Using images alone, it’s virtually impossible to distinguish the real from the fake 2015 gold American Eagle 1-oz. coin depicted. In fact, the Chinese counterfeiter who sold the fake coin openly bragged at his website that his products “can pass the test,” meaning they are the correct diameter and weight.
While this fake 2015 gold American Eagle coin does pass the weight and diameter tests, it does not pass ALL tests.
Unfortunately, the non-destructive technology to detect sophisticated counterfeits is expensive (thousands of dollars) and beyond the means of casual collectors and investors. Professional Numismatists (coin dealers) who buy and sell precious metals coins routinely test coins with devices such as a Sigma Metalyics machine, an Ultrasound machine, or an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) “gun.”
Play it safe and buy and sell coins made of precious metals such as gold and silver from accredited dealers located in the United States, preferably near you. That’s the best way to make sure you are not being scammed by a counterfeiter.
ACEF used a Sigma Metalyics device to determine that the fake 2015 gold American Eagle shown on the right has a tungsten core plated with copper and a thin outside layer of gold. The genuine 2015 gold American Eagle is shown on the left.
