No doubt, collecting gold coins is what most numismatists dream of. The beauty and not to mention the value of gold coins could make a generous profit.
Once upon a time, vintage gold bullions were made from pure gold which is a highly malleable metal. Remember in old movies when cowboys used to bite the coin to tell if it’s genuine gold?
However, fake coin makers have evolved through time. Modern gold coins are alloys made with other another metals to make them more durable. Hence, biting the gold bullion makes unsightly marks the coin's surface and worse, it could damage your teeth!
Now you know that not all that glitters is gold, how can you tell if it's a fake or a counterfeit gold coin?
The first sign of a fake coin is the quality of the metal. Fake gold coins can look dull or sometimes, they appear too shiny. The color is definitely noticeable because a fake gold coin has another metal for a base. The fake gold coin may also look casted and not pressed, thus they have a grainy texture.
If you see a suspicious looking Double Eagle coin that looks mottled or flecked on the surface, it’s probably counterfeit gold bullion with a copper base metal. There are also plenty of forged medieval gold coins like the Tudor Angels and Half Angels.
