Never thought I'd do this, but I bought a reproduction

[ValiantKnight]

I never had any interest in acquiring any reproductions (being sold as such, as opposed to fakes designed to fool, although obviously I'm not interested in those either). But I saw this really nice and well-made reproduction of the portrait coin type of Charlemagne (which was struck 812-814 AD). The weight is about right (it’s .999 silver) and so is the diameter, and the style is close IMO. Since I won't be getting a real one anytime soon, this will have to do. But I very much like it. The seller had a toned option for it, but I wanted it shiny white, to see how a genuine one might have looked when brand new.

Photo of a genuine one (photo from Library of Congress website):

Has anyone else bought reproductions of any ancient or medieval coin type whether because they looked nice and/or just to use as a placeholder? Please feel free to share!

 

Edited October 15, 2022 by ValiantKnight

[Al Kowsky]

I have intentionally bought a number of fakes & fantasies because they are good tools to learn from 😉. I have also been duped on a number of fakes over a collecting span of 60 years 😏. My favorite forgery is pictured below, it was made by the world's most famous forger, Carl Wilhelm Becker.

 

 

[Roman Collector]

Slavei repro ...



I'll never own a real one. 

Edited October 15, 2022 by Roman Collector

[wittwolff]

Not exactly ancient or medieval but here a thing I did lately: I normally only collect coins and medals minted under the reign of the ruler they are depicting but when a ruler rules so short that nearly no items are issued in his name I have a gap in my collection. This was the case with my collection of the french monarchy so I bought this later made medal to fill the gap of King Francois II.

I will have to do a similar thing with Queen Jane of England once I see a fitting medal for a good price. Adding a reproduction of a coin or a fantasy coin is not really my thing.

[JayAg47]

I can only dream of owning an ancient owl in 'pristine' conditions, but also didn't want to spend thousands on such a common coin, so this hunk of a silver round made up for the gap. It was produced by Intaglio Mint, they actually struck these coins in high relief by placing each blanks by hand, copying the original details as much as possible rather than adding their own inputs, which made it look more authentic (other than the micro stamp of purity under the owl's leg, which actually is not distracting). I have seen modern replicas of these owl, Alexander, and Syracuse tetradrachms with right size and weight as their ancient counterparts, made with good silver that they almost look ancient. But I wouldn't feel comfortable having those, so a hefty round like this overcomes the problem of having an imposter in my collection. 

And my actual coin next to it in it's humble condition. 

And one big chunk of a copper portraying the She-wolf. Made by the Unione Italiana Di Riassicurazione, a reinsurance company. Weighing at 55 grams, this hefty medal dwarfs the actual follis! I got it for the depiction of Lupa Capitolina on a large canvas (in metal) without breaking the bank. 

Edited October 15, 2022 by JayAg47

[ominus1]

..i've got a few forgeries and a reproduction or two(on purpose)...right now i'm waiting for a Gordianus ll Africanus($1300-$10,000), which isn't really a real good one, but i think i can take some ideas from Carl Becker to make it lQQk better.. in order to get coins that you'd really like to have, but don't want to sell you home to get, repros's are a a good substitute i think.  my 'year of the 6' will have 4 repros for now..Gordian l & ll probably forever, with a side of Pupienus and Balbinus that i got while looking at auction houses coins  (cause a lot of them shore did lQQk like repros to me)  i found mine by comparision & google)...plus, like the manfaced bull coin repro i got led to me getting 3 authentic ones, so they can kinda be like a good luck charm/placeholder for that type coin :)..

these are the forgeries/repros that i have in my collection at the moment (that i know of for sure:P)..i'll post the GllA when it gets here, maybe today..

[Edessa]

No longer my coin, but I enjoyed having this Grand Tour type object for many years.

ATTICA, Athens. Circa 120's-140's AD. Æ Drachm. Elaborately draped bust of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet with a high crest and decorated on the front with a small head, aegis on shoulder, long spear over left shoulder / AQH, owl seated high within an olive tree, a snake wrapped around the trunk of the tree; on the left stands Poseidon striding right and wielding a trident; on the right stands Athena walking left, raising her right hand and holding a shield on her left arm. Kroll 174; Svoronos pl. 89, 2; SNG Copenhagen -; BMC Attica pg. 98, 707; Laffaille -; Imhoof-Blumer and Gardner, "A Numismatic Commentary on Pausanias," in JHS 1887, pl. Z, Athens II, xi-xiv. Cast forgery from 19th century. This statue group is one of Two groups seen on the Acropolis by the Greek travel writer Pausanias (I. 24, 3-5) who observed: "Athena is represented displaying the olive plant, and Poseidon the wave......" and ".....those on the rear pediment represent the contest for the land between Athena and Poseidon". In Athens and Attica Athena was blessed for the introduction of the olive tree, which she planted on the Acropolis when Poseidon disputed the sovereignty of the land with her. Athena summed the Serpent-bodied King Kekrops as witness and judge as each deity competed to give Attica the best ‘token’ of their divinity that they could offer. Poseidon caused salt-water to spring up by throwing his trident into the ground, while Athena planted the olive tree, demanded and won possession of the land. Poseidon, true to type, took revenge by asking Zeus to smite Erechtheus with lightning and to flood the plain of Eleusis. When Pausanias visited the sanctuary on Acropolis in about AD 160 he would have seen all the reputed relics from this myth, extraordinary even by Greek standards: the sacred olive tree protected by a snake in the androseion, the salt sea-well and the hole in the roof above the trident mark in the Erechtheion and the tomb of Kekrops in the Kekropion.  (See Triton V Jan 2002 Lot 363). This legend placement is actually BMC Attica pg. 99, 710.

[CPK]

My only replica coin:

 

[ominus1]

...ya know, there's kindofa taboo amongst coin collectors when it comes to reproductions/fakes/forgeries....it reminds me of the Shakespearean poem of Cuckoo....><

...O' word of fear....unpleasing to the "collectors" ear'

Edited October 15, 2022 by ominus1

[AncientJoe]

My wife researched and bought me reproductions as a gift before I added genuine examples. It's not hard to say which is more valuable to me from a sentimental perspective!

Edited October 16, 2022 by AncientJoe