Expert: Brad Swain - 3/31/2010

Question
I brought a 1944 five sucres Ecuador silver coin in China, specification is 24.9 grams, 37- 38 mm in diameter and reeded edge. My question is the coin comes yellowish color looks like copper, and did silver and copper are same weights if coins is concern. Thanks and more power.

Answer
Hi Buboy, ANY coin bought in China is suspect as a fake.
Counterfeits and fantasy pieces mass produced in East Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe abound of Chinese and U.S. coins, and many other countries'.
Most older counterfeits weigh up light, are grayish, may have a weakly struck look to appear worn, look cleaned or antiqued and may have a dull or grainy surface or have typographical errors. Newer ones show that the counterfeiters are refining their skills and obtaining planchets of the right weight to produce passable counterfeits. Weighing it may be the best telltale of its genuineness.
Genuine Ecuador 5 Sucres coins weigh 25 grams each and are 72% silver. The odds of a real one being found in China amidst all the fakes would be a miracle. The genuine 37 millimeters coin contains .5787 of an ounce of silver and may be worth up to about $15 depending on amount of wear.
World coin pictures and some values may be found here: http://worldcoingallery.com/index.htm ,
http://www.coinarchives.com/ , http://omnicoin.com/search/ , and http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis.jsp .
Chinese counterfeit factory: http://coins.about.com/od/worldcoins/ig/Chinese-Counterfeiting-Ring/Chinese-Fake... .
Brad