retiredkper Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 It is an Ecuadorian 5 sucres KM- 79 dated 1944 and supposedly a product of the Mexico City Mint. Even before I got to touch it I could see that it has a major die clash on the obverse. It also has several small die breaks but when it was handed to me I instantly thought that it felt too light in weight. The coin has a rough appearance that looks like it was struck with rusty dies that had been heavily polished and cleaned. General Sucre’s lips are weak and his chin is swollen. Definitely not up to the quality of a 20th century Mexico City Mint product. The reeded edge is of good quality and the coin has a nice ring to it but the pitch doesn’t sound quite right for silver. Now that I have been retired from KP for three years I don’t handle a lot of coins anymore; maybe I have lost my sense of feel for judging weight and my wife says my hearing isn’t what it used to be. I bought the coin so I could test it, and myself at home. The coin should weigh 25 grams but actually only weighs in at 18.26 grams which was very reassuring and pleasing to me. Next I did a specific gravity test which came out as 7.77-7.78 which indicates that this die struck coin is on a silver plated probably aluminum-copper planchet. I guess my hearing is still better than my wife thinks too! Why would some one go to the trouble and expense of counterfeiting such a common coin? My guess is that the counterfeiters want to make a killing on the silver bullion market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobh Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 How much was 5 Ecuadorian Sucres worth in 1944/45? And when did they go off the silver standard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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