Gold Sovereign Brass Scales Saves The Day!

This was a few weeks ago now, an eBay purchase of a 1900 gold sovereign that didn't feel right. The coin was ever so slightly larger in diameter but the strike and the details on the coin looked pretty legit. The weight was pretty much spot on too, so simply measuring the weight would not have been able to pick up this was a dodgy coin.

Put it on the trusty Harrison and sure enough, it didn't sit flush on the scale due to its larger diameter. It also didn't fit through the slot as a result.

Holding the coin up against a genuine sovereign is also very telling, the diameter doesn't match up, and the edging was also not quite the same as the number of dents in the milled edge don't line up either.

I would definitely recommend anyone who is into gold sovereigns (and half sovereigns too as these can perform the same test on the halves) to get one of these. The concept is very simple and will likely save you lots of trouble and hassle in the long run and on this occasion it definitely saved the day.

The coin was returned to the eBay seller, with a free return postage provided, and I got a full refund.

Dodgy sov not sitting flush


And not fitting through the slot either


Compared to a genuine one that tips the scales without bottoming out and sits flush

 

Well spotted nuke! What mint mark was that Sov?

 

It looks like the Harrison is similar to the Fisch:

 

It was an S mint mark

 

I've seen the Fisch in action as well and they work very well. In fact the first time I saw it in action it also weeded out a suspect sovereign.

 

I'm happy to take that risk, I've picked up quite a few bargains on eBay. There's buyer protection and even when there is a dispute in the resolution process, eBay almost always sides with the buyer. I can test my purchases with these brass scales and it's pretty easy to spot the blatant con artists.

In my 17+ years on eBay, I've had 3 eBay purchases that turned out to be duds, the first time the seller didn't agree even though the supposedly silver coin was magnetic! Haha... disputed the transaction and eBay gave me a full refund.

The second time was a Perth Mint certicard 1oz gold that I suspected was fake. Although I didn't get it tested, it didn't look right on the packaging and serial number text style etc. Asked for a refund and the seller reluctantly accepted the return and I also got my money back.

This latest one the seller was apologetic and instantly accepted the return request, gave me a return label and I also got my money back.

 

^^^
Do you XRF all your coins you offer for sale here?

 

Can I ask with these fakes do you return them or destroy them. If you return them the next buyer gets a fake.

Do the refunds happen before or after the seller gets the return?

 

You only get your money back once the return postage tracking shows it's been delivered back to the seller. What they do with it after that is up to them so yes, there could unfortunately be another victim who buys the next time they list it.

 

Can get some good deals on pcgs/ngc coins but otherwise hesitant to trust anyone but commercial sellers. Learnt my lesson after i purchased a morgan that I realised was fake although it was quickly refunded by seller.