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The examples of NGC cases that are fake are really blowing my mind. I am wondering if those serial numbers appear on the NGC validation tool?

What's the latest in the world of fake bullion. A blog comment by Peter Thomas suggested there are new difficult to detect fake gold pieces that are up to 50% gold. True?

TTT - Nate? anyone?

68Camaro wrote:What's the latest in the world of fake bullion. A blog comment by Peter Thomas suggested there are new difficult to detect fake gold pieces that are up to 50% gold. True?

I don't know about that specifically, but it's certainly possible. I do know that there have been heavily plated tungsten fakes coming in for quite a while that will pass XRF as .999 or .9999 gold and have the correct size and weight, packaged in nearly indistinguishable sealed cards, but will fail the PMV PRO/Mini/Investor thru readings (and probably the Original/wand surface readings in most cases, but likely not if they are "plated" to the point of being 50% gold). There are also convincing plated copper alloy fakes that will pass the PMV but are under weight or too thick (disguised by being sealed in the aforementioned very convincing mint packaging). The bigger online marketplaces for Chinese manufacturers have cracked down somewhat on the blatant advertising for these items, so it is harder to see what brands/designs and new "features" are in play than it was in the past. That said, I really haven't seen any new counterfeited brands pop up in the dealer groups lately. Still the Pamp, RCM, RCM/eBay, APMEX, Perth, Heraeus, JM, Credit, Valcambi/Scotiabank, etc. stuff that has been around for a while. At least in terms of minted bars. There are some newer poured style Valcambi, Metalor, MWG, Perth, Pamp bars out there too.

natsb88 wrote:

68Camaro wrote:What's the latest in the world of fake bullion. A blog comment by Peter Thomas suggested there are new difficult to detect fake gold pieces that are up to 50% gold. True?

I don't know about that specifically, but it's certainly possible. I do know that there have been heavily plated tungsten fakes coming in for quite a while that will pass XRF as .999 or .9999 gold and have the correct size and weight, packaged in nearly indistinguishable sealed cards, but will fail the PMV PRO/Mini/Investor thru readings (and probably the Original/wand surface readings in most cases, but likely not if they are "plated" to the point of being 50% gold). There are also convincing plated copper alloy fakes that will pass the PMV but are under weight or too thick (disguised by being sealed in the aforementioned very convincing mint packaging). The bigger online marketplaces for Chinese manufacturers have cracked down somewhat on the blatant advertising for these items, so it is harder to see what brands/designs and new "features" are in play than it was in the past. That said, I really haven't seen any new counterfeited brands pop up in the dealer groups lately. Still the Pamp, RCM, RCM/eBay, APMEX, Perth, Heraeus, JM, Credit, Valcambi/Scotiabank, etc. stuff that has been around for a while. At least in terms of minted bars. There are some newer poured style Valcambi, Metalor, MWG, Perth, Pamp bars out there too.

Thanks for the update Nate. Related, do you have any estimate for how deep the PMV wand detects? I have an early PMV with wand, and the software mod to get numeric result readings, and I wonder how deep that surface effect goes?