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 Replies: 7 / Views: 4,571 |
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New Member
United States
2 Posts |
Hello all, As a new collector I've spent most of my free time perusing every numismatist website I could. Of course I spent a significant amount of time reading up on spotting fakes and common forges, which got me thinking a little about a recent purchase of mine. I recently bought a denarius of Maximinus Thrax from a vcoins dealer at a great deal and noticed that the weight was listed at 2 grams. The coin has even flan cracks, matches the RIC, and shows no sign of the pitting seen with molding. That being said I just wanted to pick the brain of you fine gentlemen. My understanding is that denarii are usually very close to 3g, has anyone noticed 3rd century crisis coins that are significantly less? Here is a picture and attributes of the coin in question:  Obverse: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Reverse: SALVS AVGVSTI: Salus seated left, feeding from patera a serpent arising from altar. Mint: Rome Minted: 236 BC Dia: 18 mm Wt: 2.0 gm Orient: 12/12 Ref: RIC 14, RSC 85a, BMC 99 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3098 Posts |
Weights fluctuate on denarii in different periods, but also among single types of coins. I have several first century AD denarii that are around 2.7 grams, when coins of the same type often weighed close to 3.7 grams.
Curtis Clay, of Harlan Berk coins, once informed me that 2.7 grams was the bottom weight for early denarii. Third century denarii tended to weigh less than earlier issues.
Paul Bulgerin
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
 to the community The weight on a denarius can vary from 2.5 grams to 4.0 grams. The weight of your coin isn't too far off, from, what I can see your coin is genuine IMO. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Actually, in a 2009 post over at Forum, regarding another light (1.9 grams) Maximinus denarius, Curtis Clay stated, "Perfectly regular and authentic, I think, just underweight. The weight range of...surviving coins is surprising wide, from below 2 gr. like this one to over 4 gr." (see http://www.forumancientcoins.com/bo...pic=57347.0)Magister's coin is certainly struck (although, of course, fakes can come in struck form too). I think it's fine...nice coin. |
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New Member
 United States
2 Posts |
Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback. I figured it was merely a usurper cheating his fellow citizens, but just wanted to be sure.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
I picked about 20 Maximinus denarii from the VCOINS site, at random.
The weight range for these was 2.1 grams to 3.8 grams.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
513 Posts |
Do you have a scale to check the weight? Maybe the seller rounded the weight down? Not sure why they'd do that but it's possible. Nothing about the coin looks suspicious to me and the weight is abnormally low, but not to the point that I'd be worried unless there were other issues with the coin.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4973 Posts |
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Replies: 7 / Views: 4,571 |
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Posted 07/19/2014 8:04 pm
