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 Replies: 24 / Views: 3,042 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
549 Posts |
I think it genuine. The style is just right and it is a very common type.
The mintmark is from Rome: RBP, which RIC attributes to 330-331.
RIC Rome 335.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Another 'ancients' victim !Come and join in with us, in the group therapy sessions, here in the CCF.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1045 Posts |
I agree with Augustus, genuine
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3444 Posts |
I reserve judgement .....
It could be real
Or it may be one of the high quality fakes which have appeared in the past ten years.
Thirty years ago it was not even a question. No one bothered to fake a common Constantine AE as they could be had for a few dollars apiece ! But now they are being 'salted' into uncleaned lots and the quality is frighteningly good !
Two things I see which may be important.
A) The portrait is unusually good - almost lifelike rather than the cartoonish image which became common from Diocletian onwards.
B) The patination is of a type which can be faked.
I don't know whether it is genuine or not ! The problem with these types is that it usually costs more money to authenticate the coin than the initial price paid for the coin ! Then add the fact that if the type is being salted into uncleaned lots of coins you will get more than a few "believers" who feel certain it is genuine.
The forgeries are getting better everyday ! At least if the portrait of Constantine had a beard and moustache we could be fairly certain that something was not right !
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1790 Posts |
I agree with FR  That said, I do hope that it is genuine. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
579 Posts |
The bust looks to be of similar style to this one here: http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1643463Personally, I think it looks fine. Additionally, I trust LDRC. While he does generally focus on modern coins he has a good knowledge base for ancients and if he does feel he is outside of his knowledge base he will ask the opinion of experienced ancient collectors on another forum I frequent. However, if you do have a doubt the coin is authentic I am sure Matt at LDRC wouldn't be opposed to refunding the purchase. |
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
629 Posts |
1.- I think that is a genuine ancient coin. It was cleaned and has lost his "patina".
2.- the mint mark is RBP (ROMA BEATA, officina PRIMA), is a very inusual mint mark.
3.- Probably it was repatinated, but the small fractures on the neck are very difficult to reproduce.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4971 Posts |
i'll throw my hat in the genuine ring, I didn't think it looked a bit strange when I first saw it...but there are some with that style (WB coin). LD coins is trustworthy, so no worries there.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Genuine or not, I am wondering if Renwax has been used.
Is there any safe way to see if that is the case?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3444 Posts |
I am better than 90% sure it is real too ! It's that stubborn remaining doubt though that bugs me ...... I like a like bit of 'dirt' or other sort of "green boogers" on my ancient bronzes. Gives me a sense of security (perhaps false) that the item is a genuine relic of a far away time. The knock off Constantines I have seen on ebay France over the past few years have made me a bit wary. I think it is real ...... but I wouldn't bet a 'grand' on it. |
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Valued Member
United States
129 Posts |
Aside from the portrait quality and patination mentioned by FR, what other features about this coin are causing questions about its authenticity? Or are those the only two reasons? Trying to learn since I've just purchased a few more LRBs myself.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
I've enhanced the images a bit. I think the coin is genuine, but when it was cleaned the original patina was removed and this patina was applied. You can see different color sheen's that I wouldn't normally expect to see on an original patina.   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
949 Posts |
This coin is rather typical of the late Roman small bronzes that were coming out of the Balkans in the late 1990s. Their look comes from the way they were mass processed for market. I remember seeing these by the thousands, literally, in large plastic bags stacked up on luggage carts being peddled at coin shows. I even bought groups of 100 myself from time to time. Except for repatination, they were overwhelmingly genuine.
Though I am new to this list, please permit an observation. I have seen this elsewhere. When someone comes to the list who is new to ancients and excited about an early purchase (for them) I would urge a bit of restraint in voicing suspicions about what they show. Solid evidence is one thing, but expressing doubts based on the "feel" of it, or having a hunch, or having gotten burned once - those thoughts might be better at another time, if at all. Chances are this coin cost $20-30 for a first touch of the 4th century. Lambasting it on the basis of suspicions will not serve anyone very well, and will look discouraging to the newbie. The guy took a leap out of his normal comfort zone and came here for support and encouragement, not suspicion and doubt. So unless you really KNOW what you are talking about, leave the newbie critique to those with better knowledge. FWIW
Let them enjoy their moment.
For my part I envy him this coin. It has nice detail and the mintmark type is uncommon. I have a couple hundred GE reverse coins, but few from Rome and none from Rome as well preserved. This coin is desirable.
Edited by lrbguy
04/13/2015 09:08 am
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
@ Irbguy: . In addition: I have about a dozen LRB's (Late Roman Bronzes), and this one is consistent with the general style of those in my collection. The sheen in this coin seems to me to be consistent with the application of Renwax. If an ancient coin requires some intensive cleaning after recovery, as this one may have required, I have little objection to an artificial patina being applied, that also protects the coin, and can make the surviving details more easily discernable. Such treatment would never be acceptable with a modern coin, except one that had been direct soil buried, and would also need treatment. This is a situation that metal detectorists are often faced with, be the coins they find be modern or ancient. |
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
629 Posts |
I have more than five hundreds "LRB", and about the half are "Constantine and his family" coins; only 4 of them are clearly "RB#" mint mark...
I think that it was a very interesting purchase, not common as Irbguy says...
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Replies: 24 / Views: 3,042 |
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Posted 03/29/2015 03:23 am
