Numismatic Notes Part 5

Have You Met Your Waterloo?

"I purchased the small but choice collection of Mr G. Washington, of Liverpool, and this formed the 'nucleus' of my present collection. At that time there were very few collectors, and the demand being small and prices moderate, there was no inducement to tamper or 'concoct' medals, as there is now, and there was some pleasure in acquiring them; but, unhappily, tempora mutantur and pounds have frequently, now, to be paid where perhaps shillings, then sufficed...." thus Captain Hyde Greg wrote in his prefatory notes to his catalogue published in 1878, just sixty two years after the issue of the Waterloo Medal in 1816.

Yes, the lads were at it then and probably every year since 1878. Although Captain Hyde Greg's observations are as good today as they were 122 years ago, he was, of course, referring to the more traditional forms of medal enhancement - providing identities to specimen awards; skilful renaming; exchanging clasps (slips) on the 1st type Naval General Service with common usage names; and a host of other entrepreneurial pursuits. A number of 'concocted' items still creep out of old cabinets, but fewer and fewer make their way into new ones. The 'Happy Times' of the past 40 years or so are not likely to be repeated.

So into the new Millenium, new technology and a different breed of dishonest medal artisan - if he can't find them - he makes them!

By far the most dangerous fake to appear in this category is a most impressive British Waterloo Medal 1815. This particular production, released about five years or so ago, is still as popular as ever - especially in the United States. Although many thousands of pounds have been wasted by unsuspecting buyers, no authoritative or descriptive warning has been published. The following illustrations may assist in this direction. Some finer points, metal analysis etc have been retained for obvious reasons.

Fig 1: Obverse - GENUINE	Fig 1: Obverse - FORGERY

Fig 3: Reverse - GENUINE	Fig 4: Reverse - FORGERY

It is easy to see why in isolation the Waterloo strikings referred to in this article pass muster so easily. The false reverse (fig 4) exhibits the most obvious differences.

Thanks for looking! (John Hayward)