Authentication of Stuart era coins.

[Ppierce]

I've always loved the Stuart's and have just come into the means that enables me to purchase fairly pricey pieces. I found a Queen Anne and a James II that i want but I just don't know how to tell if they are authentic. There are so many types of coins from this era and even coins from the same year seem to differ.  What are the tools needed to make sure you get a genuine coin from the era other than taking someone's word for it?? Thanks for the advice. I just need to know what to look for, what the tell-tale signs are for a fake vs the real thing. 

[Paulus]

The weight always helps, also posting pics on this Forum. A lot of quality stuff will have provenance too, always ask for it

[TomGoodheart]

Buying from a reputable dealer who offers a simple return policy suggests you can have confidence in their stock.  And I don't really mean eBay.  While there are decent coins and sometimes even bargains there, it's better to have some experience under your belt before spending serious money.

A coin fair might give you an opportunity to meet dealers and inspect some coins up close.  There's nothing like seeing the real thing to develop an eye for something a bit dodgy.

The internet is a remarkable resource.  When considering a purchase (and I've been collecting nearly 15 years now) I still check auction site records, old sales catalogues and reputable dealers sites to compare the coin I'm interested in with others in terms of condition and eye appeal.

You also have to remember that the vast majority of coins are genuine.  Yes, fakes are a problem for some series, but not most. Provenance will help reassure, there although most coins will have little unless rare and it's generally a lot easier to spot earlier sales of a hammered coins (because each is unique in its quirks) than milled ones.  More important then is spotting a coin that has been cleaned, checking for edge damage and trying to buy the best you can afford.  And as Paulus says, posting a picture of a potential buy here for opinions can be very helpful.

Oh.  And we all make mistakes.  Buy coins that we later regret or that turn out not to be the bargain we thought.  All you can do is mark it up as a learning experience and try to make the mistake an inexpensive one!

Welcome to the forum and have fun!