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By Hans Niedermair
The RCMP was set to crack down on "replica" coins and the eBay online
auction site as this issue of Canadian Coin News went to press.
Over the past year, several China-based entities have been selling
"replica" key date Canadian coins through eBay. While usually
advertised on the site as replica coins, the actual coins often do
not contain any markings that advertise them as such.
RCMP Sgt. Tony Farahbakhchian was scheduled to conduct a conference
call with the San Jose, Calif.-based firm June 23.
"We're trying to get (the known sellers). I want them taken off eBay
permanently," Farahbakhchian told CCN.
"If eBay is advised of the fact that the selling of these coins is
illegal and they continue to do so, they are breaking the law," he
added.
He said he intended to make the online auction site aware of the
problem and outline the criminal code.
Farahbakhchian said he would specifically point to Section 448a,
which says counterfeit money includes "a false coin or false paper
money that resembles or is apparently intended to resemble or pass
for a current coin or current paper money."
"Current" can be used to describe Canadian decimals as far back as
1858, as they are still considered legal tender.
He said he believed eBay could find itself in violation of Section
450c, which states that anyone who introduces counterfeit money into
Canada can be found guilty of an indictable offence and imprisoned
for up to 14 years. Similarly, buyers, sellers or anyone in
possession of such items could face the same penalty.
Farahbakhchian said eBay has been "very co-operative" with the RCMP
to date, but if the auction site refuses to pull the items, "it's a
big hurdle to go over."
As for the Chinese manufacturers of these coins - which include firms
called The Big Tree Coin Factory and H.K. Replica - being charged by
the RCMP, it doesn't seem likely, Farahbakhchian said.
He said that Chinese law permits the reproduction of coins that were
made before 1949, and that the RCMP's main focus is to keep the coins
out of Canada.
He added that the Chinese manufacturers are not only producing
Canadian key dates, but rare world coins, such as U.S. Morgan dollars.
Farahbakhchian is set to speak at the Aug. 12-16 Royal Canadian
Numismatic Association convention in Edmonton to help educate the
collecting community.
"These are rare coins and all of a sudden they have access to all 117
key dates," he said.
"By bringing these into the country, the buyer will buy these knowing
they're replicas, but the (next) buyer might sell them as legit."
While only some sellers might be dishonest, he said, the more the
replicas are bought and sold, the higher the chances that their
origin as "replicas" will be lost.
"Only experienced collectors will see these as fakes," he added.
There has been at least one published report of the fakes being sold
as genuine.
According to a Financial Post article published in May, an Edmonton
collector paid $4,000 for several rare coins, including an 1890
50-cent piece, that turned out to be counterfeit.
July 21, 2009 to August 3, 2009 issue of Canadian Coin News
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