The "Yuan Datou" counterfeiting method in the third year of the Republic of China:

1. Silver quality: To identify the authenticity of silver coins, we first start with identifying the authenticity of silver. Silver has atomic number 47 and element symbol Ag. It is not easily oxidized and has good flexibility. The luster of real silver is soft and white. The higher the fineness of silver, the whiter its luster. Real silver coins will shine white after cleaning. The hardness of silver coins is low. When two silver coins are rubbed against each other, they will feel oily and there will be no sound of metal knocking (except for foreign silver coins or uneven silver coins).

Fake silver coins are made of steel, copper and lead, aluminum and tin, or metal powder and cement. Their color is dark and dull. Fake silver coins will become "ugly" after being burned with fire, including broken, deformed, and scattered. Real silver coins will not deform or mute when burned, and will be white and shiny after cleaning. Fake silver coins will turn yellow, blue, black or gray after cleaning. Identifying silver quality is the prerequisite for collecting silver coins.

2. Listening: Use the tips of your thumb and index finger to press the center of the silver dollar, or use your middle finger to support the middle of the silver dollar, and hit it with another silver dollar. The sound that sounds clear and soft is the real silver dollar. The high-pitched sound is the counterfeit currency made of steel, the hoarse sound is the counterfeit currency made of copper-tin alloy, the dull sound is the counterfeit currency made of silver-coated copper stuffing, and the silent one is the counterfeit currency made of metal powder and cement.

3. Pattern: There is a layer of silver oxide on the surface of handed down silver coins, which is often called patina. The patina mainly includes light black, light gray, light orange and millet shell color.

The patina produced by rubbing it with shoe polish and grilling it over a wax fire is a heavy black color that is easily identifiable at a glance. Identifying patina is an effective way to identify silver coins.

4. Edge teeth: There are secret marks on the front of the coins minted in the third year of the Republic of China, and they are consistent. The inner teeth on the front are one thick and one thin.

The inner teeth of counterfeit coins are not standard or have no markings.

5. Rust: Real silver coins are white and translucent, soft and malleable. When struck, the sound is crisp and pleasant, the layout is smooth, the edges are well-proportioned, natural and generous, and there are traces of circulation wear. Silver coins stored at home have a hard and fine ancient black color, while those buried underground will have some irregular hard green rust.

The forged black and green rust will fade away after being soaked in boiling water, making it easy to distinguish. ?

6. Font: The front of the third year of the Republic of China edition shows a profile of Yuan Shikai, with "Three Years of the Republic of China" listed above. There is no word "zao" after the word "年", and other year editions have the word "zao" after the word "year". There is a "dot" in the word "民" in the three-year version, but there is no "dot" in the word "民" in the other years' version.

Some of the counterfeit coins forged in the early years had the word "made" added after the word "three years"; in addition, if there is no dot next to the word "民" in the three-year version of the Republic of China, it is basically a forgery.