2016-06-06 Mon

In 2009, a metal-detectorist discovered a silver coin which looked exactly like a half crown of William III (1697-1702). After research, it was revealed that the coin was a fake which was produced at the same time when the real coin was in circulation. The fake coin almost looked real, except that the silver plating exposed its rusted copper-alloy core.

Fake coins were used commonly in the 1700s and 1800s, most of which were hard to be detected. The locals were officially warned about these fakes and the government informed them that they were made of a white hard metal, gilded by the electro-plate process. In 1854 Charles Robinson was arrested for owning two counterfeit half sovereigns, three half crowns, and 12 shillings which were all parcelled to St Swithin's, Lincoln. Several other cases like these were registered in the successive years which suggest that most of them came via London.

Penalties for circulating counterfeit coins were comparatively minor than that for using fake banknotes and owning coin-forging equipment. In 1847 David Worrill was jailed in Tasmania for 7 years for possessing such equipment.

Some criminals like William Lewin, of Alford continued circulating fake coins even after being convicted or sentenced and was deported to Bermuda in 1823 for seven years.