Friday, January 19, 2007

The Most expensive fakes in the world

In this week’s newsletter we take a look at some of the most expensive fakes in the world. Even though these items are fakes, they still remain extremely valuable and have become rare collectables due to their fame! Come and play spot the real 'McCoy' with us


Most expensive fake coin in the world – $250,000


A Deka or not, it’s still so expensive, it’s priceless. When the Carchemish-hoard, buried in 425 B.C., was discovered it contained more than 3000 coins and also 15 Athenian Dekadrachms. Some of the Dekas came in possession of the Classic Numismatic Group (CNG), a world renowned ancient coin seller. When trying to establish the authenticity of one of the coins, it was revealed that the coin was in fact, a fake. After numerous tests by the International Bureau for the Suppression of Counterfeit Coins to be certain, a ‘condemnation-certificate’ was issued. This awarded the Deka with the title of most expensive fake coin ever!


Most expensive fake wine bottles - Over $100,000 each


A toast to forged wine bottles! In 1985 more than a dozen of vintage wine bottles were found in a walled-up cellar in Paris. Four of the bottles; a 1784 and 1787 Château Lafite, and a 1784 and 1787 Château Branne-Mouton, were bought by a billionaire wine collector in Florida. When the Boston Museum of Fine Arts asked the billionaire wine collector to prove the authenticity of the four bottles, a team of former intelligence agents, wine and glass experts, and even a nuclear physicist, concluded that all the bottles apart from the 1787 Lafite were fakes. This made the bottles the most expensive fake bottles of wine in history.


Most expensive fake painting – Value unknown, estimated to be well over $1 million


A painting with quite a story! Known as one of the most dramatic art scams in history, was the forgery of a Vermeer painting by H. van Meegeren, an average Dutch artist. In 1937 a respectable art historian was approached by a lawyer who claimed to be the trustee of a Dutch family estate, and was asked to take a look at a painting. The art historian quickly disputed its authenticity after a short examination, and labeled it a fake. The scam created such a stir in the art world that its fame has made it one of the most expensive fake paintings today! Apparently this is not the only valuable forgery created by H. van Meegeren.


The Messiah - $20 million


Playing a false note? The most celebrated Stradivarius violin in the world was allegedly found fake, after a conservator of musical instruments at the Metropolitan Museum had a close look at it. Although this was never proved, the American Violin Association hasn’t disapproved the allegations either, generating doubts whether the violin is real or fake. The Messiah is one of the most valuable Stradivarius violins because it has never been used in a performance and still in mint condition. All extremely admiring if it is indeed the real McCoy?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

if this french artist sells only one of his paintings, he becomes the most expensive painter in history :
http://www.billionairepainting.com

Click here to get FREE coupons for eyeglasses, contact lenses, and sunglasses!