Cliché forgery

A cliché forgery is a type of counterfeit coin (a subtype of fourrée) produced using a genuine coin to impress a design into silver foil. The resulting obverse and reverse impressions are then soldered together around a copper or other metal core. This type of forgery is particularly suitable to the manufacture of small, thin coins. Counterfeits of this type have been found both from Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages.^[1] Unlike most fourrée coins, the technique does not require a press and counterfeit dies in order to manufacture the forgeries.

Etymology

Since a single coin is used to make multiple counterfeits it is analogous to a stereotype or cliché printing plate. The term "cliché" is used in French numismatics works to refer to a (thin) electrotype copy of a coin or medal with the sides displayed separately so that they can both be seen at once.^[2]

Cliché pair

A cliché is also a pair of thin blanks struck in a press with a mated pair of dies. They are used as proof impressions for the artist. Like many proofs, however, these have become desirable in themselves, and are acquired by museums specifically to allow the display of both sides of a coin or medal at once.^[3]

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