Catuvellani Stater in bronze?

[Amarmur]

I couldn't find this one on Wildwinds. I was thinking about getting this one for my collection but I've only seen this type in gold. Is it a fake maybe? 

[John Conduitt]

Where is it for sale?

I would say it’s a fake.
 
It’s possible that it’s a bronze core (so once either plated or struck in gold foil). Those were either contemporary counterfeits or made like that by the official mints.

But I don’t know. The horse is too well struck, centred and preserved, as is the corn beneath whatever that is on top. I’m not even sure the style is right. Even the gold ones don’t look that good. Plus the coin is pretty flat when they are usually more dish shaped. A gold one looking like that would cost £5k.

Edited August 9, 2023 by John Conduitt

[Amarmur]

1 hour ago, John Conduitt said:

Where is it for sale?

I would say it’s a fake.
 
It’s possible that it’s a bronze core (so once either plated or struck in gold foil). Those were either contemporary counterfeits or made like that by the official mints.

But I don’t know. The horse is too well struck, centred and preserved, as is the corn beneath whatever that is on top. I’m not even sure the style is right. Even the gold ones don’t look that good. Plus the coin is pretty flat when they are usually more dish shaped. A gold one looking like that would cost £5k.

I agree. eBay. The seller has ancients but this is the only one he has that looks fishy. His ebay name:mresantiques I didn't think it was real either but it's a surprise because his other stuff looks good.

[Al Kowsky]

I'm familiar with the Trinovantes & Catuvellauni coinage & have never seen a coin like the one in your photo. What is the size & weight of the coin 🤔? It might be an ancient fake as John Conduitt suggests or it could be a modern fantasy. Pictured below is a genuine stater from my collection.

[DCCR]

It's an interesting one. Overall the style is ok, the strike and reverse detail are as expected (on great coins of course), and these later coins could be quite flat compared to the earlier ones. The damage to the M on the obverse looks a bit fake though. 

It's a Class 7c Arc Stem from dies 74/127 which has one known example. Unfortunately there are multiple examples of this coin so it's not clear which one is the real one (if any of them): The British Museum (CCI 68.0371 card 1; unfortunately not in their online collection), Baldwins (CCI 68.0371 card 2), Colchester Musem (CCI 68.0371 card 3), SNC April 1977 (CCI 68.0371 card 4), Spinks 1990 (CCI 68.0371 card 6), and a modern AR forgery (CCI 62.0026). The coin you posted is identical to those so it's a modern forgery.  It's possibly a reproduction made to sell in museum shops.

There are other coins listed with the same obverse die but different reverses some of which are real (for example CCI 14.0930) and some which seem to be fake (for example CCI 04.0602). This one (CCI 14.0930) is a genuine one from the same obverse but from the next reverse die:

 

 

Here's mine for fun (not sure which dies):

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by DCCR

[Amarmur]

Fantastic research thanks for saving me from buying a forgery!