Wow! Fake Assays!!

[thecrazyone]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I still am:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg0mxUC1trY

[Cu Penny Hoarder]

Never buy any of these incapsulated PM products, unless it is directly from the source or a reputable dealer. NEVER buy from private dealers on Ebay. Lots of fake PCGS and NCG slabs coming out of China that look 100% legit... hologram and all.

[fasteddy]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I still am:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg0mxUC1trY

from our Market Harmony! thx Mike.

[thecrazyone]

Thank God my current stack is from Blackrabbit!

[thecrazyone]

Never buy any of these incapsulated PM products, unless it is directly from the source or a reputable dealer. NEVER buy from private dealers on Ebay. Lots of fake PCGS and NCG slabs coming out of China that look 100% legit... hologram and all.

At least with NGC, you *should* be able to validate the number on the item against the NGC site.

Why doesn't China EVER get busted for this crap??!!

[natsb88]

Fake assay cards and TPG slabs have been flowing in from China for 10+ years.

At least with NGC, you *should* be able to validate the number on the item against the NGC site.

They typically copy a legitimate serial number so the number on the fake slab will pull up the same coin/grade on the PCGS or NGC site. If there are photos on the site you can at least compare those to the coin in question.

PCGS started putting NFC tags in their Gold Shield slabs last year that you can check with a modern smart phone.

Why doesn't China EVER get busted for this crap??!!

But how do you "bust China" for this? The Chinese government has no incentive to stop these profitable "replica collectables" companies. Four years of tariffs made no difference.

And if you want the US government to open and inspect every package entering the country from abroad, be prepared to have the baby thrown out with the bath water, and to foot the bill for the privilege of massive shipping delays and misidentifying (and/or stealing) legitimate goods

I think the only practical approach is for dealers and collectors to be armed with the knowledge that a huge variety of fakes exist, and know how to identify them. That's the idea behind the website in my signature. Unfortunately I haven't yet made the time to document and post the ~500 additional examples I have for the database

[thecrazyone]

I read at the following site that the IGR assays will have 2 security marks on the reverse that are only visible with UV. When I use my UV light, I see a white triangle by the barcode. Is that one of the security marks?

https://www.silver.com/1-oz-gold-istanb ... nery-bars/

[thecrazyone]

Fake assay cards and TPG slabs have been flowing in from China for 10+ years.

At least with NGC, you *should* be able to validate the number on the item against the NGC site.

They typically copy a legitimate serial number so the number on the fake slab will pull up the same coin/grade on the PCGS or NGC site. If there are photos on the site you can at least compare those to the coin in question.

PCGS started putting NFC tags in their Gold Shield slabs last year that you can check with a modern smart phone.

Why doesn't China EVER get busted for this crap??!!

But how do you "bust China" for this? The Chinese government has no incentive to stop these profitable "replica collectables" companies. Four years of tariffs made no difference.

And if you want the US government to open and inspect every package entering the country from abroad, be prepared to have the baby thrown out with the bath water, and to foot the bill for the privilege of massive shipping delays and misidentifying (and/or stealing) legitimate goods

I think the only practical approach is for dealers and collectors to be armed with the knowledge that a huge variety of fakes exist, and know how to identify them. That's the idea behind the website in my signature. Unfortunately I haven't yet made the time to document and post the ~500 additional examples I have for the database

I would like to think something could be done, considering there's evidence of it happening for hundreds of years now