SPURIOUS COINS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 827, 22 November 1929, Page 16

SPURIOUS COINS

SILVER COUNTERFEITS IN THE SOUTH Press Association CHRISTCHURCH. Today. Counterfeit coins, which are at present circulating in Christchurch, are so excellently made that they are easily passed when mixed with genuine coins.. The manager of the Bank of New Zealand. Mr. J. Mac Gibbon, has issued a warning to businesspeople to examine any apparently new silver coins which they* may be asked to accept. Half-crowns are dated 1919 and florins 1926. The half-crowns are a good deal lighter than the genuine coins, for the genuine 1919 half-crown was the last to have the full weight of silver in it. The milling on the edge of the coins is not good. Judging by the specimens in the possession of the Bank of New Zealand the counterfeiters are improving in their art and the standard of their production is becoming higher. On some of the coins there is a slight pitting on the surface, which is never found in ordinary coins. The lettering is not as clear as on the genuine article, and in two cases the *\x” of the word Rex is slightly obliterated. There is nothing to indicate the origin of the coins, but the usual experience has been that counterfeit coins come to New Zealand from Australia. it is not known of what metal they are made, but an analysis of counterfeit coins passed some time ago revealed that they were made of what is known as “Babbitts metal,” a very light compound. The present bad coins have not the ring of genuine money, sounding very light and hollow when \ dropped on wood.