Help Identifying And Buying Coins!

Thank you for the replies guys,

I took the pictures myself, the seller has a small antiques shop in my country, doesn't seem to know too much about coins.

I took the owl coin to a jeweler next door and it weighed 16.82 grams, not sure if that's how much it should weigh because I still don't know what year it belongs to, there have been several coins with owls and from what I've seen each with a different price, can anyone help me with the ID on the correct year?

I also can't seem to find the other coins, although I will edit the first one as I have the reverse duplicated without the front side

The third coin with Tyche closely resembles this bronze from Tyre:



Attribution of this coin: Phoenicia, Tyre. Dated Year 238, 112/113 AD. AE 19mm (5.39 gm).

The first coin resembles a tetradrachm from Thasos, Thrace. One side depicts Dionysos, the other Heracles. It's another relatively expensive coin that needs a guarantee of authenticity.



Attribution: ISLANDS of THRACE, Thasos - tetradrachm 168-148 BC. Wreathed head of young Dionysos right)(Herakles standing facing, head left, holding club, lion skin draped over left arm, M to inner left. 32 mm, 16,90 gram.


OK, I better understand about the pictures now--I'm sorry to jump to conclusions. The weight is a little low, but within the range of coins I've seen. Dating of these is done by style, and based on what I can see--the date might be 431-393 BC. It's still hard to say much about the coin from the pictures.

Coin #4 is similar to this one. But I can't be sure about the Emperor. There are several with this type reverse.

Severus Alexander, 13 March 222 - March 235 A.D. Caesarea, Cappadocia
Mount Argaeus on altar.

I found the 4th coin, seems to be this one although the one I found is in a much better condition, looks like a good buy for $50.

http://www.acsearch.info/search.htm...fr=1&it=1#16

The large pictures of the first coin help a lot--thanks! This coin could be one of three possibilities: a genuine tetradrachm struck in Athens, a contemporary "imitative" type, struck in another region where these coins circulated, or a modern copy.

While I'm not an expert on these coins, but after studying numerous examples, I believe these coins shared some stylistic rules. Today, we don't think of art as having "rules," but in the ancient world of Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia etc. these rules were very important to their identity, culture and religion. Below, I've compared a few possible "rules" I've observed on every Athens owl tetradrachm I've seen to details on your coin.

Firstly, compare where the crest meets the helmet on the example I've provided below. You will see that every strand of the crest begins with a "bead"--this is true for every Athens tetradrachm I've seen. On your coin, these beads are absent. Secondly, take a look at how the olive sprig "floats" on the reverse of your coin. On coins I've seen, a single stem continues to the edge of the flan, even on the well-centered example I've provided below.

Based on what I can see, I don't believe this coin was struck in Athens. It's not so much the rougher details as this varies a lot from coin to coin, but it's the omission of specific stylistic elements that has me concerned. Another option may be the coin is an "imitative" owl tetradrachm, struck in ancient times by another city to take advantage of their popularity for trade. Again, I lack the expertise to tell an imitative coin from a modern copy. I would strongly suggest posting the coin to this forum and get a more qualified opinion than mine. Good luck!

I'm pretty sure the "LIBERALITAS" coin is a fake. The design is that of a silver denarius of Geta as Caesar, but that coin clearly isn't silver.

Frankly, I'd be worried about the authenticity of all of them. Lebanon is not a country where genuine ancient coins are readily obtainable legally.

Roy777, I just did a lot of research before buying an Athens Tetradrachm. If you would like resources or a list of recommended sellers, send me an email by clicking this icon above my post.