0:00:02 > 0:00:05Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Police!
0:00:20 > 0:00:24- Get down on the floor now! - Put your hands behind your back now!
0:00:24 > 0:00:26Here, at the Fake Britain house,
0:00:26 > 0:00:29we'll reveal the fakes that are flooding the market,
0:00:29 > 0:00:31conning people like you and me
0:00:31 > 0:00:33and making money for the criminals.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35We'll investigate the fraudsters
0:00:35 > 0:00:38who are selling us something that isn't real
0:00:38 > 0:00:40and could be dangerous.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44And we'll help you avoid falling for a fake.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Today on Fake Britain...
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Police crack open a counterfeit champagne case
0:00:52 > 0:00:54where the fakers are making a killing.
0:00:54 > 0:00:59We think there's probably about £33,000 there in that bag.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04We're given one of the most advanced fake £2 coins ever
0:01:04 > 0:01:07from the one place you'd never expect - a high street bank.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11It's certainly the best £2 counterfeit that I've seen.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15The fake chairs putting child safety at risk.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19I feel sick to my stomach that that's in my house.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22And the fake carbon monoxide detectors
0:01:22 > 0:01:25that could cost you your life.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28The claims of compliance with the standard, in this instance,
0:01:28 > 0:01:30with these particular products, is fake.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40Britain is the world's largest export market for champagne.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45Each year, we consume around 30 million bottles of the stuff.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48It's big business and the fakers are desperate to get
0:01:48 > 0:01:52their share of the fizz in this lucrative market.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56So, not surprising then, that the police, Revenue & Customs,
0:01:56 > 0:02:01Trading Standards and even Europol mounted a joint operation
0:02:01 > 0:02:05to crack down on the burgeoning champagne fakery.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08But even they were surprised at what they found.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13- It's daybreak.- OK, guys, can I have your attention, please?
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Detective Inspector Simon Harsley
0:02:16 > 0:02:19from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit
0:02:19 > 0:02:21is here to talk champagne.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23All this stuff's been smuggled in.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27It runs into millions of pounds that are owed to Revenue & Customs.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29They're planning a dawn raid
0:02:29 > 0:02:32on a wholesaler that's trading in fake bubbly.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36We hope to find some counterfeit alcohol
0:02:36 > 0:02:38and a quantity of alcohol that's duty-evaded,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40ie. smuggled into the country.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46Briefing over. Now it's time to get going.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Can I task you with getting some prisoner transport to Team 3?
0:02:55 > 0:02:56Team 3, please.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Just ahead of Simon, his team are swooping
0:02:59 > 0:03:02on three separate locations connected to the business.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08We're executing the warrants now at two warehouse locations,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11so we're looking to secure the warehouses
0:03:11 > 0:03:14and really see what we've got there and contain everything,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17so it's a question of getting in there quickly
0:03:17 > 0:03:19so no evidence is destroyed.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25First up, Simon arrives at the main warehouse and business premises.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30The owner isn't here, but police suspect
0:03:30 > 0:03:32some of his employees could be illegal immigrants.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35After questioning, one of them is arrested
0:03:35 > 0:03:38- on suspicion of immigration offences. - Hi, please step in the van.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41A quick update.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44We've obviously gained entry. Pretty sparse, really.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Not much there, as far as I can see.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50So, not much by the way of champagne,
0:03:50 > 0:03:54although the team soon discovers wine by the caseload
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and they suspect this has been smuggled in
0:03:57 > 0:03:58without the duty being paid.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01But there's soon another surprise.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07There's a whole hoard of other fake or illegal goods
0:04:07 > 0:04:11uncovered by Trading Standards - generators, chainsaws,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15angle grinders, even a couple of compactors to tarmac the drive.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20The machinery you can see doesn't fit the British standard.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22There's no instructions.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24This machinery shouldn't be in this country,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27being sold on the open market, and, potentially, it's dangerous,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30so that's why it's being taken out of here.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32These fakers certainly aren't whiter than white.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36Counterfeit washing powder also seems high on the for sale list.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40It's quite a common occurrence,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43washing powder, being quite expensive in this country,
0:04:43 > 0:04:49that the leading brands are actually faked abroad and then imported.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52And it doesn't stop there.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55As well as chainsaws, Trading Standards uncover power drills
0:04:55 > 0:04:58that don't appear to meet European standards.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02All of these products potentially putting British customers in danger.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06There's another surprise in store for Simon's team -
0:05:06 > 0:05:08and it still isn't bubbly.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13OK, what we've just got out the safe is quite an amount of cash,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15as you can see, that we've seized
0:05:15 > 0:05:18and that will be coming with us back to the police station.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21We haven't counted it, so it's difficult to estimate what it is,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24but you can see there, they're neatly bundled up.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28We think there's probably about £33,000 there in that bag.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32That's been seized and we're taking that away with us.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37So, a big blow for the fakers and it gets worse for them.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40The director of the company has been arrested at his home address.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43That's where lead officer, DI Harsley, is heading now,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47as his team has made an intriguing discovery.
0:05:47 > 0:05:48I'm getting some messages
0:05:48 > 0:05:51that there's a slightly strange scenario there,
0:05:51 > 0:05:56in that there is a shop or something very similar,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58that's accessed via his back garden.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02I believe some Trading Standards officers have an interest in this
0:06:02 > 0:06:05and I just need to see what the situation is.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08DI Harsley arrives to oversee the search of the home
0:06:08 > 0:06:10and the nearby shop.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13I'm at the front door. Can you let me in, please?
0:06:13 > 0:06:18The fake champagne the team have been looking for could be hidden in here.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21I've just been inside the home address.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23We've got a very unusual scenario.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28We've got an alcohol store next door which actually feeds an off-licence,
0:06:28 > 0:06:32the frontage of which goes onto an entirely different street.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36We clearly want to have a look in the off-licence,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39we clearly want to have a look in the alcohol store.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41The search has commenced.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45And it's in the alcohol store that Simon's team have finally found
0:06:45 > 0:06:49what they're looking for - bottles of fake and duty-evaded champagne.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53That's good news for the investigators here from Europol.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56They've been tracking counterfeit champagne across Europe
0:06:56 > 0:06:59and they suspect these fakes may have links
0:06:59 > 0:07:01to an organised crime group in Italy.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07The main suspect has been ordering the fake champagne from Italy.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12It's processed by an organised crime group, located in Italy,
0:07:12 > 0:07:16manufacturing and selling the bottles.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18They were production sized,
0:07:18 > 0:07:22they were manufacturing the labels, the corks, everything,
0:07:22 > 0:07:27so that the bottle can really look identical to the genuine one.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30And these show the telltale signs of being fake.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34The labelling and the branding don't seem consistent
0:07:34 > 0:07:37with the genuine product, so that's coming with us
0:07:37 > 0:07:39and we'll look to get that tested
0:07:39 > 0:07:42and look for an expert opinion on that.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46It's not only fake champagne on offer here
0:07:46 > 0:07:48that could pose a risk to public health.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Bottles of counterfeit vodka are also taken away.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56But there are more places to search.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58The police know of another warehouse down the road
0:07:58 > 0:08:00that's used by the business.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04And when they get there, they find more than 135 pallets
0:08:04 > 0:08:08of smuggled alcohol, including fake vodka.
0:08:11 > 0:08:17This is what over £200,000 of duty and VAT evasion looks like
0:08:17 > 0:08:20and Simon's spotted the signs of duty evasion on the labelling.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25There's a bottle of vodka here with a label on it.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29This alcohol is destined for a market outside the UK,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31therefore no duty's been paid on it.
0:08:32 > 0:08:37What is happening is that the label is peeled off -
0:08:37 > 0:08:40and an example of that has been found within the warehouse -
0:08:40 > 0:08:44and a counterfeit label has been placed on the bottle
0:08:44 > 0:08:48to indicate that the UK duty has been paid,
0:08:48 > 0:08:51which is intended to deceive, of course.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55We know that that is a counterfeit label.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59You've got some whiskies as well. You've got a similar scenario.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01And with many of the bottles,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04you can actually see the sticky of the original label
0:09:04 > 0:09:08outside the parameter of the label that's been put on there.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12But even sophisticated fakers, with links to organised crime,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14can slip up.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16Looking at the label, I'm not even sure
0:09:16 > 0:09:18that's placed on the bottle straight,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21but that is a counterfeit label. We can tell from the markings there.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25But to seize all of these pallets of duty-evaded alcohol,
0:09:25 > 0:09:29the team will need help by the lorry load.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33The entire contents of the warehouse have been seized
0:09:33 > 0:09:36by Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs and, of course,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39the police will look into the counterfeiting side
0:09:39 > 0:09:41and any counterfeit labels,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44anything that's being sold that's a counterfeit product
0:09:44 > 0:09:47and actually look at what's being sold to the general public.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49So, yeah, a good day.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53And so the first of six 40-foot HGVs,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56carrying the seized alcohol, sets off.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58It's another win in the battle against the fakers.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01The company was later wound up
0:10:01 > 0:10:05with debts of around £8 million in unpaid taxes
0:10:05 > 0:10:08to Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Coming up, we reveal the sophisticated fake £2 coin
0:10:13 > 0:10:15that came from a high street bank.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20It's good enough to fool the public and concern the experts.
0:10:20 > 0:10:21If experts are having difficulty,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24consumers have no hope of being able to tell the difference.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27It's a normal £2 coin, isn't it?
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Every year, around 50 people lose their lives
0:10:35 > 0:10:37to carbon monoxide poisoning.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41The gas can be released from appliances like a faulty cooker,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45boiler or wood-burning stove, but you can't see it or smell it.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48It's known as the silent killer.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51These devices should protect you and your home -
0:10:51 > 0:10:53carbon monoxide detectors.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56And these ones claim to meet the European standard,
0:10:56 > 0:10:58but their claims are fake.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Rely on one of these to protect you,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03and you could be putting your life at risk.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Every year,
0:11:06 > 0:11:084,000 people end up in hospital
0:11:08 > 0:11:12with carbon monoxide poisoning. Around 40 of those people die.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15With rising awareness of the dangers,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18more of us are buying carbon monoxide detectors
0:11:18 > 0:11:20to protect ourselves from the deadly gas.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25The fakers know there's profit to be made in safety devices.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27They're selling carbon monoxide detectors
0:11:27 > 0:11:31carrying fake safety claims that could put lives in danger.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Gordon Samuel discovered the importance of these detectors
0:11:37 > 0:11:40soon after his daughter, Katie, got married.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45She was hugely popular.
0:11:45 > 0:11:50She was hugely attractive and pretty and she was very intelligent.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52She was just the most wonderful daughter.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57She was very, very happy in her job
0:11:57 > 0:11:59and it was the beginning of married life.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03One evening, Katie decided to run a bath.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07When her husband arrived home from work,
0:12:07 > 0:12:09he noticed something wasn't right.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16When he rang the bell and she didn't answer, he became quite concerned
0:12:16 > 0:12:18and opened the door with his key
0:12:18 > 0:12:23and he saw that the cat was unconscious...
0:12:24 > 0:12:27..in the kitchen.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30He called for her and she didn't answer.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34And he rushed into the bathroom
0:12:34 > 0:12:37and he found that she had been overcome
0:12:37 > 0:12:42by very, very lethal carbon monoxide fumes.
0:12:46 > 0:12:47Without Katie's knowledge,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51her boiler had been leaking lethal levels of carbon monoxide.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58A young doctor came into the room
0:12:58 > 0:13:03and said, "I'm really sorry." And it was just...
0:13:05 > 0:13:10..one of those moments in life that you just don't want to remember.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16To say that I miss her now is just a huge understatement. I just...
0:13:17 > 0:13:19I can't articulate...
0:13:21 > 0:13:23..how much we miss her.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28Katie died just weeks after her wedding day.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30It later transpired that she did, in fact,
0:13:30 > 0:13:32have a carbon monoxide detector
0:13:32 > 0:13:35but it had been left, unopened, in its packet.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40If they had known, they would have activated the alarm
0:13:40 > 0:13:44and if the alarm had sounded and she was...
0:13:44 > 0:13:48and they, all of us, were aware of what carbon monoxide was,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51she would have had a chance. She would probably have lived.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Gordon went on to set up a charity in Katie's name,
0:13:57 > 0:13:59campaigning for ALL homes
0:13:59 > 0:14:02to have a carbon monoxide detector installed by law.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06But the fakers know there's profit to be made
0:14:06 > 0:14:08out of safety-conscious consumers.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Fake Britain has discovered that detectors are being sold online
0:14:12 > 0:14:14that could be dangerous.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18We decided to buy several detectors
0:14:18 > 0:14:22that were advertised as meeting European safety standards.
0:14:22 > 0:14:27We then sent them for testing at BSI, the British Standards Institution.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Expert Graham McKay thinks that the dangers of carbon monoxide
0:14:31 > 0:14:34are closer to home than we might think.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Many, many combustible appliances
0:14:36 > 0:14:38have the capability to produce carbon monoxide
0:14:38 > 0:14:41if they're not adjusted properly or installed properly.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45It kills somewhere in the region of 25 to 50 people a year in the UK.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49It's very hard to diagnose because the symptoms in mild cases
0:14:49 > 0:14:51are very often confused with a cold or the flu.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55The detectors we bought were advertised
0:14:55 > 0:14:57as meeting European safety standards
0:14:57 > 0:14:59but, at first glance, Graham's concerned.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04The product itself doesn't contain any of the warnings
0:15:04 > 0:15:06or information that the standard requires.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09It doesn't even tell me the name of the manufacturer.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12It doesn't have, crucially, the end-of-life information.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16Carbon monoxide alarms have sensors that have finite lives,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18so it's important that you know when to replace it.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20They won't last forever.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Graham's also unimpressed by the incorrect advice
0:15:23 > 0:15:27- given in the instructions.- It tells you not to install in kitchens.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Kitchens are probably the biggest source
0:15:30 > 0:15:32of carbon monoxide-producing appliances in the UK,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34from cookers, boilers, water heaters.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36They are typically in kitchens.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41When a genuine carbon monoxide detector goes off for the first time
0:15:41 > 0:15:45after detecting high levels of the gas, its job isn't over.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50The detector must continue working and go on to detect further leaks
0:15:50 > 0:15:53in the future, in order to pass the European standard.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58Graham needs to see if these are genuine detectors,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02so he'll simulate a catastrophic carbon monoxide leak from a boiler.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07This test mimics a scenario whereby maybe you have a release
0:16:07 > 0:16:10of a high level of carbon monoxide into your home.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Your alarm will detect that and go off, which is great.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17You'll then ventilate the space and take other preventative action.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19Eventually, you'll go back into that space,
0:16:19 > 0:16:24thinking everything's OK and you need your alarm to operate again.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28First, the detectors are exposed to a dangerously high level
0:16:28 > 0:16:31of carbon monoxide - 5,000 parts per million -
0:16:31 > 0:16:35enough to render a person unconscious and kill them within minutes.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40ALARMS BEEP
0:16:43 > 0:16:48So far, so good. The detectors have passed the first part of the test.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50But, if their safety claims are fake,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54the sensors inside these detectors could actually be of poor quality.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Some cheaper sensors can be physically damaged.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00They can be poisoned, effectively, by these very high levels.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03If the alarm has been damaged, you could be putting yourself at risk,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06because the alarm is no longer functioning.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09The detectors are rested.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Then they're exposed to carbon monoxide at lower levels.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16It's time to see whether they will pass the European standard
0:17:16 > 0:17:19by going on to detect the silent killer gas once again,
0:17:19 > 0:17:21having already done so.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27They'll have to detect the gas and sound their alarms within 90 minutes.
0:17:29 > 0:17:3390 minutes later, and counting, they've failed to respond.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Two of the alarms didn't respond at all
0:17:37 > 0:17:41and one of the alarms has entered an erratic error mode,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45where it beeps occasionally but it's not going into a full alarm mode
0:17:45 > 0:17:47because it's not beeping continuously.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50The conclusion is that the high dose of CO has actually damaged them
0:17:50 > 0:17:54and affected their ability to accurately detect the gas.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58The performance of every carbon monoxide detector
0:17:58 > 0:18:02bought by Fake Britain was found to be unpredictable.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06The claims of compliance with the standard, in this instance,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08with these particular products, is fake.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11They don't comply and they obviously don't comply.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16We showed our findings to Gordon Samuel,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19who lost his daughter to carbon monoxide poisoning.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23It's very, very upsetting
0:18:23 > 0:18:27that these are finding their way onto the market.
0:18:28 > 0:18:33These fake carbon monoxide detectors cost us about £10 each.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37Campaigners like Gordon say that by spending just £10 or £20 more,
0:18:37 > 0:18:42customers can buy a reliable detector that they can really trust.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45You should be buying properly branded alarms,
0:18:45 > 0:18:46alarms that are compliant,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49alarms that come from reliable sources,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51or you're putting our life at risk
0:18:51 > 0:18:54and you're putting your loved ones' lives at risk
0:18:54 > 0:18:57and you'd be a fool to buy something like this
0:18:57 > 0:19:00when the real thing's available and it could save your life.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Take a look at these. Yes, two £2 coins.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13First made by the Royal Mint back in 1998,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16there are two different metal components,
0:19:16 > 0:19:20so it's complicated to manufacture and very difficult to counterfeit.
0:19:20 > 0:19:25The problem is, this one wasn't made by the Royal Mint.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27It was made by a faker.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30A leading expert has told us it's the best he's ever seen.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34So, how many are out there, who's making them
0:19:34 > 0:19:36and could you tell the difference?
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Previously, on Fake Britain, we've seen huge hoards of fake coins.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Here, police were raiding the premises of criminals
0:19:43 > 0:19:47- churning out £1 fakes. - Coin bags. Loads.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51An estimated one in thirty £1 coins is fake.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54The Royal Mint is so concerned, they'll soon be introducing
0:19:54 > 0:19:59this new 12-sided pound coin to combat the counterfeiters.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03But now the fakers are turning their attention to the £2 coin.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06And that's a problem for Andy Brown.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10His company services coin-operated machines across the country.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12In the last year, he's seen an increase
0:20:12 > 0:20:15in the number and quality of the new £2 fakes.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20It's a far cry from how the coin-fakers started out.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23This was one of the early fakes that we found,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26which is really just a lump of lead-tin alloy
0:20:26 > 0:20:29and then spraying it gold to make it look like a genuine coin.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30That was then.
0:20:30 > 0:20:35Now, fake £2 coins are getting much closer to the genuine article.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37The fakes have got much better.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39They can now be accepted in some of the vending machines
0:20:39 > 0:20:41and car park machines that are out in the field.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44For us, the concern is to try and stop the fakers
0:20:44 > 0:20:47before they really start getting going.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Today, Fake Britain has asked Andy to see if he can find
0:20:51 > 0:20:55any of the latest fake £2 coins in circulation.
0:20:55 > 0:21:00He's going to his local bank to withdraw £2,500-worth of £2 coins.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07He expects to find some fakes amongst all 1,250 of them.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11We're going to put them through the coin validator to see if any of them
0:21:11 > 0:21:14get rejected and then we can check to see whether they're counterfeits.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16This coin validator is identical
0:21:16 > 0:21:20to anything you'd find inside a ticket or vending machine.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23It takes 16 different measurements of the coin,
0:21:23 > 0:21:27including its width and weight, to work out if it's genuine or not.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Any coin outside the validator gets rejected out of a different slot
0:21:32 > 0:21:34and generally would be returned back to the customer,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36if he was putting it in the machine.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41None of the coins from the bank have been rejected by the validator.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45But Andy knows the latest fakes are good enough to beat the machine.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48So, using his experience and a keen eye,
0:21:48 > 0:21:50he and a colleague sift through the coins
0:21:50 > 0:21:53to try and find anything unusual.
0:21:58 > 0:22:03Halfway through the batch, Andy spots something out of the ordinary.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07We've discovered a coin that looks a bit different to all the rest.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09It's a 2011, which is one of the years
0:22:09 > 0:22:13that we've got a number of counterfeit coins for already.
0:22:14 > 0:22:15This may look convincing,
0:22:15 > 0:22:19but there's a simple test to tell the fake from the real thing.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23If we go to a genuine coin, one of the quick and easiest tests
0:22:23 > 0:22:25to discover whether a coin is counterfeit,
0:22:25 > 0:22:30is to hold it up with the £2 at the top and the date at the bottom
0:22:30 > 0:22:32and then spin the coin on its axis.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36The Queen's head should be facing upwards,
0:22:36 > 0:22:37what we would call 12 o'clock.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40And on the fake, when we turn the head round,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42it's more like it's at 3 o'clock,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45so that one is definitely a counterfeit coin.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47But it's only by using a microscope
0:22:47 > 0:22:50that Andy can uncover the signature markings of a fake.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Now I've got the counterfeit and a genuine coin side by side
0:22:55 > 0:22:57and we're just checking the rim inscription
0:22:57 > 0:23:00to see what difference there is there and straightaway,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03when we look at the mint marks, the one on the bottom is a genuine coin.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07You can see the nice mint mark, which looks really well stamped.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10The one on the top is the counterfeit with the poor mint mark.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14As we go round the edge, the lettering is all totally different,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16the text is very poorly done.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Particularly, the letter S is a very distinctive letter
0:23:19 > 0:23:21on this counterfeit, and the A's,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24which has got like a circle in the centre of it.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30Next, Andy takes his find downstairs for computer analysis
0:23:30 > 0:23:34to have a more detailed look at the properties of the fake £2 coin.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39There you are. I'd like you to try and calibrate that one for us.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Here, he can measure the probability of the coin
0:23:42 > 0:23:45beating a vending machine in the outside world
0:23:45 > 0:23:47and there's no stopping this £2 fake.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50It beats the coin validator again and again -
0:23:50 > 0:23:5330 times out of 30 and beyond.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57We've now inserted the coin over 100 times
0:23:57 > 0:24:00and we've still got 100% acceptance rate.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06Even genuine coins get rejected now and then, due to their imperfections.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09But it seems this fake could be better than the real thing.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12We would expect a genuine coin to have
0:24:12 > 0:24:14something like a 95% acceptance rate,
0:24:14 > 0:24:18so it's quite concerning that we've got a counterfeit coin
0:24:18 > 0:24:21that's giving us 100% acceptance rate.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26That is a bit of a worry, isn't it?
0:24:27 > 0:24:29The performance of the fake he's found today
0:24:29 > 0:24:33could have much wider implications for Britain's coinage.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Some vending operators deposit their money into a bank
0:24:36 > 0:24:39via a cash centre. So, if this coin can be accepted by a validator,
0:24:39 > 0:24:43it would generally be accepted as a genuine coin in a sorting machine,
0:24:43 > 0:24:47so they won't be able to take them out of circulation.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50It's thought that there are hundreds of thousands
0:24:50 > 0:24:53of fake £2 coins in circulation.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55But with the latest fakes able to fool a machine,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58can they also fool consumers?
0:24:58 > 0:25:00It's a normal £2 coin, isn't it?
0:25:00 > 0:25:04It looks like the genuine article. A normal £2 coin.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06If you're walking the streets
0:25:06 > 0:25:09and you're exchanging this very quickly,
0:25:09 > 0:25:14- you wouldn't know the difference. - It's the same weight, I think.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17If someone came in and gave me this as a £2,
0:25:17 > 0:25:21I'd think it was an actual £2 and accept it, yeah.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23This is dangerous, actually.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Fake Britain wanted to know
0:25:25 > 0:25:29what the experts make of the new high-end £2 fakes.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34We arranged for Andy to take it to the Goldsmiths' Company,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36an assay office in the heart of London
0:25:36 > 0:25:41that's tested and hallmarked precious metals for nearly seven centuries.
0:25:43 > 0:25:48Every year, they check and approve a selection of Britain's coinage.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Goldsmiths' Dave Merry is here to analyse Andy's fake £2 coin.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56- Been a busy man, by the look of it! - We have, yes.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01- This is one we found last week which is of a much better quality.- Yeah.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03It's been accepted by most of the vending machines.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06Blooming hell, you can see why, on that.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10Dave Merry's immediately impressed by the look of the coin,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13but you can also tell a lot about a coin by how much it weighs.
0:26:13 > 0:26:18So, Dave puts the fake £2 coin to the test, using his scales.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25The Royal Mint's published weight for a genuine £2 coin is 12g.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28We've just weighed the counterfeit one
0:26:28 > 0:26:30and, again, we're getting a reading of 12g.
0:26:30 > 0:26:36It's remarkably close to a genuine Royal Mint coin.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42The weight of the fake £2 coin matches that of a real one,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44but Dave wants to know exactly what the fake is made of
0:26:44 > 0:26:47and, to do that, he'll have to X-ray it.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50The great thing about this bit of kit is it will give you
0:26:50 > 0:26:53a readout and percentages of all those different elements
0:26:53 > 0:26:56that go to make up a coin.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59A genuine £2 coin is bimetallic,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02meaning it's made up of two different copper-nickel alloy metals.
0:27:02 > 0:27:07This makes the outer rim gold and the inner part bright silver.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11The bimetallic feature was introduced by the Royal Mint
0:27:11 > 0:27:14to make it harder for the fakers to copy coins.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20First, Dave shows us the composition of the inner part of a genuine coin.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24It's just over 70% copper and nearly 30% nickel.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Now, how about the composition of the fake?
0:27:31 > 0:27:36We can see, straightaway, we've got 68% copper, 31% nickel
0:27:36 > 0:27:38and there's a trace element of iron in there.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41This is a very good fake.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45The figures look much closer
0:27:45 > 0:27:48than I've seen previously for other fake coins.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51That coincides with what we've seen with the validators,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53where it's been accepted by some of the validators,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56so it would seem that the metal content is, obviously,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58fairly close to that of a genuine coin.
0:27:58 > 0:28:04The outer yellow ring of a genuine £2 coin also contains the metal zinc.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08The fakers have even managed to get that into their fake.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11We've got nickel, copper and 14.2% zinc,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14so we've got the added element there now,
0:28:14 > 0:28:17which wasn't in the middle part, which is the zinc.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19So, a really good-quality fake.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22All the figures are fairly close to that of a genuine coin.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24Yeah, very, very close.
0:28:24 > 0:28:29The fakers have cracked the Royal Mint's bimetallic safety measures.
0:28:29 > 0:28:30If experts are having difficulty,
0:28:30 > 0:28:34consumers have got no hope of being able to tell the difference.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37We showed the results of our tests on the fake £2 coin
0:28:37 > 0:28:42to Robert Matthews, a former Assay Master of the Royal Mint.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46This is certainly the best £2 counterfeit that I've seen.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Robert's concerned about the implications
0:28:50 > 0:28:54of the huge amount of effort that's gone into this fake £2 coin.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59It is worrying that this counterfeit and the alloys used
0:28:59 > 0:29:01point to a sophistication
0:29:01 > 0:29:06which tends to point towards organised crime being used.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08Once organised crime is starting to get involved,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11we are going to have more and more of a problem.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13We reported our discovery
0:29:13 > 0:29:17of this sophisticated fake £2 coin to the Royal Mint.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19They told us they...
0:29:24 > 0:29:27They also told us that forgers would require...
0:29:33 > 0:29:39Difficult to produce, but they are being produced in their thousands.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43Recently, over 550,000 bimetallic euro coins were seized
0:29:43 > 0:29:46in the port of Naples on the way from Shanghai.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50Experts are worried that shipments of similar £2 fakes
0:29:50 > 0:29:53could be arriving on our shores.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57The £2 counterfeiting is entering a new stage
0:29:57 > 0:30:01and this should be tackled now, whether it means changing the coin.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03We need to be thinking seriously now
0:30:03 > 0:30:06about how to increase the security of the £2 coin.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Coming up, we go back in time to see the fake collectible coins
0:30:11 > 0:30:14that are also duping members of the public.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26Children's chairs are hugely popular, especially when they feature
0:30:26 > 0:30:30favourite film and cartoon characters like this one.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32They're in homes up and down the country,
0:30:32 > 0:30:36but you wouldn't want your child to settle down
0:30:36 > 0:30:38and watch TV or read a book in this.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Safety claims on the chair's label are fake.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45This could put your home and family in danger.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48The authorities have been battling for years
0:30:48 > 0:30:53to take dangerous furniture with fake fire safety labels out of shops.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57Furniture like this puts homes and lives at risk.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00But now the fakers are targeting children
0:31:00 > 0:31:02with colourful but dangerous chairs
0:31:02 > 0:31:05that fail to meet flammability standards.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09Phil Soderquest and his team from Northumberland Trading Standards
0:31:09 > 0:31:13have made worrying discoveries during recent raids of local shops.
0:31:13 > 0:31:18Here we have the chairs that we have actually seized to date.
0:31:18 > 0:31:23We have Peppa Pig, there are various coverings here from Toy Story,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26all intended to be attractive for smaller children,
0:31:26 > 0:31:28young children within the household.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30They give the customer the impression
0:31:30 > 0:31:32that they are a genuine product
0:31:32 > 0:31:35when, in reality, they are a fake product.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39Phil's team discovered some obvious flaws
0:31:39 > 0:31:41with these fake children's chairs.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44There were no manufacturer's details or batch numbers on the labels.
0:31:44 > 0:31:49It would be a legal requirement for that batch number to be present.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51We can then identify from the batch number,
0:31:51 > 0:31:55the exact location, date, it was manufactured.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58But, within this particular label, there is no provision or inclusion
0:31:58 > 0:32:01of the information regarding the batch itself.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03So, we would view this label to be illegal
0:32:03 > 0:32:06when fitted to this piece of furniture.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09Northumberland Trading Standards were concerned
0:32:09 > 0:32:13about the safety of the fake chairs, so they sent some for testing.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16But 400 miles further south, on the Isle of Wight,
0:32:16 > 0:32:20Gemma Evans had found a similar children's chair online.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24She planned to buy it for a gift for her two-year-old daughter, Abigail.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28I was pregnant again
0:32:28 > 0:32:32and so I wanted Abigail to have a special something for her.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34I saw the chair online
0:32:34 > 0:32:37and it looked like a really pretty little armchair.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41It looked comfortable and sweet and pink, which she loves.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45Gemma went ahead and bought the chair for £40.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49But the chair that arrived wasn't what she'd expected.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52The material doesn't fit very well.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56All the wading up here is very lumpy and bumpy
0:32:56 > 0:33:02and it just doesn't fit the chair at all and it's all quite loose here.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05The picture on the internet shows Minnie Mouse there
0:33:05 > 0:33:08and a lovely design but it's all cut...
0:33:08 > 0:33:12Like, the main Minnie Mouse picture there is all cut off.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14And on closer inspection,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Gemma became concerned about the safety of the chair.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19When I first opened it up,
0:33:19 > 0:33:24I straightaway noticed all the staples that are down here
0:33:24 > 0:33:29that are exposed, all the way across the top, both sides.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31If she was to get something in there,
0:33:31 > 0:33:34she could pull one of those out and cut herself.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36They shouldn't be exposed like that.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40And on the arms of the chair here, there's hardly any padding at all.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44It's really hard and if she was to fall against that,
0:33:44 > 0:33:47she'd hurt herself quite a lot, I think.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53Back at Northumberland Trading Standards,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56further tests had revealed that the safety claims
0:33:56 > 0:33:59on the labels of the chairs they'd seized were fake.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01Whilst the labels honestly stated
0:34:01 > 0:34:04that the cover fabric was not match-resistant,
0:34:04 > 0:34:07they claimed the chairs were safe from fire,
0:34:07 > 0:34:09due to the presence of an interliner.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13It states that it meets the requirements
0:34:13 > 0:34:15of the 1988 safety regulations
0:34:15 > 0:34:18by inclusion of a fire-resistant interliner.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22An interliner is a specific product,
0:34:22 > 0:34:26manufactured to be flame-retardant to reduce the spread of flame.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30When we peel back the layers on this chair itself,
0:34:30 > 0:34:32you'll see there is no interliner present
0:34:32 > 0:34:34in the construction of this chair.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40Concerned about the lack of interliner beneath the cover fabric,
0:34:40 > 0:34:43Trading Standards decided to carry out the standard match test
0:34:43 > 0:34:48that furniture has to pass to meet the UK's legal fire regulations.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50After setting the chair alight,
0:34:50 > 0:34:53the flames should self-extinguish within two minutes.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59One minute in, the fire has taken hold.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03This is a very worrying event in that the outer material,
0:35:03 > 0:35:06the cover fabric itself is not flame-retardant.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10It supports combustion. That combustion leads to a major fire.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14Two minutes in, and then beyond the legal time limit,
0:35:14 > 0:35:18the flames continue to rage out of control.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20The manufacturers have clearly disregarded
0:35:20 > 0:35:23all of the safety requirements in producing furniture
0:35:23 > 0:35:27and we can quite clearly see the consequences here from this.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29This has become a very significant fire
0:35:29 > 0:35:31which could have been in anybody's house
0:35:31 > 0:35:35because the manufacturer's have placed counterfeit goods
0:35:35 > 0:35:39on the market and are putting lives at risk by doing so.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43We showed the results of Trading Standards' tests
0:35:43 > 0:35:45on their fake sofas to Gemma Evans,
0:35:45 > 0:35:49who'd bought a similar fake chair for her two-year-old daughter, Abigail.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51Oh, my goodness.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59I can't believe that it just went up so quickly.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03In just two minutes, gone, that's it, nothing left,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06nothing at all, just wire mesh.
0:36:06 > 0:36:12I feel really angry that I've been lied to, basically.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15I feel sick to my stomach that that's in my house
0:36:15 > 0:36:19and that she could be sat on that chair and anything could happen,
0:36:19 > 0:36:23that she's in that danger with just a simple armchair.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27As Trading Standards continue to investigate
0:36:27 > 0:36:29the source of their fake chairs,
0:36:29 > 0:36:33Gemma has her own plans for her daughter's fake.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36The more I think about the chair, the more I want it out of my house.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38I hate it now. I just want it out.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47Earlier, we saw how sophisticated fake £2 coins
0:36:47 > 0:36:50are fooling consumers and experts alike.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55This is certainly the best £2 counterfeit that I've seen.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59But the fakers aren't just targeting modern coins.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02Now they're cashing in on collectible coins.
0:37:02 > 0:37:07Famous finds like the Staffordshire gold hoard in 2009,
0:37:07 > 0:37:09and a recent discovery of ancient coinage,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12worth over half a million pounds, in Buckinghamshire,
0:37:12 > 0:37:15have reignited interest in collectible coins.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18Avid collector Richard thought he'd found
0:37:18 > 0:37:21a rare Celtic coin for sale online.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25The coin itself is about 2,000 years old,
0:37:25 > 0:37:29made about 50 years either side of the birth of Christ.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31I didn't know the dealer
0:37:31 > 0:37:35but he'd sold 2,000 coins previously on eBay,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38so he was obviously an experienced dealer.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43Richard went ahead and spent over £300 for the coin,
0:37:43 > 0:37:46which was advertised as ancient Celtic.
0:37:46 > 0:37:51But on closer inspection, Richard realised something was wrong.
0:37:51 > 0:37:56When I got my viewing glass out, I looked very carefully and in detail.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59There was a sort of unevenness
0:37:59 > 0:38:03and the suggestion of one or two bubbles in places.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07I was absolutely convinced it was a fake.
0:38:08 > 0:38:09So, he sent the coin off
0:38:09 > 0:38:13to one of the UK's leading experts in Celtic coinage.
0:38:15 > 0:38:20The expert said the coin had very poor detail.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23He said that the colour of the gold was unconvincing
0:38:23 > 0:38:27and there were a few very small scratches.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29He said that the scratches looked recent
0:38:29 > 0:38:33and were designed to look like plough scratches.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36So, everything was wrong.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40Fortunately, Richard eventually got his money back.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44But one of Britain's leading coin dealers, Nigel Mills,
0:38:44 > 0:38:46knows of others who haven't been so lucky.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50As a representative of the coin industry's trade body,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53the British Numismatic Trade Association, or BNTA,
0:38:53 > 0:38:57he's concerned about the growing number of fake collectible coins
0:38:57 > 0:38:59now being sold on the internet.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01I think the collecting market
0:39:01 > 0:39:04is having a real issue with fakes online
0:39:04 > 0:39:08because you close down one website and another two spring up.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12Nigel patrols the internet to hunt down sellers
0:39:12 > 0:39:15of fake collectible coins and shares his evidence
0:39:15 > 0:39:18with the auction sites that the fakers are using.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21There's quite a few coins on this site that are suspect
0:39:21 > 0:39:24and it's one of the sites that we are monitoring at the moment.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27We've seen quite a few fakes being sold on here.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31It's not long before Nigel finds a suspect Roman coin
0:39:31 > 0:39:36that's advertised as dating from around 200 AD.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39This looks like a fake of a silver denarius of Commodus.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42It's got all the signs of being a modern reproduction.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46You've got a raised pimple here, blurry design and no detailing.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54But the fakers aren't only targeting ancient collectible coins.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58Specialist auctioneers are also finding modern fakes too,
0:39:58 > 0:40:01some supposedly worth thousands of pounds.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Auctioneer Christopher Webb keeps a collection
0:40:04 > 0:40:08of the latest fake coins in what's commonly known as a black museum.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12This is an interesting counterfeit.
0:40:12 > 0:40:17It is a genuine South African Kruger pond of 1898,
0:40:17 > 0:40:21but it has had a false '99 stamped on the bottom,
0:40:21 > 0:40:23which is a very rare issue.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27An original would be £32,000.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30This forgery is only worth about £250.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34But the biggest number of fakes seem to be coming from the Far East
0:40:34 > 0:40:37and even low-value items are being targeted,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39like this Victorian half crown.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44A genuine one is not particularly valuable.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47Possibly, in this condition, £20 or £30.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49Here we have a Chinese copy.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53The detail on the forgery is really quite good.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57The forgers have managed to replicate even the patina,
0:40:57 > 0:40:59the colour of the old coin.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03With fake coins like this mainly being sold online,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06Fake Britain wanted to see how easy it was to get hold of one.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12We found this silver denarius, listed as being from around 200 AD,
0:41:12 > 0:41:16and took it back to Roman coin specialist Nigel Mills.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20I don't like the overall colour and, in fact,
0:41:20 > 0:41:23this particular coin has been chemically treated,
0:41:23 > 0:41:27subjected to dirt being applied into the recesses of the detail
0:41:27 > 0:41:31to make out that it's a recent find. Very clever.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34It would fool a lot of people but I have no hesitation
0:41:34 > 0:41:37in suggesting that this is a modern forgery.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43But it's when the coin is weighed that its true nature is confirmed.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47Roman denarii are very precise in their weight,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50so this should be around 3.1 grams.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55And it's light. It's nearly 2.8 grams.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58It is 10% lighter than it should be. That would not be the case.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03And when a genuine Roman denarius coin is put alongside the fake,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06the differences are clear to see.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08Comparing the coins side by side,
0:42:08 > 0:42:10you can clearly see the difference in quality,
0:42:10 > 0:42:12particularly on the beard and the hairlines.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15They're much sharper on the genuine example.
0:42:16 > 0:42:21If you bought this coin, you'd be spending good money on bad.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24For a genuine Caracalla denarius, in this quality,
0:42:24 > 0:42:26you'd expect to pay £35 to £40.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30This forgery is only worth £1 as a novelty item.
0:42:31 > 0:42:36Nigel has some words of advice for collectors buying coins online.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38The best thing to do is to either go to a coin show
0:42:38 > 0:42:42where you'll see a whole selection of dealers selling products,
0:42:42 > 0:42:45or go to a British Numismatic Trade Association dealer
0:42:45 > 0:42:48and see what the originals look like and then you can compare them
0:42:48 > 0:42:51to the items that you've found online, but do be careful.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.