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What Is This Unknown Greek... Token?

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Canada
7 Posts
 Posted 05/27/2012  07:05 am Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add farerob to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
I have had this item in my possession for years and have yet to find out just what it is.

The most common thought is that it's an ancient Greek Theater Token. All thoughts and guesses are welcome.


What-Is-This-Unknown-Greek...-Token?
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jessvc1's Avatar
United States
2596 Posts
 Posted 05/27/2012  07:17 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jessvc1 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
It almost looks like its made of clay, interesting but I couldn't tell you much about it maybe one of the Greek collectors can point you in the right direction.
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sel_69l's Avatar
Australia
21788 Posts
 Posted 05/27/2012  07:46 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add sel_69l to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
It may be a theatre token, but perhaps not ancient Greek.
It may be medieval, or of the renaissance period.

I notice a greenish patina, and so I am suspecting that it may be an alloy of copper, lead and tin, where the copper proportion may be well below 50%.

Does the metal seem to be quite soft, much like pewter?
New Member
Canada
7 Posts
 Posted 05/27/2012  08:08 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add farerob to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
It seems to be made of clay originally, but has hardened into stone. My original picture was taken without a flash, so the greenish patina color caused from shadow.

I have uploaded two more pics taken with a flash that are closer to the true color.



What-Is-This-Unknown-Greek...-Token?

What-Is-This-Unknown-Greek...-Token?
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jessvc1's Avatar
United States
2596 Posts
 Posted 05/27/2012  08:27 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jessvc1 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
It looks like the face of Apollo
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echizento's Avatar
United States
23731 Posts
 Posted 05/27/2012  10:44 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add echizento to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I would say it's some type of token.
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chrsmat71's Avatar
United States
4981 Posts
 Posted 05/27/2012  11:19 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add chrsmat71 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
pottery shard or something like that?
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sel_69l's Avatar
Australia
21788 Posts
 Posted 05/27/2012  11:58 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add sel_69l to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Since it is made out of vitrified potter's clay, I am thinking that it may have been intended for use as a counter.
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DVCollector's Avatar
United States
10045 Posts
 Posted 05/27/2012  12:55 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add DVCollector to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
pottery shards break differently--cleaner breaks that arc across the curved surface.
If this were made of clay then fired, I would guess it would have a more regular perimeter.
Well-fired clay is very inert and keeps its shape for thousands of years underground.
If it were unfired clay, it would have dissolved into nothing long ago, except in perhaps the driest deserts.
I'm going with Sel's assessment that it's some base-metal alloy, that's been buried and taken on an "earthy" patina over centuries. The face does look Greek style--perhaps Apollo--but I haven't seen one of these.

Edited by DVCollector
05/27/2012 12:56 pm
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