Fakes & Replicas

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 III, George IV and William 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 III Fake pennies

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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, 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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William IV Fake pennies

Fake obverse

Genuine obverse

Fake reverse

Genuine reverse

These are among the most “unlifelike” examples of replica pennies.

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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

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 coin Genuine coin

Victoria’s ear on the replica coins is distinctively different.

Fake ear with longer lobe

Genuine ear with normal lobe

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 !!!

In May 2025 another replica coin was listed on Ebay with slight differences from the above fakes – possibly an attempt to more closely match the originals ? However, the numbers of border teeth (160) remain incorrect.

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 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.

Replica coins with other dates are now appearing on the market, e.g. 1919KN

Fake obverse

180 border teeth

Genuine obverse

180 border teeth

Fake reverse

180 border teeth

Genuine reverse

187 border teeth

These designs are the most accurate that I have seen so far.

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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.

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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