Fakes & Replicas
Over the last few years, several fake or replica pennies have appeared on the market. Fakes can include examples of genuine coins with altered dates to appear as rarities but the replicas have been made to imitate genuine coins and could conceivably confuse the market. Originally produced as “Brilliant Uncirculated” pieces (probably in China), they were first marketed as replicas for collectors who perhaps could not afford to buy genuine examples. Copper and bronze pennies of Victoria were the first to be produced (I think) followed by pennies of George V, Edward VIII and George VI. In 2024 I noticed the first copper pennies of George IV to appear. They have all been well designed but the details differ noticeably from the genuine coins and are obvious to the experienced collector.
Worryingly for collectors, the manufacturers of these replicas have found a way to “age” these fake coins, whereby they appear to have been well circulated and therefore more realistic to all but experienced collectors. In fact, in early 2024 many of these artificially aged pennies have sold for considerable sums of money (see below).
The replica coins have all been designed with a very round number (multiple of 10) of border teeth whereas most if not all genuine coins were not.
The following pictures attempt to illustrate the key details to look for when identifying these fake coins.
George IV Fake pennies
Fake obverse 150 border teeth |
Genuine obverse 157 border teeth |
Fake reverse 180 border teeth |
Genuine reverse 156 border teeth |
Apart from the various and obvious design details which tend to be far less precise and subtle on the replica coin (e.g. the king’s hair and the tie ribbon on the obverse, the helmet plume, the shield and the floral emblem on the reverse), there has been no attempt to produce the correct number of border teeth which, therefore becomes a foolproof way of identifying the fakes.
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Victoria Fake copper pennies
Initially, these replicas were issued as “Brilliant Uncirculated” pieces but were followed by pieces with no lustre and then with degrees of artificial ageing and wear, illustrated below.
Again, there are obvious (to the experienced collector) differences in the design between the fakes and the genuine coins and also an incorrect number of border teeth.
Fake obverse 180 border teeth |
Genuine obverse 175 border teeth |
Fake reverse 180 border teeth |
Genuine reverse 156 border teeth |
Obverse differences
All genuine copper pennies have an “enlarged” border tooth under the 3rd date numeral, whereas the fake coins have incredibly uniform border teeth as in the pictures below which also illustrate the different numeric fonts used on the fake coins, particularly the “5”.
Genuine |
Genuine |
Genuine |
Fake/Replica |
In addition to the different numbers of border teeth, there is a distinctive indentation in the queen’s hair above her ear which is not present on the genuine coins and which persists on the aged/worn coins proving a key factor in detecting the fakes.
Fake Genuine
The 1843 fake penny above was sold for £77 in January 2024 on Ebay by a vendor who is selling many of these fakes including:
The following fake coin with the distinctive “scar” in Victoria’s hair was sold for £232 in January 2024 by the same vendor :
who also sold this fake 1839 “proof” for £340 having attracted 54 bids !!!
Reverse differences
In addition to the different numbers of border teeth, there appear to be 2 slightly different reverses with completely different designs to Britannia’s chainmail bodice and the pendant below it.
Fake reverse with “scalloped” chain mail and ornamental pendant |
Fake reverse with rougher chain mail and ornamental pendant |
Genuine reverse with rougher chain mail and lion’s face pendant |
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Victoria Fake bronze pennies
As with the copper pennies, differences in design are noticeably obvious to the experienced collector and there is also no attempt to engrave the correct number of border teeth.
Fake obverse 130 border teeth |
Genuine obverse 139 border teeth |
Fake reverse 130 border teeth |
Genuine reverse 138 border teeth |
The same fake obverse and reverse designs are used for every date in the bronze series 1860-1894, whereas there were numerous changes with the genuine coins, especially when the queen’s portrait was “aged” in 1874.
Fake reverse
Apart from the difference in border teeth, the lighthouse and sea on the fake reverse are not so finely engraved and the sea does not cross the linear circle.
Fake reverse Freeman G – sea does not cross linear circle |
Genuine reverse Freeman G – sea crosses linear circle |
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Edward VII Fake bronze pennies
I have not yet seen any of these
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George V Fake bronze pennies
Fake 1933 pennies with a date altered from another date frequently appear on the market. Some of these are quite cleverly made.
Replica coins dated 1933 are also available.
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Replica coins with other dates are now appearing on the market, e.g. 1919KN
Fake obverse with over-engraved hair 180 border teeth |
Genuine obverse 180 border teeth |
Fake reverse with short right thumb 180 border teeth |
Genuine reverse 187 border teeth |
Edward VIII Fake bronze pennies
Fake obverse |
Genuine obverse |
Fake reverse |
Genuine reverse |
The genuine coins were never released into circulation and are therefore incredibly rare; the replica obverse bears little resemblance to the genuine coin.
George VI Fake bronze pennies
Fake obverse |
Genuine obverse |
Fake reverse |
Genuine reverse |
The genuine coins were never released into circulation and are therefore incredibly rare; the replica obverse bears little resemblance to the genuine coin.
Elizabeth Fake bronze pennies
Fake obverse – 120 border beads |
Genuine obverse – 119 border beads |
Fake reverse – 120 border beads |
Genuine reverse – 118 border beads |
These fakes are more convincing but the border teeth are again the key difference.
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