Hayward man for allegedly passing counterfeit coins

By By Peter Hegarty Staff Writer

Publication: Contra Costa Times (California)

Date: Thursday, October 15 2009

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The scam seems discovery-proof and puts coin dealers on edge.

Here’s how it works: Take a valuable coin, cut it along the edge so that it’s split front and back, then attach one of the pieces to another cut from a different coin.

The idea is to mix mint and year marks to create coins

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that appear more valuable.

It worked at least once for suspect Roberto Blas Rodriguez, 32, police said, netting him $75,000 from an Alameda coin dealer during a single transaction.

Patrol officers arrested Rodriguez Oct. 7 after he returned to The Silver Baron on Park Street to allegedly sell more of the vintage Morgan silver dollars.

The Hayward resident was booked on suspicion of burglary and violating trademark law. He is currently free on $45,000 bail.

“We are not sure where the coins were doctored,” Alameda police detective Lorenzo Graham said. “It could have been in China. But it also could have been somewhere in the United States.”

The investigation that culminated with the arrest of Rodriguez began last month, when the U.S. Secret Service contacted Alameda police to get background on a residential burglary that took place last year.

Coins stolen during that burglary ended up at a Fremont jewelry store, which offered them for sale online.

The actual owner of the coins, however, discovered the sale while surfing the Internet and notified authorities.

While jewelry store employees did not face charges they thought they had acquired the coins legitimately Fremont investigators arrested two men on suspicion of fencing the items at the business.

One of them was a family member of Rodriguez, Graham said.

Along with seeking background on the burglary, the secret service tipped off Alameda police that someone may be passing altered coins at local businesses, Graham said.

“The coins that I purchased appeared to be very high grade,” said Larry Bovo, owner of the Silver Baron.

The Morgan dollars were encased individually in sealed plastic “capsules” with a notice from Professional Coin Grading Service, an organization that authenticates and grades rare and valuable coins.

Investigators suspect the grading numbers sealed inside the containers were also fake.

Morgan silver dollars were minted from 1878 to 1904, as well as in 1921, and each can now sometimes sell for thousands of dollars.

“They were in capsules that appeared to be genuine and from the P.C.G.S, the top grading service in the country,” Bovo said about the coins he purchased Oct. 1.

Bovo contacted police when he became suspicious of the items, Graham said.

Police arrested Rodriguez after he returned to the store to allegedly sell more coins.

Steve Suzio, an owner of the Oakland Coin & Jewelry Exchange on Broadway, said he knew about the altered coin scam.

“There’s been reports about it,” Suzio said. “It seems that they’re also manufacturing the plastic cases for the coins and then taking them on the open market. It’s something dealers need to be aware of when someone offers to sell them what appear to be valuable coins.”

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