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Replies: 23 / Views: 2,088 |
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Valued Member
Canada
472 Posts |
Here's something that I just received, a nice old (  ) Nero As with a lovely Genius reverse. It look "softer" in hand than what I originally expected, but not that dangerous for a fake (  ) given the filled flan crack...  Now why would the ANS have one of these in its collection  (acquired in 1953)... http://numismatics.org/collection/1953.171.1294 And this other, sold in 2005   (with a pedigree going back to 1892)...  Not because it's "old" that it is genuine  Now what do I do with this 
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
The fact that the three flan shapes are so similar is very worrying indeed 
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Is it a Paduan? What is the O on the second coin?
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Just beat me to it with the Paduan echizento, looking for other examples now. The 'O' is claimed to be a Counterstamp in the link but it doesn't look contemporary to me.
Edited by bobbyhelmet 10/19/2012 2:12 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
Now that is a beautiful coin. Just wondering, though, how the flan crack in yours looks to be in the very same position as that of the ANS coin. Any ideas?
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Valued Member
 Canada
472 Posts |
bobbyhelmet, not just the flan shape, they are identical is every way except the last one that has more wear on the rev. and on wich the "flan crack" is not apparent (low quality pics...).
I dot not remember seing a paduan smaller than a sestertius, but I'm not sure there isn't ?
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Valued Member
 Canada
472 Posts |
JW, the 3 are casts from the same host, no seam visible but no other explanation.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
Since there is no seam, and since the only thing I can see to make me question the authenticity is the "sameness" of all three coins, are there any other telltale signs that these are casts? You see, I'm the kind of guy that would fall for this kind of coin (if I could afford it). I sometimes have a very hard time discerning a cast of this nature.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Quote: I dot not remember seing a paduan smaller than a sestertius, but I'm not sure there isn't ? I also cant find one as yet but your right, it does not mean that one does not exist. I find the 'counterstamp' the most worrying thing of all. Unless someone was deliberately trying to deceive it would be on all three coins or none. Its possible its deliberately there to show the coin is a fake or reproduction or cast but the seller has mis-represented it.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Quote: I sometimes have a very hard time discerning a cast of this nature. Die matches are rare but not impossible, three identical flan shapes are very, very improbable, almost impossible.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Isn't a counter stamp added after the coin was struck? The O looks like it was put there at the same time the coin was made.
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Valued Member
 Canada
472 Posts |
JW, first, the "softness" of the details, quite evident in Nero's hair (on all 3 coins). Nothing is sharp as it should be, it is all too blury. A coin that has been overcleaned (dipped in acid), could have a similar feel, but not 3. What is the most incriminatory is the flan crack. It's not small one, the flan should be open, whe should be able to "see through". In the casting process such "gaps" can be filled with metal (the crack "disappear" in the molding process), like it is the case here.
Having just one, it would be enough to condemn it, but 3... Same flan shape, same obv./rev. dies, same centering, same legend flaw (NERO almost entirely missing)... The counterstamp must have been added afteward to deceive or for some other reason...
Edited by Dionysos 10/19/2012 3:20 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
I agree. Seeing all three together would make me at least pause on this coin. But seeing only one w/o the benefit of the other two side-by-side, I think I could easily be fooled. The "softness" as you suggest is just not enough for me. I have a couple of coins I'm reasonably certain are genuine, but show this same kind of softness in some of the details.
I don't mean to be arguing. I'm just trying to learn in order to prevent myself from making big mistakes in the future.
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Valued Member
 Canada
472 Posts |
No problem JW 
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Valued Member
 Canada
472 Posts |
Now, I wonder if this is the sort of things that the ANS would like to know ?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1549 Posts |
'd love to know what the ANS has to say bout these three and what the O in the field means. None strike me as ancient.
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Replies: 23 / Views: 2,088 |