The_Collector Posted March 23 · Member Share Posted March 23 Normally my specialty is in Flavian coins so I stick to those but I recently got these two denarii in two lots and have my suspicions. The Marcus weighs 2.8 grams and the Septimius weighs 2.6 grams. What do you all think? Thank you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAZ Numismatics Posted March 23 · Member Share Posted March 23 The weights are on the low side, and the surfaces don't look struck. Do you see any evidence of seams on the edges? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsyas Mike Posted March 23 · Member Share Posted March 23 They look okay to me - weights on both Septimius Severus and M. Aurelius denarii vary quite a bit. The surfaces on the SS do look a bit pitted which could be the sign of a cast, but in my very inexpert opinion, it doesn't really look like a cast. In any case, the MARS PATER type is a favorite of mine - it was the very first ancient I ever owned, bought back in 1987. I recently came across another one and got that too. This does not seem to be particularly common type, at least compared to other SS types. Both of mine weight 3.2 grams. From 1987: From 2022: What you might do is look for a die-match. This tends to allay worries about fakes for me. My 1987 example matches these: Die-Match Obv. and Rev.: Kunst Historisches Mus.Wien (OCRE example) Inventory no RÖ 35846; Object number ID 118318 Die-Match Reverse: VAuctions Auct. 269; Lot 140; 08.09.2011 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted March 23 · Supporter Share Posted March 23 Those weights are pretty healthy for corroded Severan denarii. They can also look quite soft when corroded. But I can see why you're suspicious, especially the Aurelius. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrefn Posted March 23 · Supporter Share Posted March 23 All the following is my opinion only: The style of the portraits, especially the Septimius Severus, are good. They appear to be of the period. This would not rule out a pressed die taken from a genuine coin, the product of which would be a struck fake and thus have no seam on the edge. I would look closely at the small cracks on the edges of the flans. Do they appear natural? The surfaces of the coins are oddly stippled, and the inscriptions are mushy. Overall, I am somewhat skeptical as to their genuineness. But I am very interested to hear the opinion of others on this board, who possess more expertise than I have with coins of this type. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Collector Posted March 23 · Member Author Share Posted March 23 Thank you all for some of the feedback I looked at the edges and there don’t seem to be any seems and on the MA there look to be natural cracks and it’s so thin on one side there could not be a sprue or seem. For the SS there doesn’t seem to be a seem either. I’ve attached some photos of the edges please excuse my fingers in the pictures haha. The first 4 are the SS and the rest are the MA. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romismatist Posted March 24 · Member Share Posted March 24 The style of both coins and their edges look ok to me. I think they're authentic but worn specimens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrZun Posted March 24 · Member Share Posted March 24 You can also see some flow lines in both Coins, in the Aurelius one is even easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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