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 Replies: 14 / Views: 1,405 |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
449 Posts |
Hello! This coin really interested me when I spotted it for sale, I think it could be Greek? If so it will be my first. Would anyone possibly be able to identify it for me and let me know whether you think it is a genuine piece or not? Im sorry, I don't have any sizes or weights.. K8UZDyBQs%2Bdci%21CQ~~60_12.jpg)  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
it looks like....
Euboea
Histiaea.
340-330 B.C. AR Tetrobol.
Obverse: Head of nymph Histiaea r., hair in sphendone.
Reverse: Nymph Histiaea seated r. on stern of galley, ornamented with
uncertain object, holding naval standard.
I would be careful though there are numerous fakes of this coin. I would wait for one of the experts to chime in, before pulling the trigger..
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Valued Member
 United Kingdom
449 Posts |
Thank you! I didnt want to splash any money on it before someone could assure me that it isn't a fake. I'm just a bit concerned about the coppery colour on the coin?
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Valued Member
Canada
472 Posts |
I wouldn't touch it. Many fakes of this type around and this one share their style. The following could be of the same obverse   Edited by Dionysos
11/30/2012 3:29 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
I never like to comment on authenticity but this one does smell fake...and Dionysos has an unusally great track record for being right... I'd be inclined to believe him and not touch it.
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
449 Posts |
Will do, thank you very much for your advice Ancientnoob and dionysos!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3229 Posts |
I would try find a different coin. I t does not look right to me. I am not saying it is a fake, but I have my doubts that it is real. Try finding a coin through http://www.vcoins.com. |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
Any clues as to what is suspect about it? (other than the type of coin it is)
I am yet to feel confident passing judgement on any coin I am not super familar with (and I am unfamiliar with most ancients) so a critique may help me to be suspicious if someone presents me with a fake.
The picture of the known fake looks less deeply struck but comparing the OP' coin to Vcoin examples I see nothing obvious.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Well not being an expert-
These coins are rarly on a flan that is larger then the obverse image. When you see one where the obverse fits the flan, thats the first sign of suspicion.
This coin- the hair on the obverse is poorly crafted.
This coin- the reverse image lacks substanial detail and the ribbons are rather crude.
This coin- matchs the same obverse of Dionysos' fake , the final nail in the coffin (look at the chin line)
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Valued Member
Canada
472 Posts |
The hair of the nymph is the key to me. It's not "foolproof" but notice that the wreath is far more visible on the "presumably" genuine specimens (those on Vcoins for example) than on the mass produced bulgarian fakes (they vary quite much, but most bear this characteristic). Search here for Histiaia and look primarily for those posted by Ilya Prokopov, they all share the same "crude" style (very similar to the one from the OP)... http://www.forumancientcoins.com/fakes/search.php |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
549 Posts |
I am uncertain about the authenticity of the coin. In 2003 quite a few were available and I bought two as a lot. Then the doubts surfaced and coins with this upswept back hairline were condemned. However, BCD, the greatest modern authority on ancient coins of the region of modern Greece suggested mine was a "contemporary Imitation," meaning ancient but not official. He only saw it in a photo, not in hand. Barry Murphy complied a composite image of the coins of this type declared fake: http://bpmurphy.ancients.info/image...taiacomp.jpgThe image enlarges well. Mine looked too much like those so it went into the black cabinet. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1315 Posts |
If you have ever held a nice example of a real one of these you would have to agree to their astounding beauty, especially the obverse.The portraits are so well done that they look photographic. IMHO There are probably quite a few genuine coins on this page. http://www.acsearch.info/search.htm...c=&a=&l=#157 and you can see the difference if you compare to the link augustus1 provided. As dougsmit pointed out in an earlier post, many of the fakes have emphasized round berries in the hair band, but some genuine coins have berries as well. The reverse seems much easier to duplicate on fakes but the portraits usually don't come close. I'm still working on a dealer here to sell me one he has, that I think is genuine. It looks a lot like this one, but he won't ever give me a price..yet.  |
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Valued Member
Canada
472 Posts |
Moral of the story is "when in doubt, restraint"  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
 . As steve6x says: when there is doubt, there is no doubt. |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
If in doubt leave it out...thats what I always say...
Thanks for those tips, if you are not learning something everyday then you are probably dead ^^
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Replies: 14 / Views: 1,405 |
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Posted 11/30/2012 3:25 pm
