Military challenge coins and medals—issued across all U.S. military branches, units, special operations groups, commands, deployments, and leadership offices—are among the most widely collected modern military artifacts. Unfortunately, rising demand has led to an explosion of counterfeit coins, unauthorized reproductions, fantasy issues, and mass-produced imitations sold online.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 440 — Real vs. Fake: Counterfeit Military Challenge Coins & Medals provides a complete professional workflow for authenticating coins and medals, detecting fakes, and evaluating legitimacy, materials, craftsmanship, and provenance.
Inside, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify proper materials used in official U.S. military coin production
Detect fake plating, incorrect weight & cheap alloys
Evaluate enamel quality, fill behavior, Pantone-correct colors & finish style
Confirm unit legitimacy, command structure & real-world issuance
Spot inaccurate insignia, design errors, or incorrect branch markings
Recognize fantasy coins that were never officially issued
Evaluate serial numbers, edge markings, die-strike traits & casting seams
Distinguish die-struck coins from cast counterfeit versions
Authenticate medals by ribbon patterns, metal composition & regulation compliance
Identify high-risk categories (SOCOM, White House, Generals, deployment coins, aircraft/spacecraft issues)
Assess provenance, packaging, documentation & ceremony-related materials
Determine fair-market value based on rarity, issue context & authenticity
Whether reviewing a modern unit coin, a high-profile command coin, a commemorative medal, or an elite special-operations issue, this guide provides the full forensic method needed to separate genuine items from widespread reproductions.
Digital Download — PDF • 8 Pages • Instant Access
Military challenge coins and medals—issued across all U.S. military branches, units, special operations groups, commands, deployments, and leadership offices—are among the most widely collected modern military artifacts. Unfortunately, rising demand has led to an explosion of counterfeit coins, unauthorized reproductions, fantasy issues, and mass-produced imitations sold online.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 440 — Real vs. Fake: Counterfeit Military Challenge Coins & Medals provides a complete professional workflow for authenticating coins and medals, detecting fakes, and evaluating legitimacy, materials, craftsmanship, and provenance.
Inside, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify proper materials used in official U.S. military coin production
Detect fake plating, incorrect weight & cheap alloys
Evaluate enamel quality, fill behavior, Pantone-correct colors & finish style
Confirm unit legitimacy, command structure & real-world issuance
Spot inaccurate insignia, design errors, or incorrect branch markings
Recognize fantasy coins that were never officially issued
Evaluate serial numbers, edge markings, die-strike traits & casting seams
Distinguish die-struck coins from cast counterfeit versions
Authenticate medals by ribbon patterns, metal composition & regulation compliance
Identify high-risk categories (SOCOM, White House, Generals, deployment coins, aircraft/spacecraft issues)
Assess provenance, packaging, documentation & ceremony-related materials
Determine fair-market value based on rarity, issue context & authenticity
Whether reviewing a modern unit coin, a high-profile command coin, a commemorative medal, or an elite special-operations issue, this guide provides the full forensic method needed to separate genuine items from widespread reproductions.
Digital Download — PDF • 8 Pages • Instant Access
Image 1 of 1