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 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,817 |
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Valued Member
United States
220 Posts |
I have owned this Owl for over 25 years and have only now weighed it. It comes in at 15.9 grams, and these should be about 17.2g. It is 25.5mm at its widest. It was purchased from Wayne C. Phillips Rare Coins, so I felt pretty good about it being authentic. I am not an ancient coin expert in any way, this was just one of those coins I had to have in my collection. Any opinions or educating comments would be greatly appreciated.    |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
That really is low. I've seen them a bit below 16.5g, but never below 16. Safe to assume you're sure of the accuracy of your scale?
Style looks good to me. Doesn't show any obvious signs of being a plated counterfeit or an eastern imitation.
Internal crystallization is a possibility. That would account for the lighter weight.
Wayne Phillips is a good dealer (Is he still around? Haven't seen his listings for a long time), and clearly he thought it was legit. Do you have any records of the sale? I'm curious if he had the weight listed differently than what your scale is telling you.
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Valued Member
 United States
220 Posts |
The scale I have is not great, it only goes to 1/10 gram, but I don't think it is inaccurate. This is the flip sheet that came with the coin.   |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Your local pharmacy may be friendly enough to weigh the coin for you.
Speak to them very nicely.
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Valued Member
United States
220 Posts |
I've weighed it a dozen times. I weigh coins a lot so I hope it is accurate. I have never felt like it is light on readings.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Well, I'll be curious to see what others think since this is outside my collecting area. My gut tells me it's a legit ancient coin. I know Attic standards were pretty carefully maintained with these issues, but I still lean toward it being an official issue rather than an ancient counterfeit. Perhaps it was a tad light to begin with, and the situation was compounded over time by some internal crystallization?  |
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Moderator
 United States
34424 Posts |
Quote:
internal crystallization Bob, I don't want to hijack this thread, but could you point to a good explanation of this. I'm trying to understand how the crystal structure could change the weight. "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Everything looks right about the coin except the weight. Just a thought, maybe they trying to cheat the system a bit or he was running a low on silver that day.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Quote:
...trying to understand how the crystal structure could change the weight. Again, I'm just speculating about the OP coin having crystallization. Just a theory to account for the low weight. The following is from Wayne Sayle's "Ancient Coin Collecting." Although he states that there are surface (visual) indicators of crystallization, this is simply not always the case - which, unfortunately, many collectors have discovered when their fine looking silver coins broke apart when dropped or handled roughly. You can never be certain of what's happening inside a coin.  |
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Moderator
United States
34424 Posts |
thanks Bob!
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
I wonder about the level of wear on it... not to say that all the weight has been polished off it, but you have area's lacking detail like the eye and hair etc that is rather smoothed out. Would a coin like this have seen such heavy circulation or perhaps a previous owner has given it the brasso too often? How much difference is likely to have been removed in such a way?
As others have said stylistically there is nothing obviously wrong with the coin, the flan doesn't look particularly small (mine with a weight of 17.1g has the head of Athena considerably squeezed in comparison) the only thing I don't like is the line just to the left of Athena's neck running vertically... while it is not proof of lost wax casting it does have a similar look to that which is left from cutting a rubber off the pattern. I am always paranoid about any such surface ridges as being remnants of such a process which have been over looked but in the case of a short line like that it could have other causes.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
I too pondered that line, David, but felt it was likely just a small crack in the die.
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Replies: 11 / Views: 1,817 |
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Posted 07/11/2016 6:35 pm
