Counterfeit Taxco Silver 50 Centavos (1915)
by Scott Doll
Introduction
The Guthrie-Bothamley catalog number for an authentic 50c coin is GB-228 and the Carlos Amaya catalog number is A-GO-194. I would classify this coin as scarce which makes it a good target coin for counterfeiters. Based on my observation, it seems like more fakes have been seen in the market in recent times compared to genuine struck coins of this variety. Hence, this is a coin which you will want to better understand the attributes between a counterfeit and a genuine specimen since I consider the counterfeit to be a dangerous coin as it is well made and the creator tried to closely match most of the coin attributes to those on an original struck coin. This in turn could fool not only the unsuspecting or ill-informed collector, but also the experienced collector.
Genuine Example
9.81 g, 27.80 mm
Counterfeit Example #1 (Flat Strike)
8.62 g, 28.01 mm
Counterfeit Example #2 (Well Struck)
9.91 g, 27.99 mm
Obverse Attributes Differences
Overall, the lettering, eagle and cactus engraving on the counterfeit coin is comparable to a genuine coin. One must look more closely at the design details to distinguish between an original struck coin and a counterfeit.
Genuine Counterfeit #1 Counterfeit #2
The mouth on the head of the snake on the genuine is blunter and more rounded around the point at the top of the mouth, while the counterfeit is much more pointed. Also, the feather crest or crown on top of the head of the eagle is rounded at the point on the genuine coin, while the counterfeit is more pointed.
Genuine Counterfeit #1 Counterfeit #2
There are several other indicators to review on the obverse involving the right foot and three talons of the eagle as well as the right cactus nopal. The claw and the talons of the eagle on the original coin are long and uniform in shape and size compared to the counterfeit which are noticeably smaller and oval shaped. The genuine coin also shows the talons connected to one another, while on the counterfeit they are all disjointed. Also, the genuine strike has a pointed claw at the end of each talon, while the counterfeit does not have a distinctive claw on any of the talons as evident on a well struck specimen like counterfeit #2. This feature is not as legible on a soft struck specimen like counterfeit #1. Also, the far-right cactus nopal on the genuine coin is connected to the adjoining cactus nopal while the counterfeit has a very slight gap and is clearly disconnected from the nopal which the eagle’s claw is grasping.
Reverse Attributes Differences
The reverse has various easy identifiers to distinguish a genuine from a counterfeit to include several letters in the legend, the berry counts on a portion of the wreath, the protruding stem on the bow, and finally the date within the sun.
Genuine Counterfeit #1 Counterfeit #2
The “TA” of TAXCO has several attributes which are quite different between the genuine and counterfeit such as the vertical line of the “T” which is unevenly shaped and comes down to a point on a genuine coin while the entire letter of the “T” on a counterfeit is evenly proportioned. Also, the top of the “A” on the counterfeit has a small die mark; however, this is missing on the genuine coin.
Genuine Counterfeit #1 Counterfeit #2
The left wreath has a berry placement of 2-2-3 on the genuine coin: however, the counterfeit has a placement of 2-3-3. Bottom line, there is an extra berry in the center portion of the wreath.
Genuine Counterfeit #1 Counterfeit #2
The bottom right side of the bow on the genuine coin has the left stem protruding past the large bottom portion of the bow. Some may call it an extra bow, but I feel it is an extension of the stem since it is thin like the branch on the wreath. This stem also extends outward to a point just below a leaf of the right portion of the wreath. This stem extension is missing on the counterfeit coin.
Genuine Counterfeit #1 Counterfeit #2
Lastly, the date situated within the center of the sun is quite different between a genuine coin and a counterfeit coin. The first thing that stands out is the fact that the genuine specimen has thin letters while the counterfeit has thicker digits. The first “1” on the genuine coin also slants slightly to the left, while the counterfeits are straight and upright. The tail of the “9” on the genuine coin is longer and protrudes past the digit almost touching the first “1” digit while the “9” on the counterfeit is shorter and aligns with the top portion on the digit. Lastly, there are several differences with the digit “5”. The horizontal bar is uneven in shape and slightly slants upward on the counterfeit while it is uniform and does not slant as much on the genuine specimen. Also, the gap between the lower tail and the vertical bar is very narrow on the genuine specimen and much wider on the counterfeit.
Although there are other attributes that might help highlight the obverse and reverse differences between a genuine and a counterfeit of this variety, the ones mentioned above should suffice as the key points to review when you come upon one of these coins.
Summary
The modern counterfeit of a Guerrero - Taxco silver 50 centavos, is a well-designed and well-manufactured coin, therefore it should be considered a dangerous counterfeit and one that may easily fool the novice collector, as well as some seasoned collectors. When looking to purchase a coin of this variety, the key thing to do is to closely examine the coin and review the attributes outlined within this article so you can make an educated judgment on authenticity.
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