Is my Beast of Yale fake?

[Cerberus]

Good evening my friends,

I ordered a 2 oz silver queens beast of Yale on eBay, now before you say, “we’ll there’s your first problem” I could not buy the beast on a bullion website as the minimum order was $299 OR the premium was simply too astronomical. So I sent a dealer who was asking $80 for his beast of Yale on eBay an offer and after a little bit of back and forth I accepted his counter at 72.50. The seller had a 100% good rating and the item was coming from Kentucky NOT China. So that soothed my conscious a bit. One it arrived, I scoured the internet for “fake beast of Yale” and “counterfeit beast of Yale” to see if one existed. To my surprise, I did not find a single one. So here I am! I immediately magnet tested the item and it passed. HOWEVER, I tried the sound test and I could not get a high pitch. This did not worry me initially as I was barely striking the coin on the end of my finger (for fear of damaging it as I’m putting it in a display case). Also, the sound was lower and that, paired with barely striking it with real silver, did not worry me as brass is higher pitched not lower. I am worried as the thickness is suppose to be 6mm and mine is 5.7. The coins diameter is 38.66mm. ANYWAYS, I’m here to ask for your help to see if there is ANY reason why my beast would be fake and yes....I know the only way to be sure is to file it down and acid test but that would destroy my coins collectability. I will attach pictures below. My last concern is run marks around the rim where the coin was in the tube. The marks appear to have a speckled gold look which terrifies me of the possibility of silver clad brass...

[ram64]

Does the weight match? You can try a Specific Gravity Test if you want another non-intrusive method of testing.

 

[dicker]

Hi

I don't have one of these beasts...and have not personally seen one, but the wavy line in the fields....but the wavy line in the fields - I thought this was actually cross hatching (or something pretty close to that on the YoB?

Does anyone have one to confirm?

Best

Dicker

[Bullionaire]

Don't think the ping test will work on such a thick coin, so I wouldn't worry about that. 

It looks real to me (although quite dinged up and fingerprinty, which may affect the collectability)

[Arganto]

I thought it looked like chainmail @dicker, and in the stock images it certainly does. However, looking at 'real' images from sales threads on TSF the wavy looking design seems right. Mine are in lockup in an undisclosed ex-MOD bombshelter with killer robot guards so can't get them out to compare.

It looks genuine @Cerberus, although I would say it's a bit worse for wear. You got it for the equivalent of around {£26p/oz}  which is probably a reasonably good deal especially in the good ol' US of A 👍🏻

Weigh it just in case (best practise anyway) and maybe a specific gravity test if you're still unsure as suggested above.

[dicker]

@liam84 - Many thanks for that! Always best to be compare when you have seen one 'in hand'.

Best

Dicker

[Midasfrog]

There are not any Queens Beasts fakes in silver or gold produced yet 👍  Chinas fake department would struggle to keep up with the new releases from the Royal Mint. Plenty of fake sovereigns, Victoria and George III silver .

Your Yale looks like a good Bullion example with toning and handling marks .

[Cerberus]

10 hours ago, Bullionaire said:

Don't think the ping test will work on such a thick coin, so I wouldn't worry about that. 

It looks real to me (although quite dinged up and fingerprinty, which may affect the collectability)

Yea I see that now, seller claimed it was “straight from the tube” I paid $72.50...

[Cerberus]

9 hours ago, Liam84 said:

I thought it looked like chainmail @dicker, and in the stock images it certainly does. However, looking at 'real' images from sales threads on TSF the wavy looking design seems right. Mine are in lockup in an undisclosed ex-MOD bombshelter with killer robot guards so can't get them out to compare.

It looks genuine @Cerberus, although I would say it's a bit worse for wear. You got it for the equivalent of around {£26p/oz}  which is probably a reasonably good deal especially in the good ol' US of A 👍🏻

Weigh it just in case (best practise anyway) and maybe a specific gravity test if you're still unsure as suggested above.

Seller sold it under the pretense it was BU....you’re right it’s been handled and I paid 72.50 for it

[dicker]

That’s annoying - one of the most disappointing thing is to buy something that turns out to be of less quality than you had been led to believe, and it causes instant loss of trust.  
 

Return it if you can!

Best

Dicker

[Bullionaire]

8 minutes ago, Cerberus said:

Yea I see that now, seller claimed it was “straight from the tube” I paid $72.50...

Not the biggest rip off ever tbh. Different in the US I know, but on ebay in the UK, they often go for £60-70. 

I guess your option are: return it or chalk it up to experience and enjoy the coin!

[motorbikez]

The coin looks genuine to me but not the best example I've seen.

[Arganto]

A positive way to look at it is that even spotty handled ones can go for what you've paid for in the UK where they're actually minted, so why not have a piece of silver you can handle? So often these days we're too cautious to actually touch our silver and gold for fear of stripping any premium should we have to sell. A 2oz piedfort would make a nice pocket coin, though I would take it out of that pocket before fondling it...😜

Either that or send it back as suggested, easy to do if not as described 👍🏻

[KPW82]

I put a post on here the other week.. my dog got hold of my 'black bull of clarence' out of the letterbox and had a quick chew of it 🤣 it was 'BU' but wasn't after she got hold of it! Gave it a little bicarb bath and it looks OK again, maybe try that if you think it looks a bit worse for wear? 

[AlphaBeast]

Found an image on the net to compare it to...

Looks the same apart from the condition.

[Arganto]

I've just noticed the rainbow flash around the edge, is that a reflection or has the coin toned? If it's toning it's lovely, bit surprising that it's matured that quickly on such a young coin though. 

[Cerberus]

6 hours ago, Liam84 said:

I've just noticed the rainbow flash around the edge, is that a reflection or has the coin toned? If it's toning it's lovely, bit surprising that it's matured that quickly on such a young coin though. 

There’s a gold tone around the rim under some minor surface scratches which is what worried me but after some web surfing it seems some silver can tone a yellow gold hue. I didnt noticed the faint rainbow but I believe you’re right!

[Cerberus]

7 hours ago, AlphaBeast said:

Found an image on the net to compare it to...

Looks the same apart from the condition.

That’s what mine was suppose to look like 😭

[Cerberus]

7 hours ago, KPW82 said:

I put a post on here the other week.. my dog got hold of my 'black bull of clarence' out of the letterbox and had a quick chew of it 🤣 it was 'BU' but wasn't after she got hold of it! Gave it a little bicarb bath and it looks OK again, maybe try that if you think it looks a bit worse for wear? 

Did you take a before and after?? I’m very interested in doing that, I just want the shine back as I’m wanting to collect the series 

 

8 hours ago, Bullionaire said:

Not the biggest rip off ever tbh. Different in the US I know, but on ebay in the UK, they often go for £60-70. 

I guess your option are: return it or chalk it up to experience and enjoy the coin!

I’m going to use it as an experience and lesson learned. No more eBay unless I’m absolutely desperate 

[KPW82]

4 hours ago, Cerberus said:

Did you take a before and after?? I’m very interested in doing that, I just want the shine back as I’m wanting to collect the series

I didn't, but have used the bicarb/baking powder, hot water and aluminium foil method a few times and it seems to do the job (there's a video somewhere on here showing how to do it if unsure) I would just go for it as you're obviously not happy with the coin now.

[AlphaBeast]

Dip into 99% acetate using soft-end tweezer, pour some de-ionised water over the coin, then dry off with very powerful hairdryer.

That's how I cleaned coins in the past when I accidentally got fingerprints on them. Did quite a few coins, especially pandas - beginner's mistake of touching the coins.

[Ian123]

Have a look at the image on the Royal Mint website of the 10 oz coin. I'm assuming the design is the same. The background looks like it should be chainmail not wiggly lines.

https://www.royalmint.com/invest/bullion/bullion-coins/silver-coins/bqby10sc--the-queens-beasts-2020-yale-of-beaufort-10-oz-silver-coin-7eee789b/