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 Replies: 21 / Views: 2,870 |
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Valued Member
 United States
77 Posts |
For the record, I just weighed mine and it was 4.5 grams.
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Pillar of the Community
3772 Posts |
4.5 grams is the right weight for a Solidus of that time.
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
201 Posts |
Assuming there genuine I think you both done very well for $300.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
I am NOT saying this one is a fake, but if you wish to check it, the best and cheapest test would be X Ray Florescence analysis. This test does not damage the coin in any way. It examines ALL elements present in the surface of the coin. Lots of of modern fakes of ancient coins are done in modern coin gold, which is usually a 'pure' alloy in fixed proportions of gold and copper. The ancients were not able to control the purity of the naturally occurring trace elements in their gold coins; they just went for controlling the purity of the gold and adding copper to the alloy. It is those trace elements that XRF can reveal, which are not present in modern coin gold. Earlier Byzantine solidii had little or no deliberately added copper or silver to the alloy. Silver or copper was added in later times to make a man made 'electumm' alloy. In appearance a pale gold or a very coppery looking gold was the result. Some ancient gold alloy coins as blanks, had their surface treated with acid to leach out copper from the surface, before striking. This treatment increased the purity of the gold in the surface only, and gave the coin a richer appearance. Trace elements however, can still be found by XRF. Any modern bullion gold coin dealer worth his salt should have an XRF testing instrument. I dunno if TPG'ers would have an XRF instrument or not; modern coins are usually their 'thing'. There is only about $180 worth of gold in a coin of 4.5 grammes in weight, so at a sale price of $300, a reasonable profit can still be made by an unscrupulous coin faker. Edited by sel_69l
12/03/2014 10:48 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
870 Posts |
There is an example of a fake die of this type on FORVM but I don't see any actual fake examples this type. They obviously exist since there is a fake die.
The die in question is not a match for this coin. It looks OK to me though I'm by no means an authority. I think you did well.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4971 Posts |
man, if that's real you did very well. congrats on a lovely coin.
maybe in the future, if you're in good with the dealer, he would let you take pics and weight it in the store, that way you can check it out before you buy. post pics here, check out the fake coin reports at forum...stuff like that.
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Pillar of the Community
New Zealand
526 Posts |
I've always fancied getting into the ancients, and that looks like a great coin. Trusting it comes out as genuine
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Pillar of the Community
1121 Posts |
I am no good at telling 'fakes' from 'real' coins unless I can read WPL in modern script on it somewhere, but having said that,
should he be worried about the 'flaking' on the wreath at the top of the reverse?
Edited by Topcat7
12/04/2014 01:40 am
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Pillar of the Community
1121 Posts |
(sorry - forgot) WELCOME to Ancients --  |
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Pillar of the Community
1121 Posts |
Quote:
What are some things to look for if it's not real? Does the seller/dealer have the word 'Gallery' in his name? |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
I can't see anything wrong with this coin from the pictures provided. (style looks OK in this case but lots of fakes are picked this way).
So how do you pick an excellent but suspicious fake?
1. XRF test
2. style (see above)
3. weight
4. cross check for identical coins on the forgery sites
5. unknown obverse / reverse combination
6. check the edge closely with a loupe for evidence of a join
7. check for a verifiable provenance, not just the seller's explanation
8. check the radial flan cracks around the edge of the coin; cast coins cannot accurately reproduce inside the cracks for obvious signs of metal distress inside the crack area
9. buy from a dealer of the highest experience and reputation, who has a vested interest to protect that reputation, and who has the professional staff to back it up.
That is why I suggested XRF testing. In this case, it would be the most telling and rigorous although points 7 and 9 should always be followed for high value coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Sel knows that he talking about. Outwardly I would say you got a good deal. Its a nice coin, but...but...but...your first ancient coin is technically not ancient but medieval but that's a debate for a different thread. Great piece.
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Pillar of the Community
New Zealand
526 Posts |
Quote:
Ancientnoob - Outwardly I would say you got a good deal. Its a nice coin, but...but...but...your first ancient coin is technically not ancient but medieval but that's a debate for a different thread Just as a matter of interest to a noob to ancients/medievals. Where does one stop and the other start? Is it a year or type change? |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5417 Posts |
@Bass S Warwick: The technical definition for ancient is anything that is 2000 or more years old. I believe the definition for Ancient when referring to coins is anything minted pre-476 AD; the fall of the Western Roman empire. Of course, the eastern roman empire (aka the byzantine empire) continued to exists until it fell to the Ottoman's in 1453 AD.
Edited by zxcccxz
12/04/2014 8:05 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
@ Bass- ZXCCCXZ spelled it out. It all depends on the school of thought and where you are in the world. There is no date really. For all intensive purposes you coin is ancient, or at least vintage in the extreme.
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Replies: 21 / Views: 2,870 |
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Posted 12/03/2014 7:30 pm
