The best way to ensure you are no buying a fake is to research your topic of interest before you buy a coin.
That's one of the taglines in our coin club here "Buy the book, buy the coin."
There are literally thousands of books out there starting with very broad overviews and diving right down to some extremely specific information. Arm yourself with knowledge first, and I much prefer buying coins in hand than over the internet (at least the really expensive ones!) and you will definitely cut down on the amount of fake and reproduction coins you purchase.
I would be happy to help you find some books to start with! (Hello, I am ElleKitty, and welcome to the Table!)
Researching is no chore when you are reading about coins.
