Modern Replicas
The purpose of this page is to alert consumers of fantasy tokens that deceptive sellers often pawn off as being genuine, rare, gold, or valuable.  All of those pictured on this page do NOT have any gold whatsoever in them.  Most are NOT even gold-plated. They are either solid brass or non-gold plated pot metal.  All shown are worth small amounts and should not be confused with the real deal. Please ask questions before you buy. It’s easy!

If you have recently purchased one of these for more than a few dollars, request your money back from the seller. If it is too late for a refund, then you will have to chalk it up and learn from it. You failed to follow one of the golden rules – investigate BEFORE you invest. This is one of the main reasons we offer our FREE professional advice. Some dealers charge for professional advice.  We do not.

California fractional gold fractionals and tokens are wonderful pieces of Western Americana history. You should have the base knowledge of what to look for before venturing into this incredibly fascinating numismatic area. It’s no different than any other investment or collecting venture. Knowledge is key to understanding what to look for and buy.

Caution. Recent replica 1909 Alaska tokens have been appearing on eBay.  Do NOT confuse these with the real deal. Genuine Alaska gold coins MUST have the word PINCH or DWT on the reverse. The one pictured to the left do not.  Another newbie to hit the market are fake grading slabs. All have NPG across the top. NPG does not even exist. These deceptive sellers buy plastic holders off the retail market and place these official-looking tags in them to pawn them off as certified genuine. If you see NPG – don’t buy. We highly recommend PCGS, NGC, ICG, or ANACS. Oldwestgold is an officially authorized PCGS and NGC dealer. Both require vetting to be registered as one.