COUNTERFEIT MONEY

Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1925, Page 4

COUNTERFEIT MONEY

Spurious half-crowns have once again made their appearance in the North Island, and, though lighter than the genuine article, they are so well made that only a careful examination, which the public is not in a habit of giving the coins, would show that the coins had not been minted legitimately. Counterfeiters who go in for “ making money ” on a hig scale, invariably coniine their efforts to paper money, and there are instances on record where even hank experts have been seriously puy.- ( 'ded to detect the counterfeit from the genuine. The making of spurious coins is not indulged in to a great extent, because there must he a certain amount of gold or silver used, and, as all coins not genuine are only in circulation a brief period before such becomes known, there is not the opportunity to make a hig haul. It is not surprising that counterfeit coins should he (pdeklv detected hv the experts, when one i (insiders the severe tesis made by the l’oyal Mint before a coin is allowed into circulation. Before being issued for general use every coin punched is subjected to the most strin-

gent tests. There is, for instance, a machine with a long chute, down which, tile coins slide, to fall through a hole at the bottom. Should a coin of irregular si/.e come down, it will not pass through the hole. Weighing is really the chief test, and the weighing room has many spring balances. The coins arc propelled, one at a time, by an ingenious arm. on to a small pan. They can fall into one of three cornpart meats: —light. heavy, correct—a ft er which the faulty coins are removed for correction. The wonderful balances, which weigh to the merest fraction, are capable of dealing with about forty coins per minute. It is a hig drop

from exacting mathematical tests, conducted solely by the brains of null), hut the last two tests are so carried out. the first, known as Ihe “ringing test” is carried out by youths. In a small •• audition-room ” a youth sits with what resembles an anvil, between his knees, and on his light is a tray ol coins. (lathering some in each hand, lie dexterously Hips the coins on to the anvil, from whence they slide into another tray. His trained ear is able to detect any faulty ring in a coin. The last examination of the coins is the “viewing” test. In this ease eye-sight is tfie adjudicator. The coins are passed along a hand of men. ami each

strains his c\as as the coins go by and removes lhc faulty ones. Bad colour, -1 i n., ,1 edge, and bad printing, »will condemn a coin, and the others arc then gathered into hags ready for distribution. It i- not to he wondered at that so lev. faulty coins hud their way into circulation from the Koval Mint. There are. of course, various other rests. The metal, while in bar lor::is tested by ass,avers, and no work is ever done on any bar of silver until i: lias Sirst passed the assayer-' test.