There has been an increase in deliberately faked relics by crooks (what else can you call them?) who sell to the unwary collector. I have seen bogus Civil War items on internet auctions, antique stores, and flea markets. Unfortunately, some people who have been burned by fakes get discouraged and quit the hobby. Our first line of defense is knowledge. Buying from people who are knowledgeable and who guarantee their relics is a good strategy for the serious collector.

I have come across some items that hopefully will help others in identifying them for what they are - fakes.  Feel free to contact me with other examples. I plan to keep this page as more information turns up. I will be adding examples of fraudulent relics in the following weeks. Please don't hesitate to contact the police if a case can be made against the perpetrators of deliberate fraud. 

1) Dan who is a serious collector of Civil War relics bought some buttons from a seller on ebay. The buttons initially looked good from the pictures posted but when he received them, they looked and felt suspicious. Dan said that  the buttons were cast from a button mold from real buttons. This guy on ebay has been confronted by angry buyers that the buttons are fake but he refuses to refund any money.  He is still selling his fakes on ebay with the description "lack of info" as part of the scam.

Note the strange patina that appears to be a burnt color on the buttons. The metal color is all wrong for authentic Civil War buttons.  You can tell that the patina has been artificially made to give that aged look.

Back of the buttons are wrong with modern solder on back around some of the shanks. Backs and shanks are the hardest things to fake in bogus buttons. The back of the CSA button  is a Waterbury back mark which is a Yankee company - that button back was taken from a  post war button and transferred to the front of the fake face. It helps to invest in some excellent reference books such as Tice's Uniform Buttons of the United States and Albert's Record of American Uniform Historical Buttons. Also beware of stories that a elderly lady found Confederate buttons in attic. Some of the stories are just to hook the 'mark' in thinking that they are getting a bargain.

2) A friend of mine bought these fake Civil War bullets at a flea market. The dealer told him that they were dug by him. In the picture below, a repro bullet had been fired in the ground - next to it is a genuine bullet. Note the shiny metal surface on the repro bullet compared to the white patina of the real artifact. Some crooks have tried to fake this patina by burying it in the ground. A simple test is to put the bullet in a cup of water and let it sit for several hours. The white patina on bogus bullets will simply wipe off easily. In the second photo, bullets were cast in a mold and artificially made to look old.  Note the crude mold seam down the bullet from head to bottom.  The mold seam even runs down so-called fired bullets. The lead probably came from tire balancing lead weights. The dirty looking patina easily rubs off.

3) A long time customer sent me this CS Tongue plate that he acquired on ebay. He won the bid with $150 which he thought was a bargain but it turned out to be bust because it is bogus. He says that greed overcame his better judgement in this matter. Note the patina that flakes away with a fingernail. The loop has been sawed open to look like it had been broken. The back is even more incriminating. The letters CB is stamped on the back and the date 1865 stamped on it with uneven numbers. Even though it cost only $150, it is still an expensive lesson for the unwary. Knowledge is everything in the collecting field. 

4) Another customer sent me this cartridge box that he bought at a relic show. He thought it was a good deal.  A man approached him and asked him if he wanted to buy it. The man claimed that he needed the money to buy something else. The price was only $175 and he thought at the time that it was a great deal. Unfortunately, the cartridge box was an reenactor box, possibly made during the Civil War Centenial (1961 - 1965). The leather appeared to be well used but there are many points that tell the collector that it is not a Civil War relic.

First of all, the holes for the box plate is not in the middle of the cartridge box. It appears to have three holes which eliminates a box plate plus the holes are too close together for a buckle.

The buckles are silver and are the wrong shape. The cartridge box finial appears old but also is the wrong shape. Compare the two with actual dug examples and you would immediately know that something is dishonest with this cartridge box. 

Maker's stamp is also in the wrong place and unreadable. The stitching on the back is irregular. Details are important in determining if an item is a real relic or a fake. Also, information can be helpful on buying a Civil War cartridge box which can be obtained from relic books.

5)  Who wouldn't want a pair of non dug Confederate Navy Buttons? The buttons have nice detail on their faces with gilt. 

They look great until you inspect the back marks.

The back marks are Morry Luxenburg, London. Note the shallow detail on the back marks. These buttons were made from original button dies in London during the Civil War Bicentennial. Unfortunately, some are being passed off as authentic Confederate Civil War buttons. Always verify if the back marks are correct. The best way to to do it is by checking Record of American Uniform And Historical Buttons by Alphaeus H. Albert, Uniform Buttons Of The United States 1776-1865 by Warren K. Tice, and American Military Button Makers and Dealers: Their Backmarks & Dates by William F. McGuinn and Bruce S. Bazelon. Making an investment in good reference books is money well spent if collecting buttons.

I will be adding more examples in the following weeks. Remember to stay alert to details.