

 

The geocoins keewee were talking about was a separate incident where non-trackables were minted along with trackables and the company kept the non-trackables, not letting the customer know they had minted them. So technically, not counterfeits either.

 

Correct. These were my Anthus Firefighter geocoins -- they were not counterfeits but were unauthorized coins. The coin broker -- unknowingly to me -- minted some extra of my coins when mine were being minted and kept them for their own personal use. The authorized Anthus Firefighters are trackable. The unauthorized ones are not trackable. This incident was not limited to my Firefighters but to several coins made by this coin broker during the same time period. One good thing came out of this incident, it brought about a change in geocoin policies of many other coin brokers.

 

....Anthus