Three men were detained in Linyi, Shandong Province for making 160,000 fake 1-yuan coins, local media reported on Sunday.

The suspects had bought 180,000 yuan ($28,782) in equipment and materials for the counterfeit operation.

However, the fumbling forgers had only purchased enough to produce 160,000 yuan in coins - a total 20,000 yuan less than their initial investment, local news portal iqilu.com reported.

One of the suspects, surnamed Qian, 36, ran the counterfeiting ring with a game token stamper he had purchased in Shanghai.

He then convinced his cousin and a friend, surnamed Xu, to join the operation. 

Local police seized the equipment and the remaining 4,850 coins before the trio had a chance to recoup their costs, the report noted.

iqilu.com