BULLION BARS AND COINS
Kangaroo Minted Gold Bars are being targeted by counterfeiters and
forgers. Last month we informed you how to avoid being duped by fake bars in
look-a-like black cards.
See: Don't Get Duped By Fake Minted Bars
This time we've discovered an equally brazen facsimile of a 1oz Kangaroo
Minted Gold Bar in a green card. Here are some valuable tips to ensure you're
not fooled by this blatant rip-off.
Background
Kangaroo Minted Gold Bars issued by The Perth Mint have evolved over time.
The main design has remained consistent since the 5g bar was launched in
2009 with our official LBMA stamp (a swan motif surrounded by the words THE
PERTH MINT AUSTRALIA) above the bar's weight and purity. Originally, the back
of each bar was plain, but in 2010 we added a pattern of stylized kangaroos,
which remains in force today.
There have been three generations of security cards, including the
black-coloured version featuring a swan 'water mark' (refer to earlier blog
post).
The original green card featured the CertiCard® logo and the
words SECURITY CASE on the front under the blister. These cards housed Minted
Bars with plain and adorned backs, which when illuminated under a Wood (UV)
lamp revealed the words SEAL INTACT. (See example).
Issued from 2013, the second green card featured different security
technology. Reflecting this, the front of each card displayed the words 'The
Perth Mint tamper-evident card'. On the back, the bar number was preceded by
the letter 'A'.
Like today's black card, the word VOID is repeated around the edge of the
blister if this card has been prized opened.
How to identify the latest fake
The latest fake to come to our attention purports to be a 1oz bar in an
original green security card. Photographed in our office today, it is highly
convincing.
However, compare the line CertiCard® SECURITY CASE on the front
of the fake with the publicity product image below and you'll notice this
counterfeiter has failed to align the text accurately, with the words forming
a slight arc. (Having purchased this fake, you'd have been extremely
disappointed to discover that the UV sensitive message does not exist!)
The visible likeness of the bars and packaging indicates that
counterfeiters are becoming increasingly sophisticated and unwary buyers
could be falling into their trap more readily.
As we've urged before, there is only one way to eliminate the risk
entirely: purchase your Kangaroo Minted Gold Bars directly from The Perth
Mint or an approved Perth Mint distributor - listed here.
