@decomposed,
With respect, I beg to differ, there have been counterfeits of PMs.
The most recent one I can recall reading in the news was a Asian gentleman bought a piece of gold from a bank. IIRC he was in a pawn biz. After opening the package, he felt something was wrong. Sure enough, it was counterfeit.
And the bank he got it from would not take it back.
IIRC, that was in Canada.
And, I would not be able to recognize a real PM vs one of those late night informercial, or back of a gun magazine commemorative coins.
Someone offers me a coin, I am going to ask, “What else ya got to trade?”