Spot the fake panda!

[arphethean]

Wee game for you...

Recently I picked up a date run of pandas on Ebay. Took a wee chance on it.

When it came I realised very quickly that there were a lot of fakes among the earlier years. And poor ones at that. 

I thought I would share them alongside the genuine ones for your amusement/education.

1989

 

 

1990

 

1991

 

1992

 

1993

 

1994

 

1995

 

1997 (the 1996 was genuine)

 

1999

 

2004

 

2005

 

2007

 

I have only come across one other fake before this (2007), and I would suspect that these are pretty poor examples of fakes, so although fakes may not be as obvious as this, there are a few common features that can give them away.

Here are a few things that jump out on fakes:

Weight. Obviously should be approx 31.2g

 

Diagonal reeding on the wrong year (this started in 2002)

 

Thickness

 

Crude details, especially fur

 

Poor finish. I mean the blistering effect on this is horrendous 

 

Mottled texture on frosting 

 

Obvious errors, e.g. the frosting between the legs

 

Incorrect designs, e.g. 1999 temple in the 2002+ design

 

Poor application with details "disappearing" or floating leaves

 

Colour: in my experience most pre 2000 coins have developed a warm tone across the whole coin whereas a fake may appear bluish

 

By the way, there is a happy end to the story. There were mainly genuine pandas in the bundle I bought including a very high quality 2000. The seller was extremely decent and apologetic about it, clearly didn't know anything about pandas, and straight away gave a substantial refund. 

Please share fake pandas you've received. Especially "good" fakes.

Thanks for looking

[James32]

My guess is "it's all in the eyes" the ones with the tiny eyes are the fakes? But then again I've never owned a panda before. 

[sovereignsteve]

One assumes the fakes weren't silver?

[Frenchie]

I play the quizz and looking at the coin between 1 and 5 seconds my take for the fake ones is

1989 L

1990 L

1991 R

1992 R

1993 R

1994 R

1995 R

1997 R

1999 R

2004 R

2005 R

2007 L

((L and R for left and Right of course)

I did not cheat or look at other following posts (will do now)

So I am right ? 

 

[TommyTwoShots]

Did you test the fakes on the sigma? What did they read as? 
 

if not I don’t suppose I could test them? Postage at my cost?

[Happypanda88]

A couple of fake 2013 1oz silver pandas came up for sale on the forum earlier in the year. To my surprise, no one had spotted them. The sale post received an couple of likes from members and it had already marked as 'Complete' (sold) by the time I saw it.

I did PM the seller and was informed he had bought them on the forum a few months earlier !! 

See if they look obvious to you.

 

 

 

[arphethean]

9 hours ago, TommyTwoShots said:

Did you test the fakes on the sigma? What did they read as? 
 

if not I don’t suppose I could test them? Postage at my cost?

Now you've got me curious... i ssumed they were copper. I don't have a sigma, but I do have this...

Edited October 31, 2021 by arphethean

[arphethean]

Interesting.  It doesn't seem to be copper...

Maybe it is genuine after all!!

[James32]

Oops

[arphethean]

3 minutes ago, James32 said:

Oops

Just kidding. It's definitely fake. And definitely not silver. But don't know what it is..

[arphethean]

12 hours ago, Frenchie said:

I play the quizz and looking at the coin between 1 and 5 seconds my take for the fake ones is

1989 L

1990 L

1991 R

1992 R

1993 R

1994 R

1995 R

1997 R

1999 R

2004 R

2005 R

2007 L

((L and R for left and Right of course)

I did not cheat or look at other following posts (will do now)

So I am right ? 

 

100%! well done

[TommyTwoShots]

Can I test one anyways? Gives me a reading for spotting the fakes?

[danmc82]

10 hours ago, arphethean said:

Just kidding. It's definitely fake. And definitely not silver. But don't know what it is..

Its a rare Platinum edition worth £100,000 if kept in prestine condition.