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 Replies: 7 / Views: 1,130 |
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Valued Member
United States
129 Posts |
These are the first silver coins I bought, and I finally got around to weighing them. They seem light compared to the weights I see on Wildwinds, so I'm wondering if they're fakes. According to my cheapo scale, the Trajan Denarius (RIC 266) reads 2.6 g, and the Philip Antoninianus (RIC 26b) reads 3.1 g. The examples on Wildwinds weigh 3.4 g for Trajan and between 3.9 - 4.6 g for Philip. The Trajan obverse bust and lettering on the scan looks a little mushy, but less so in hand. Philip's looks like a weak/worn die, as I've seen in other coins of his. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!   |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Both coin look fine but worn which explains the weight loss. The Trajan is an interesting coin, I haven't come across one with this reverse type RIC II 266, SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI VIA TRAIANA.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
602 Posts |
Keep in mind that coins wear down (and therefore lose weight) as they circulate. I've had circulated nickles be less than 5g.
I am not saying your coins are fakes (because I don't know), but you always gotta be careful.
You always gotta ask yourself when you buy/think a con is fishy:
1) Is the dealer reputable?
2) Do the weights match up?
3) Do the details of the coin match up to a real one?
4) Magnets; does the coin stick?
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
629 Posts |
I think that your coins are low grade but genuine...
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Valued Member
 United States
129 Posts |
Thanks for the replies. I didn't realize that regular wear could take that much weight from a coin. They're not in great condition, but they didn't hurt my wallet, and I like the reverses.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
949 Posts |
Unlike modern coins, ancient coins did not leave the mint with an absolutely uniform weight. They were expected to get a certain number of coins out of a particular mass of metal, but some were a tad light and some were a tad heavy. As long as they tended to be close in weight and the final tally came out, that was good enough for the supervisors. And sometimes a few out of a hundred could be way off and nobody was getting dismissed. So the numbers at Wildwinds or any given reference need to be looked at with that in mind.
Edited by lrbguy
04/11/2015 6:53 pm
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New Member
Australia
2 Posts |
hand struck coins will never be one in the same.
nice coins, even if the are worn
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
629 Posts |
"ADVENTVS AVG" The arrival of the emperor, made to conmemorate the happy return of the emperor at Rome after a successful military campain, a travel etc.
"VIA TRAIANA" to conmemorate the building of a new road between beneventum and Brundisium that was entirely paid by Trajan
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Replies: 7 / Views: 1,130 |
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Posted 04/11/2015 6:02 pm
