My top 11 forgeries 2024, only old fakes

[Amentia]

I know that it the collectors here are mainly interested in authentic coins but maybe this can be still interesting, especially because they are from modern hand cut dies so there is some art involved and the youngest ones are the Utmanzai fakes from the 1940s and Itanos fakes of 1960s

The frist 4 are struck fakes by Caprara (not 100% sure if the Samos is struck and not cast) and they are published in "The Caprara Forgeries, P. Kinns, London/Basel 1984"  there number 50 (Nikomedes), number 57 (Samos), number 77 (Velia) and last number 85 (Epirus).

Interestingly the Nikomedes was listed this year as authentic in Navville auctions, I notified them and they corrected description to Caprara forgery but got outbid, some months later it was offered again bthe Thecoincabinet again as authentic I agin notified them and it was corrected and this time I was the highest bidder.

In BM is a cast of my coin and this cast was used for the plate in Kinns book  and I have now the original struck one.

Next one is the Christodoulos forgery imitating an Amphipolis tetradrachm, I had already one but the price was good so now I have two.

C. Christodoulos et les faussaires d'Athnes von J. N. Svoronos, Athen 1922, there fake number 61

Amphipolis: The Civic Coinage in Silver and Gold von Catherine C. Lorber, Los Angeles 1990, dort Bildtafel XXVII fake F18a

The Audoleon fake has a good pedigree, it ws sold by Peus as fake, the pedigree is Adolph Hess Nachfolger  Auktion 207 1. Dezember 1931 lot 294

Now the 2 Utmanzai fakes, one of these seems to be unpublised so far, the other one is published in "Utmanzai Coins" von Hugh Shortt in, The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society, Vol. 3, 1963" there number 30 same die flaw

"Utmanzai Coins" von Hugh Shortt in, The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society, Vol. 3, 1963,

https://www.jstor.org/stable/42662479

More about these fakes

The art of deception: perspectives on the problem of fakery in Gandhāran numismatics von Shailen Bhandare

https://www.academia.edu/79813794/The_art_of_deception_perspectives_on_the_problem_of_fakery_in_Gandhāran_numismatics

The next fake is a renaissance forgery/fantasy, depicting Publius Decius Mus.

The style the choosen persons fits very well for Gian Giacomo Bonzagni, who made fantasy pieces of important persons of the Roman Republic. I have not find this coin anywhere published.  I have already 2 coins which are from this artist and with this one 3 that could be from him. More about such renaissance forgeries and artists can be found here

All'antica: Die Paduaner und die Faszination der Antike, by Michael Matzke, Regenstauf 2018

Next one is a renaissance medal by Cesati, one of these medals is shown on a painting about coin and medal collecting from about 1645.

François Lemaire (attributed), Jean Warin instructing the Young Louis XIV in the appreciation of medals (ca.1645) (with later additions), oil on canvas.

The painting can be seen here

https://robertwellington.com/2018/11/02/jean-warin-teaching-the-young-louis-xiv-history-by-medals/

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Anonimo,_jean_warin_mostra_un'antica_medaglia_a_luigi_XIV_fanciullo,_musee_de_la_monnaye,_parigi.jpg

The reverse of my medal is attributed to Cesati and fits well to this artist in

All'antica: Die Paduaner und die Faszination der Antike, by Michael Matzke, Regenstauf 2018

Last but not least the Itanos fake, they appeared very often in auctions in bronze and silver and there is even an hybrid known (this obverse die but reverse die of Athens).

These fakes were already published in

Monnaies Crètoises Fausses, RBN 117 (1971)

http://www.numisbel.be/1971_M.pdf

 

 

 

 

[CPK]

Interesting! I have a few replicas, and a fake EID MAR denarius that I carry as a pocket piece. I would love to add a genuine Paduan, or a BM electrotype, to my collection someday.

[ominus1]

...i have a few i bought on purpose and most likely have a few in my 'what i think is legit' collection i don't know about yet...these two by the master Karl Becker are my favorites...:)

[JAZ Numismatics]

Very interesting indeed. I was afraid to click on this thread because I thought I'd find a bunch of coins that were indistinguishable from their authentic counterparts. Looking closely at the images, however, I can see that I would have rejected all of the coins but two for questionable style and fabric (or outright strangeness as in the case of the Renaissance medals). Those two are Utmanzai fakes (I have less experience with Indo-Greek issues). So thank you for the links. It behooves every serious collector not to shy away from fakes, but to study them closely.

Edited December 11, 2024 by JAZ Numismatics

[NewStyleKing]

We folks will seem to collect anything!

[velarfricative]

That Utmanzai Hermaios is extremely rare, I don't think I've ever seen one for sale; very fun forgery. Recently CNG very nearly sold a drachm version of that, #32 in the Utmanzai paper:

[Deinomenid]

One of my most beautiful coins is a modern forgery, and one I  had to go through all the stages of denial before accepting. In this case @Amentia was the one who fed me my "reality medicine". To my shame, at one stage I even blurted out "But it is so lovely!"

MACEDON. Neapolis. Circa 424-350 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 13 mm, 1.71 g, 12 h). Facing gorgoneion with protruding tongue. Rev. N-E-O-Π Head of the nymph of Neapolis to right, her hair coiled around her head and with a bun at the back. AMNG III/2, 12. HGC 3.1, 588. SNG ANS 430 ff. SNG Copenhagen 228. A beautifully toned piece of excellent style. Minor flan faults on the obverse, otherwise, extremely fine.

A very recently acquired  Becker - though I am still not able to accurately tell if these are re-reproductions. The seller swore it was pre-1914... Hill's version next to it.

 

 

Here's a fake of a Becker, sold by Roma  in  its April 2024 closeout sale. Sold as a genuine Becker, oh the irony. I bought it knowing, so no complaint.

 

And one bought for study (in the words of Bertolami!) as an ex-LAC genuine coin with clear issues at 4 o clock on the cut off leg and at 8 towards the edge of the flan.

Sicily, Syracuse, c. 415-405 BC. AR Litra R/ Octopus VERY RARE
c. 415-405 BC. AR Litra (9mm, 0.78g, 12h). Helmeted head of Athena facing three-quarters l. R/ Octopus. Rizzo, pl. 47, n. 4; HGC 2, 1380. Very Rare, minor roughness on obv.,

I have several lovely very old casts of Cesati bought as such, and a poor fake of Cesati (Roma again) but this is the one closest to what  I believe is of the time, and regardless it is a beautiful piece in hand.

Priam, King of Troy. Cast Æ Medal 39 mm. 41.3 gm. By Alessandro Cesati 'Il Grechetto' (fl. 1538-1564). Obv: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ · ΠΡΙΑΜΟΣ ·, diademed and draped bust of Priam right, wearing long beard. Rev: TROIA, view of the walled city Troy, showing numerous temples and buildings; the citadel in upper center with wall inscribed ΙΛΙΟΝ; shore with Greek soldiers and galleys in water. Attwood 941. Kress 539 = NG 420.

 

 

[Amentia]

There are Zinnabschläge (tin strikes) made from Becker dies, and the Metapontum fake is one of these.

These tin strikes were likely made after Becker´s death, after his dead his wife married again a man called Seidenstricker and he made tin strikes with the dies and sold them.

Tin is very soft, you can scratch it on rim with your nail and no I do not tell you to damage your coin!

1911 he sold the dies to the Museum in Saalburg, from there they went to coin cabinet in Berlin.

It is clear that the seller is correct, that Metapontum tin strike is older than 1914, because no more tin strikes were made after 1911!

The original Becker fakes in silver are more precious but caution there are sadly cast fakes of Becker fogeries and they are of course not really valueable!

The Münzkabinett in Berlin has digitalized many of the Becker dies and bought documents and tools of Becker.

https://smb.museum-digital.de/object/151429

 

PS: The best fakes are the ones, where it is not clear if they are actually fake and the very best fakes are the coins which are actually authentic but wrongly condemned.

Edited December 11, 2024 by Amentia

[Sulla80]

@Amentia great to see you in this forum.  Thanks for your post with references.  Here's a coin that I am certain is copy and I wonder why anyone would expend the effort for this particular coin.

[Curtisimo]

Very interesting post @Amentia. Thanks for sharing!

[AncientJoe]

6 hours ago, Deinomenid said:

MACEDON. Neapolis. Circa 424-350 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 13 mm, 1.71 g, 12 h). Facing gorgoneion with protruding tongue. Rev. N-E-O-Π Head of the nymph of Neapolis to right, her hair coiled around her head and with a bun at the back. AMNG III/2, 12. HGC 3.1, 588. SNG ANS 430 ff. SNG Copenhagen 228. A beautifully toned piece of excellent style. Minor flan faults on the obverse, otherwise, extremely fine.

That is a real loss! Such a shame that it was condemned as it is a piece of art.

Very glad to have you on these forums, @Amentia! And your new pedigreed fakes are especially educational to see.

[-monolith-]

It seems like ancient forgers made copies of just about everything. I just purchased this Mysia, Kyzikos (Cyzicus) fourree of an AR Obol (10.50 mm , 0.7g). Who in the world would make a fake copy of such a small coin? This coin type (with the odd markings on the boars shoulder) does not exist. 

 

 

[Amentia]

@ Sulla80

Silver value is maybe 3 Dollar, the sale price of the fake more than 30 Dollars and casting is easy and fast.

I found a twin in my fake folder.

 

 

[Sulla80]

32 minutes ago, Amentia said:

@ Sulla80

Silver value is maybe 3 Dollar, the sale price of the fake more than 30 Dollars and casting is easy and fast.

I found a twin in my fake folder.

 

 

Yes - I guess the return on investment is good 🙂

[Amentia]

The old fakes are part of time history and are interesting if you are interested in this time and in art. I like especially fantasy types like the Cicero coin (one of these mention in a letter from 1585), where Sicilians are thanking him for his help. They created coin types, that they thought should or could exist. 

Another interesting aspect is that die links (hybrids) can help to spot fakes that were considered authentic by experts (Gnecchi and BM experts) for a long time till nowadays. Notified them but no reaction.

There is for example no authentic RIC 112 coin of Vitellius, they do not exist, the one shown there, which is in BM is a renaissance forgery, these fakes are known at least since  1767. Because on of these is shown in the book "Ad Numismata Imperatorum Romanorum Aurea Et Argentea A Vaillantio Edita, A Cl. Baldinio Aucta Ex Solius Austriæ Utriusque, Iisque Aliquibus Museis Subplementum A Julio Caes. Ad Comnenos Se Porrigens, Josef Khell von Khellburg, 1767". The one from the book is now in the Hunter Coin Cabinet in Glasgow, Hunter bought it. The curators had and still have doubts about the authenticity of their specimen due to the legend error A VITELLIVS GER IMP AVG P M T P P instead of A VITELLIVS GER IMP AVG P M TR P.

I have a hybrid from same obverse die but with a Nero reverse. Interestingly the BM has a Nero fake with the same reverse as my coin listed as renaissance fake.

These Nero fake is therefore even more interesting if we consider that the fprgery Luigi Cigoi must have sawn on of these and thought they are authentic and made a fake of it. my specimen was wrongly descibed by 2 auction houses as Cigoi fake becasue Cigoi made a fake of this typ and they did not realize that he tried to copy one of these renaissance fantasy not knowing that they are fake. Why renaissance fake?  Becasue it fits to other renaissance forgeries that they copied coin design/types that existed only for Sesterti and Dupondi on Denarii.

Here my post about these fake in BM still listed as authentic and the RIC number 112 still not deleted.

 

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=131785.msg793776#msg793776

 

Below the description of my fake in German.

Region:

Prägestätte:

Datierung: Römische Kaiserzeit

Münzherr: Vitellius

Dargestellte/r: Vitellius

Nominal: Denar

Material: Silber

Vorderseite: A VITELLIVS GER IMP AVG P M TP P, Kopf des Vitellius mit Lorberkranz nach rechts

Rückseite: DECVR, Kaiser (Nero) zu Pferd in Rüstung mit Lanze, hinter und vor ihm sind Soldaten mit Rüstung, Schilden und Speeren

Unterschiede zu echten Stücken: Avers Legendenfehler, P M TP P statt P M TR P, absurder Hybrid Avers Vitellius und Revers Nero. Der Vitellius Aversstempel existiert mit 3 Reversstempeln, mit Victoria (BM+Glasgow), DECVR (mein Exemplar) und Mars? (Princton). Die Reversdarstellungen scheinen von Bronzen wie Sesterzen, Dupondii oder Assen kopiert worden zu sein aber als solche nicht bei Denaren zu existieren. Den Nero gibt es in Bronze und der ist als solcher verdammt durch BM, IAPN und Cohen.

 

Gewicht:

Durchmesser:

Stempelstellung: 6 Uhr

Literatur:

Richtige Vitelliius Stempelkombination im BM als echt, Erwebsdatum 1799

 

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-10256

 

https://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.1(2).vit.112

Richtige Vitellius Stempelkombination im Hunterian Museum in Glasgow als mögliche antike oder moderne Fälschung, Schenkung Dr William Hunter 1783

 

https://www.gla.ac.uk/collections/#/details?irn=83653&catType=C&referrer=/results&q=vitellius

 

Roman Imperial Coins in The Hunter Coin Cabinet, Vol. 1 - Augustus To Nerva, Anne S. Robertson, Glasgow 1962, Seite cviii (108) und Bildtafel 30 dort Nummer 19

 

Genau das Stück welches sich heute im Hunterian Museum in Glasgow befindet wurde in folgendem Buch von 1767 abgebildet und beschrieben

 

Ad Numismata Imperatorum Romanorum Aurea Et Argentea A Vaillantio Edita, A Cl. Baldinio Aucta Ex Solius Austriæ Utriusque, Iisque Aliquibus Museis Subplementum A Julio Caes. Ad Comnenos Se Porrigens, Josef Khell von Khellburg, 1767

Seite 31 Bild und 32 Beschreibung

https://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/id/PPN653888783?tify=%7B%22pages%22%3A%5B53%5D%2C%22pan%22%3A%7B%22x%22%3A0.429%2C%22y%22%3A0.701%7D%2C%22view%22%3A%22export%22%2C%22zoom%22%3A0.634%7D

 

Richtige Vitelliius Stempelkombination in Gnecchi als echt

I medaglioni romani. Vol. III Bronzo. Pt. 2 Moduli minori ; Pt. 3 Medaglioni del senato  descr. ed illustr. da Francesco Gnecchi, Seite 10 Beschreibung und Tafel 142 Nummer 9

 

Vitellius andere Stempelkombination, Princton Universität

https://catalog.princeton.edu/catalog/coin-16642

 

Nero als Fälschung, richtige Stempelkombination

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_1975-0904-1

https://iapn-coins.org/product/nero-54-68-sestertius-6/

Nero als echt

Brüder Egger Wien Römische Münzen Sammlung eines bekannten Wiener Amateurs ; die öffentliche Versteigerung findet statt 14. April 1913 und folgende Tage (Katalog Nr. 43)  Wien, 1913, Seite 23 Los 443 und Bildtafel VII Nummer 443

The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Numismatic Society, Akerman John Yonge, Vol VIII. April 1845-January 1846, Seite 120 Nero

The twelve Caesars (Julius to Domitian), Morris Robert, La Grange Kentucky 1877

Bildtafel “coins of Nero” Nummer 5 und Bildtafel “coins of Vitellius” Nummer 3

 

 

 

[Amentia]

Some of my other renaissance and very old fakes with descriptions and references in German (I think that translateing is not really necessary for understanding).

Gian Giacomo Bonzagni

Region:

Prägestätte:

Datierung: Römische Republik

Münzherr: Scipio Africanus

Dargestellte/r:

Nominal: Denar

Material: Silber

Vorderseite: SIPIO AFRICANVS, behelmter Kopf nach rechts

Rückseite: AFRICHA RECEPTA, Pferdekopf nach rechts

Unterschiede zu echten Stücken:

Gewicht:

Durchmesser:

Stempelstellung: 6 Uhr

Literatur:All'antica - Die Paduaner and die Faszination der Antike, Hrsg. Michael Matzke, Regenstauf 2018 dort Seite 282

All'antica - Die Paduaner and die Faszination der Antike, Hrsg. Michael Matzke, Regenstauf 2018 dort Seite 77, eine davon war im Amerbach Kabinett, Rochefort Erwerbsliste N.97

Gian Giacomo Bonzagni

Region:

Prägestätte:

Datierung: Römische Republik

Münzherr: Scipio Africanus

Dargestellte/r:

Nominal: Denar

Material: Silber

Vorderseite: SIPIO AFRICANVS, behelmter Kopf nach rechts

Rückseite: AFRICHA RECEPTA, Pferdekopf nach rechts

Unterschiede zu echten Stücken:

Gewicht:

Durchmesser:

Stempelstellung: 6 Uhr

Literatur:All'antica - Die Paduaner and die Faszination der Antike, Hrsg. Michael Matzke, Regenstauf 2018 dort Seite 282

All'antica - Die Paduaner and die Faszination der Antike, Hrsg. Michael Matzke, Regenstauf 2018 dort Seite 77, eine davon war im Amerbach Kabinett, Rochefort Erwerbsliste N.97

 

Valterio Belli, dessen Werkstatt oder Nachfolger

Region:

Prägestätte:

Datierung: Römische Republik

Münzherr:

Dargestellte/r: Julius Caesar

Nominal: Denar

Material: Silber

Vorderseite: DIVI • IVLI, Kopf von Julius Caesar mit Lorbeerkranz nach rechts, hinter ihm Lituus

Rückseite: MAR VIC, Julius Caesar nach rechts sitzend, Füllhorn und Victoria in der Hand; rechts Mars stehend auf einem verzierten Altar

Unterschiede zu echten Stücken:

Gewicht:

Durchmesser:

Stempelstellung: 6 Uhr

Literatur:All'antica- Die Paduaner and die Faszination der Antike, Hrsg. Michael Matzke, Regenstauf 2018 dort Seite 261

Bollettino di Numismatica - Monografia 4.II.1, Milano, Civiche raccolte numismatiche. Le medaglie del secolo XVI, Cesare Johnson - Rodolfo Martini, 1988 Seite 51 und Nummer 765 (dort Belli zugeschrieben)

Le medaglie italiane del XVI secolo, Giuseppe Toderi und Fiorenza Vannel, Florenz 2000 Seite 341 und Nummer 1013 (dort als „Padova, ANONIME“)

 

 

 

[Amentia]

More

Vittore Gambello

Region:

Prägestätte:

Datierung: Römische Kaiserzeit

Münzherr: Nero

Dargestellte/r: Nero

Nominal: Denar

Material: Silber

Vorderseite: IMP NERO CIAVD CAESAR AVG GERM TR P  IIII P P, Kopf des Nero mit Lorberkranz nach rechts

Rückseite: S C, Genius, stehend, Kopf nach links, opfert aus einer Patera über einem brennenden Altar und hält ein Füllhorn

Unterschiede zu echten Stücken:

Gewicht:

Durchmesser:

Stempelstellung: 6 Uhr

Literatur:"Opvs monetale Cigoi, von L. Brunett, Florenz 1966" dort Avers stempelgleich mit Fälschung 105, welche fälschlicherweise Cigoi zugeschrieben wurde,  periziatori= Gutachter Brand, Seite 16+17

All' antica- Die Paduaner and die Faszination der Antike, Hrsg. Michael Matzke, Regenstauf 2018 dort Seite 302

34

Vittore Gambello

Region:

Prägestätte:

Datierung: Römische Kaiserzeit

Münzherr:

Dargestellte/r: Diva Faustina

Nominal: Denar

Material: Silber

Vorderseite: DIVA FAUSTINA, Büste der Faustina nach rechts

Rückseite: AVGVSTA / S C, Venus mit Apfel in der Rechten und in der Linken Stab/Szepter?

Unterschiede zu echten Stücken:

Gewicht:

Durchmesser:

Stempelstellung: 6 Uhr

Literatur:

Region:

Prägestätte:

Datierung: Römische Republik

Münzherr: Catalina

Dargestellte/r:

Nominal: Denar

Material: Silber

Vorderseite: behelmter Kopf und bärtiger nach rechts

Rückseite: L CATILINA, geflügelter Elefant, vor dem Elefeant Symbol unter dem Elefant Monogramm

Unterschiede zu echten Stücken:

Gewicht:

Durchmesser:

Stempelstellung: 6 Uhr

Literatur:Numismata Antiqua in Tres Partes Divisa. Collegit olim et Aeri Incidi Vivens Curavit Thomas Pembrochiae et Montis Gomerici Comes. (Londini): Prelo demum mandabantur A.D. MDCCXLVI., PEMBROKE, London 1746, dort unter “Artificum quorundam Insigniorum Nummi fictitiu”  Bildtafel P3 T 111

Catalogue of the entire Pembroke collection, of Greek, Roman, English, Scotch, Irish and foreign medieval coins and medals, as published in 1746, 4 to under the following title, "Numismata antiqua in tres partes divisa Collegit olim et aeri incidi vivens curavit Thomas Pembrochiae et Montis Gomerici Comes. Prelo demum mandabantur. A. D. M. D. CCXLVI". Which will be sold by auction by Messrs S. Leigh Sotheby and Co... on Monday 31rst of July 1848, and eleven following days : 31 juillet 184S. Leigh Sotheby, dort Seite 122, Los 556 False Denarii 

https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k3044503w/f9.item

The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Numismatic Society, New Series, Vol. 8 (1868), False Denarii of Labienus and Others, E. H. Bunbury Seite 178

https://www.jstor.org/stable/42680462?seq=1

[Amentia]

The last ones

 

Material: Silber

Vorderseite:  BRVT IMP - L-PLAET-CEST Kopf des Brutus nach rechts

Rückseite: EID-MAR, Pileus zwischen zwei Dolchen

Unterschiede zu echten Stücken:

Gewicht:

Durchmesser:

Stempelstellung: 12 Uhr

Literatur:

Aus Gold als Aureus im British Museum in London, Erwerbsdatum 1825

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_G3-RIG-11

Aus Gold als Aureus im  Hunterian Museum in Glasgow   Schenkung von Dr William Hunter 1783

https://www.gla.ac.uk/collections/#/details?irn=82551&catType=C&referrer=/results&q=aureus

Auch aus Gold befindet sich ein weiteres Exemplar in der goldenen Trinkschale des Humanisten Augustin Kesenbrot aus Olmütz von 1508 im Grünen Gewölbe in Dresden.

Allerdings wurde der Münzbesatz zwischen 1703 und 1752/53 verändert. 1703 hat Wilhelm Ernst Tenzelt „Patrae Aureae Delineatio“ verfasst, dort wird der ursprüngliche Münzbestand der Schale beschrieben und dort ohne Brutus Aureus.

https://skd-online-collection.skd.museum/Details/Index/117332

Prägestätte:

Datierung:

Münzherr:

Dargestellte/r: Marcus Tullius Cicero

Nominal: Denar

Material: Silber

Vorderseite: M. T. CICER-ONI PATRON, Kopf von Cicero mit Lorberkranz nach rechts

Rückseite: VERRE PROSTRATO TRINACRIA, Triskele mit Kopf nach unten dazwischen

Unterschiede zu echten Stücken:

Gewicht:

Durchmesser:

Stempelstellung: 6 Uhr

Literatur:Die Numismatische Bibliothek des Basilius Amerbach, Sammlungen und Sammler. Tagungsband zum 8. Österreichischen Numismatikertag von Andrea Casoli, Klagenfurt 2019

 

https://www.academia.edu/39932491/Die_numismatische_Bibliothek_des_Basilius_Amerbach

 

 

Seite 100 Fußnote 6

 

Brief von Basilius Amerbach an Adolph Occo III datiert 1. Juli 1585

 

«(François Hotman) fügt hinzu, dass Bèze (Théodore de Bèze?)

eine wunderschöne Silbermünze besitze, mit dem Bildnis (von

Cicero) und der Inschrift M TULLIVS CICERO. Auf der anderen

Seite sei ein Dreieck, rund herum die Legende VERRE PRO-

STRATO, und unten die Legende TRINACRIA. Diese Münze sei

zwar alt und sehr geschickt geprägt, jedoch aber – schreibt er

(sc. Hotman) – sei diese beschimpfende Legende suspekt, denn

sie sei bei den Leuten in der Provinz sehr beschimpfend für die

ganze Familie von Verres. Gerne möchte ich bei Gelegenheit

deine Meinung dazu erfahren, denn mir erscheint die Münze

weder alt noch echt, sondern neulich von jemandem erschaffen,

und zwar aus unterschiedlichen Gründen. Auch ich habe einen

Cicero mit demselben Bild und Inschrift, doch auf dem Revers

mit einer Frauenfigur, die der Palladium hält, und der Inschrift

MINERVE. Wer würde denn schon diese Münze für antik halten,

und nicht vielmehr eine Kreation aus den Worten des Plutarch?

Dem brauche ich nichts hinzuzufügen». Mscr. G I 54 fol. 31.

 

[Deinomenid]

4 hours ago, Sulla80 said:

guess the return on investment is good

This part has interested but bemused me. For some of the coins I do not understand the risk. There are occasionally expensive fakes (say $10,000 great rarities to bump it into a high profit per coin category) that can presumably only be offered very occasionally. Even if a skilled forger can make the coin for say $500 - assigning an arbitrary cost to his time researching and making as the silver cost is de minimus- he has (?) to find a middleman to sell to, so say $5k profit. I know that’s a lot of money, and a huge amount of money in some places, but the risk of being caught should be high -follow the money so to speak. I suppose it just means that willingness to enforce the law here is generally extremely low. The BoC (counterfeiting newsletter) ages ago made a huge deal of some counterfeiter being caught, yet I’ve seen nothing since so assume it was a very rare triumph.

I had been hoping it was simply that most criminals badly overestimate in their favour the cost/benefit of their activity- which they do- for example in the total lifetime hourly earnings of a burglar in an economy that could otherwise offer gainful employment and who is choosing it as a profession rather than to fuel the next hour’s needs - but it really looks like the lack of punishment in forgery is the key.

Maybe I’m looking at it the wrong way, as some forgers no doubt get pleasure from their activity or from the “knowledgeable”. And I have no idea of the cost/benefit equations in - say - Pavlikeni.

[Deinomenid]

4 hours ago, Amentia said:

Notified them but no reaction.

I’ve been disappointed here with them in the UK. I can understand occasionally they think I’m a crank and it’s not worth the effort, but the lack of interest is odd even when they are “forced” to consider the possibility. Eg the Ashmolean sale at Noonans. The responsibility was placed on the poor cataloguer rather than the presumed uber-experts at the museum. The lack of curiosity really surprised me.

Edited December 12, 2024 by Deinomenid
Typo

[Sulla80]

One of the few coins that I've intentionally purchased as a fake or fantasy coin is this one:

Oddly, Lepidus looks a lot like Mark Antony to me. 

Mark Antony

Lepidus:

I could not resist the Concordia on the reverse - a favorite from this RR denarius which is from a Lepidus (L. Aemilius Lepidus Paullus) but not the one who was triumvir (M. Aemilius Lepidus) - this coin from the older brother of the triumvir.

Edited December 12, 2024 by Sulla80

[Postvmvs]

I have only one forgery bought as a collectable, a later Becker strike in tin. You are correct to point out how soft the metal is... my example was unfortunately damaged in the post.

The seller photo (evidence of die rust on the reverse?) :

How it arrived

 

[Amentia]

My Becker and Caprara fakes.

My advice is to look for arguments and not opinions, Experts can support their opinion with arguments and not something like "obvious forgery" or "The obverse of this coin looks modern, the reverse looks ok, I´d want to see it in hand, but the photo suggests forgery".

We are all humans and we all make mistakes and we are familiar with different coin types and we have different qualities and talents.

I sadly see it rather pretty often that 100% authentic coins are condemned while fakes get slabbed or get COA.

Only if we know the arguments we can verify them and look if there are logical errors or better arguments for the other side.

So do not ask is it authentic or fake, ask why is it authentic or fake!

 

Edited December 13, 2024 by Amentia

[lim]

That's my opinion, it's better to show fakes here and highlight the criteria by which they were identified. And not just show it.

[Deinomenid]

A couple more 2024 purchases-

Here's a tin strike fantasy  from Becker dies that I now have. Same propensity to dents as @Postvmvs's suffered.

 

Hill, Becker the counterfeiter, 1924, 49 (a pure invention) ;

 

And here is a 2024 buy of a Tumbale silver Akanthos copy, very high quality  in my view!

And the same coin along several hopefully genuine examples.