Error or Counterfeit?

[Guest Bruce Broker]

Hello,

A friend recently returned from a trip to London and he let me look through his coins to see if he had anything that I didn't already have. As I was looking through them, I noticed a 2001 1 pound that had the British coat of arms on the reverse instead of the Celtic cross that I expected to see. The edge inscription is correct, but I have read that there are a lot of counterfeit 1 pound coins in circulation. The color of the coin seems right, but it lacks the detail of most of my other 1 pound coins from 2001 have. Would you guess that this coin is counterfeit, or were there some error coins minted that year?

Awaiting any educated opinions,

Bruce Broker

Madison, WI

USA

[Chris Perkins]

I would say (without seeing it) that it's most likely a fake. I have a mid 90's fake £1 with the wrong reverse for the year. It is documented that the forgers did not pay much attention to the reverse types.

[Sylvester]

Hello,

A friend recently returned from a trip to London and he let me look through his coins to see if he had anything that I didn't already have. As I was looking through them, I noticed a 2001 1 pound that had the British coat of arms on the reverse instead of the Celtic cross that I expected to see. The edge inscription is correct, but I have read that there are a lot of counterfeit 1 pound coins in circulation. The color of the coin seems right, but it lacks the detail of most of my other 1 pound coins from 2001 have. Would you guess that this coin is counterfeit, or were there some error coins minted that year?

Awaiting any educated opinions,

Bruce Broker

Madison, WI

USA

Probably most definately a counterfeit. Does it have a lower looking relief, or a waxy feel to it, and lacks sharpness. If so it's a dud.

It's not unknown to get wrong edge inscriptions with correct obverse/reverse date matches or vice versa.

Other times you get everything that could be wrong wrong, like a Welsh one dated 1994 with DECUS ET TUTAMEN on the edge!