EuroBillTracker

Hello everybody,

Are there other EBT-ers who ever found fake euro coins? I mean counterfeited coins, not things like the Thai 10 baht.
Being an fanatic euro coin collector (and specializing in errors) I already found 5 counterfeited euro coins, but now I'm wondering if other people have similar experiences.
The counterfeited coins I found so far:
ES 2€ '00
FR 2€ '01
IT 1€ '02
NL 1€ '02
DE 2€ '02
I'm looking forward to your answers.
Greetings,

Senior

Not that I'm aware of....
Maybe I have, but I didn't notice....

how do fake coins look like? I think most often someone will think of a rare variant when he finds a fake coin. Or can you easily see that it's not just a variant?

No, it's mostly not that easy to see the difference between a real euro coin and a counterfeited one. Coins of 50c, 1€ and 2€ have been reported to be counterfeited.

Things that may indicate a counterfeited coin are:
- slightly different color;
- different 'shinyness' of the coin;
- differences in magnetism (normal 1€ and 2€ coins are slightly magnetic, 50c are non-magnetic);
- edge abnormalities (e.g. differences in inscription (even spelling errors!), rounded edge, different edge color, vague reedings);
- bad quality of the image on the coin.

Unfortunately, many real euro coins have been minted weak or with worn-off dies, making it more difficult to distinguish them from fake ones. Also real coins may have a different colour because of the influence of chemicals (including those in sweat).
The best way to distinguish counterfeited euro coins from real ones is to compare coins with a strange appearence with normal looking coins of the same country. Magnetism is one of the most important things to be checked (but I have a counterfeited coin with good magnetism!).
Greetings,

Senior

I can't login now, but I have seen a fake 1 euro coin from France with year 1999, it is a pretty bad fake, as the printing was unclear, and it was lighter than the real thing.

I was also wondering how to spot a counterfeit one. I have never seen one, I believe. Most often I observe my coins and notes rather carefully when I get them, but not in every single time though.

BTW, there's a piece of news on the Finnish teletext (TV) at the moment about counterfeit euro notes. Here's an unofficial translation:

The amout of counterfeit euros is growing

The amount of counterfeit euros found in Finland has grown tenfold in a couple of years. When the euro was introduced in 2002, less than 200 counterfeit notes were found in Finland. This year the amount is estimated to be almost 2000.

Most often the counterfeits that are brought to the police are € 50 or € 100 notes. The counterfeiters are almost never caught.

The euro is easier to counterfeit than was thought a couple of years ago. 300 000 counterfeit notes have been found in Europe this year. 9 billion genuine ones are circulating in the EU.

The rise of counterfeit euro notes has frightened many shopkeepers. New equipment will soon replace the UV-light detectors that have been in use for a long time.

Senior wrote:Things that may indicate a counterfeited coin are:
- slightly different color;
- different 'shinyness' of the coin;
- edge abnormalities (e.g. ... rounded edge ..., vague reedings);
- bad quality of the image on the coin.

I have often had such coins, but I don't think they were fakes. That can all occur at real coins.

- differences in magnetism (normal 1€ and 2€ coins are slightly magnetic, 50c are non-magnetic);
haven't ever checked

- differences in inscription (even spelling errors!),
now that would be stupid

are you obliged to bring a counterfeited coin to the police, or can you keep it?

Do you have any pics Senior?

I only have a picture of my ES 2€ '00 (I've neither a scanner nor a digicam).

Take notion of the difference in star-size.
Greetings,

Senior

Sorted? At least several thousend coins of 1€ and 2€ (I check them for minting errors), and briefly checked many more in cash registers. I have not counted them, it takes enough time already...
Greetings,

Senior

Senior,
Is it possible to push out the central part of your fake 1/2€ coins by hand? Once, in France, I had a fake 10 FF. It was easy to push out the center I remember.

@ bhoeyb:

I haven't tested them on this particular feature since I'd rather be very careful with all parts of my collection. However, I didn't notice the pills to be as loose as is the case with some of the Belgium 2€ coins (you can hear them rattle!).
Greetings,

Senior

fake euro 2 coins are only sellinf around 1 euro in my country

coins quality same as the original coins just buy some and change with the bank same as real