Counterfeit Detection: 2009 Shanghai Expo Silver 10 Yuan

China struck several coins to commemorate the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, including the 2009 Shanghai Expo Silver 10 Yuan - Urban Cells. The motto of Expo 2010 was “Better City – Better Life,” and its five central theme pavilions focused aspects of urban development. The 2010 Expo logo, seen over the image of Asia on the coin, incorporated the Chinese character 世 (“shi,” meaning “world”).

Genuine 2009 Shanghai Expo Silver 10 Yuan - Urban Cells Click images to enlarge.

NGC recently received a purported example of a 2009 Shanghai Expo Silver 10 Yuan - Urban Cells. Though the coin is the correct weight at 31.1 grams (a little over an ounce), it has numerous red flags that identify it as a fake. Let’s look at them one by one.

Counterfeit 2009 Shanghai Expo Silver 10 Yuan - Urban Cells Click images to enlarge.

The obverse has multiple issues that can be linked to various steps in creating the counterfeit. In the counterfeit's design, the Chinese characters are larger than they should be. Lathe lines are seen on the globe, indicating poor die preparation. And the frosting on the continents is incorrect — they appear far too mirrored.

Genuine (left) and counterfeit 2009 Shanghai Expo Silver 10 Yuan - Urban Cells Click images to enlarge.

The reverse has a similar issue: In this case, the Chinese characters are not mirrored enough on the counterfeit. The lines in the geometric design of the counterfeit are noticeably thinner than the ones on a genuine example. The matte surfaces on the fake coin also have a much grittier texture, likely because the sand-blasting was of a lower quality.

Genuine (left) and counterfeit 2009 Shanghai Expo Silver 10 Yuan - Urban Cells Click images to enlarge.

In addition to the obverse and reverse, the counterfeit coin’s “third side” also has an important clue that it is fake. The coin should be .999 silver, but the counterfeit is struck mostly in copper and zinc, which have a lower density than silver. To keep the weight and diameter consistent with a genuine coin, the counterfeit had to be thicker.

Not every counterfeit has this many issues. If you want to feel confident that your coin is genuine, don't forget that NGC backs its determination of authenticity and grade with the NGC Guarantee.

Did you know? NGC has created a comprehensive Counterfeit Detection resource to help collectors and dealers identify counterfeit and altered coins. Visit NGCcoin.com/counterfeit.