Latest News


Fake Silver Dollars among 40,000 counterfeit silver & gold coins seized in Los Angeles
June 4, 2021

Representatives of the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation and its Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force report that they recently assisted federal law enforcement agents with on-site numismatic expertise regarding more than 40,000 fake Morgan and Peace dollars, American Eagle silver bullion coins and Indian Head gold $2.50 coins that were seized in the Los Angeles area. The assistance was prov...



American Eagle Gold - Fake and genuine coin compared
April 16, 2024

Aside from the color difference, the fake does not have the same detail as the genuine coin. I have highlighted some of them here. Press and hold down the "CTRL" key while pressing the "+" (plus sign) key to increase the size of the images. Be sure to keep the "CTRL" key depressed while you press the "+" key. Each repetition will enlarge the images on your screen one step higher.Press, and ho...



Genuine & Fake Silver American Eagle - Pictures
April 16, 2024

Play "Spot the Difference: Look at one area in the one coin or fake and then look at the same area in the other. Notice the lack of detail in the fake. Not obvious in the pictures is the difference in color. The fake has a matt like appearance; the genuine coin is more shiny. This fake coin would be detected by the Fisch. It is overweight and oversize in the thickness while under-size in the ...



Making the Fisch - What is involved


Research and development to produce an accurate, reliable and tough product was both comprehensive and time consuming.   A number of different materials were tried and rejected.  Eventually a plastic used in the aeronautical industry was chosen because of its stability, durability and the fact that it is non-hydroscopic.  Most plastics over time will absorb a small amount of...



Germany makes arrests in fake Gold Maple Leaf coins
June 27, 2022

After a months-long investigation, German police arrested three men on June 2 after the trio was accused of selling thousands of counterfeit Gold Maple Leaf (GML) bullion coins. Since this January, police allege the scammers bilked online buyers out of about 80,000 euros (about $110,000 Cdn.) by selling the fake coins, whose genuine counterparts are produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. During t...



Caution! Hundreds of websites selling counterfeit gold and silver coins
Jun 30, 2022

Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation warns of fake “precious metal” and “rare coins” offered online, and helps a Texas investor who became an unsuspecting victim (Temecula, California) June 30, 2022 – Looking to buy gold and silver, “Oliver,” an investor in Texas, responded to advertisements on Facebook from two companies that touted exceptionally...



Rare Coin Market Soaring - Use Caution, Advises Professional Numismatists Guild
February 8, 2022

The rare coin market in early 2022 continues to soar following a record-breaking marketplace in 2021. However, veteran dealers in the Professional Numismatists Guild (www.PNGdealers.org) urge collectors and investors to be cautious about the continuing proliferation of fraudulent, online advertisements selling counterfeit coins and fake gold, silver, and platinum bullion items or grossly overprice...



U.S. Mint to redesign gold and silver American Eagles, implement security devices
October 11, 2019

The U.S. Mint is moving ahead with plans to redesign the reverses of the silver and gold American Eagles for 2021 to accommodate the use of anti-counterfeiting technology at the production stage.  Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has given the Mint the green light to replace the designs, which have appeared on the coins since their release in 1986. “We are pla...



Silver, Gold American Eagles Most Counterfeited Bullion Coins, says ICTA
July 16, 2018

Since 1986 when the United States Mint first introduced silver and gold American Eagle bullion coins, they have been top sellers in the United States as well as around the world. A new survey conducted by the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force indicates the popular U.S. bullion coins are now leaders in a category their manufacturer would rather not be in – the most frequently encountered bullio...



Use Caution To Avoid Gold & Silver Fakes, Advises Professional Numismatists Guild
May 6, 2016

An apparent increase in the number and types of counterfeit gold and silver coins in the marketplace underscores the crucial importance of buying only from expert, reputable dealers, cautions the Professional Numismatists Guild. Beware of counterfeit vintage rare coins and fake modern gold and silver bullion items now being offered in the marketplace. Purchase only from reputable dealers, caution...



Video - How to detect a fake Maple Leaf Silver coin with the Fisch
December 16, 2014

Here is a demonstration of the Fisch detecting a fake Maple Leaf 1oz silver coin.  There are Fisch for these silver coins: American Eagle, Austrian Philharmonic and the US Silver Dollar.  ...



Video - Fake Maple Leaf 1oz gold coin detected by the Fisch
December 16, 2014

Here is a demonstration of the Fisch detecting a fake Maple Leaf 1oz gold coin: ...



Video - Detecting a fake American Eagle Silver coin with the Fisch
December 10, 2014

Here is a demonstration of the Fisch detecting a fake American Eagle 1oz silver coin. There are Fisch for other silver coins, too. The Maple Leaf, Austrian Philharmonic & the US Silver Dollar.All are in Wallet #6. ...



Warning: Tungsten Counterfeit Gold Coins
September 20, 2014

"We think we have even detected a fake coin with the Ringer.  A Gold Eagle did not ring even a little bit, no matter how many times we tried it, even though other coins rang like a bell, proving we were using ringer correctly.  We returned the coin to the dealer." - A recent email  I have recently obtained 3...



Fake American Eagle silver coins surface
4 March 2013

  These fake coins would be detected by the Fisch. They are overweight and oversize in the thickness while under-size in the diameter. This article was first published in February 04, 2013, U.S. Collectibles section of CoinWorld.com It is written by Paul Gilkes:  A counterfeit 2011 American Eagle silver bullion coin rec...



Some of what you find on The Fisch Family Pages for Fisch Users
27 September 2013

The Fisch Family pages are a password protected part of the website for Fisch Users only. Here you will find information and tips on using the Fisch, the coins checked by the Fisch, useful information about other coins and their minting as well as feedback from Fisch Users.    Here are some examples of the useful, and sometimes vital, information you will find in the Fisch Family P...



New! Fisch for the Silver American Eagle, Maple Leaf & Vienna Philharmonic
15 October 2012

Announcing the addition of 3 new silver Fisch for the American Eagle (1oz.), Maple Leaf (1oz.) and Vienna Philharmonic (1oz).  It has been a long road. To make a new mold, you have to work carefully and accurately. You can only make small adjustments to the mold (weight and pivot position) each time as each adjustment is generally irreversible. After each adjustment samples are run and ...



American Buffalo, Philharmonic & Nugget Gold Coins, The Fisch now in 59 countries
16 March 2011

Wallet #5 - In Demand by Fisch Users    It is now 5 months since the launch of: Wallet #5 - Gold American Buffalo (1oz) Vienna Philharmonic - Austria (1oz) Australian Nugget/Kangaroo (1oz)* *also Lunar 1996-2007 (3 Detectors)     With big sales of the American Buffalo, Austrian Philharmonic and the Kangaroo gold coins, it is not a surprise this Wallet is in dem...



Underweight Proof Krugerrands
16 April 2012

This report from the Sunday Times in South Africa.    The blanks from which the coins are struck come from another company, the Rand Refinery. Getting the weight right is a lot easier than getting the size right in the minting process. The quality control has obviously not been what it should be. Do your own quality control with the Fisch.    The SA Mint has had pro...



U.S. DISTRICT COURT - FINAL JUDGMENT & PERMANENT INJUNCTION
21 July 2010

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ORDER OF FINAL JUDGMENT AND PERMANENT INJUNCTION    Date filed: 15 July 2010    Fisch Instruments Plaintiff,  v.  Przemyslaw A. Slomski a/k/a 2arecki, Defendant.    Excerpt: II. Defendant and his agents, servants, employees, representatives, affiliates and/or other persons or ...



Wall Street Fraud Watchdog Warns All That Glitters May Not Be Gold
20 Dec 2011

The Wall Street Fraud Watchdog is warning US, or global investors of precious metals, or gold, and or silver coins to extremely cautious about buying precious metal bars, or coins from just anyone. The group says "There's a lot more money in counterfeiting gold, or silver coins, than selling cocaine, or heroin, and we think Chinese made precious metals knock offs have the potential of being a...