US Coin Collecting 365 - Fake Coins Sold to Amateur Collectors

US Coin Collecting 365 - At an annual convention this week, those attending will have the opportunity to look at a few examples of fake coins from China that are saturating the U.S. market.

Five separate organizations have issued pictures and warnings about the counterfeit coins. The ersatz coins are usually sold on auction sites like eBay and at flea markets.

Allegedly, the sellers target amateur coin collectors who don't know much about verifying authenticity. One coin collecting publication estimated that one million of the fake coins have already been sold.

Although the Hobby Protection Act permits collectors to make copies of coins, the duplicates must have the words "copy" or "replica" stamped on them. The coins from China do not have these markings.