Manlia Scintilla Augusta Aureus - Reasonable Price?

I would want confirmation from a trusted authority that the coin is gold and not plated silver, since the same configuration was used for a denarius for her.

Sear listed the aureus at 15K pounds in the third edition from 1981-1994, so despite the condition of the pound just now, if authentic I should think $20K would be in range for this coin at the lower end of its scale. CNG does not list one in its online research list, but sold a denarius of this type in somewhat lesser grade for $6500 against a Sear listing of 2500 pounds.

CNG also sold a Becker counterfeit of this type in silver, which does not look the same as this piece, but does have the same distinctive break pattern for the reverse inscription.

Do you think they used some of the same dies for aurei and denarii? So it might be possible to assemble a group of known reverse dies and if it numbers more than five, something is amiss. Or do I trust those numbers too much?

arnoldoe - it came from Spinks originally, but I am (absolutely) no expert. Is there anything that worries you about it? I've asked for the weight, and photos of the edges, which they will send tomorrow they said. The auction house also said that would guarantee its authenticity. It comes from a coin dealer apparently (but they can't say which one).

Idk, no expert either but it looks unusually round , soft design, no striking signs, etc..




here are a few genuine coins

The obverse of the OP coin next to a documented (IBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits) Bulgarian fake: http://forgerynetwork.com/asset.asp...WqG4cR~x~NM=

They aren't an exact match, and I'm certainly not condemning Mark's coin, but they are pretty close. Those Bulgarian Workshop forgeries are impressive.

A quick google search finds this one that sold for 40,000 (ouch) Swiss Francs in 2009 !
I am tempted to say an obverse die match but ......
I see small (minor) differences too

http://www.icollector.com/Roman-Emp...193_i8604731





I would expect the coin to sell for an "insane" figure.
How is your sanity these days ?

I agree, Mark - and I would add that the width of the neck appears different too. Not identical, but frighteningly close. Those Bulgarian forgers are scary.

Have you really weighed the balance between what you might purchase in high grade first century bronze and a single aureus of this short lived empress ?

For half of what this lady is likely to fetch I might assemble a series of Sestertii (et al) that would knock your socks off !
Not only that but despite the advances in forgery they would almost certainly all be genuine.

The fact that there have been more than a few instances of the experts being fooled by very talented forgers these days makes me much too wary to spend more than a few hundred dollars on a single coin ...... esp. silver and gold.