How Common Are Near-Circular Ancient Coins?

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Author	Replies: 3 / Views: 1,106
Squire Wilson Pillar of the Community Australia 653 Posts	Posted 03/16/2018 11:54 pm Recently I have been interested in the following coin, identified as from Smyrna and minted late second century AD. It has the turreted and draped bust of the Amazon Smyrna on the obverse and a lion on the reverse. However, I am surprised at the near circular dimensions of the coin. How common is this in ancient coins? From CCF discussions I have heard that one should be suspicious of such coins. On the left hand column I have brightness and contrast enhanced the photo of the coin, on the right hand column is the original photograph. Any comments and feedback is appreciated Squire Report this Post to the Staff

josephrg Valued Member United States 234 Posts	Posted 03/17/2018 07:53 am I think this coin is genuine. If you take the coin out of the holder it should feel smooth on all surfaces. Any sharp edges or anywhere else is a red flag for me. Some ancients have round flans but with lots of wear the roundness disappears. Report this Post to the Staff
Spence Moderator United States 34398 Posts	Posted 03/17/2018 08:19 am Not something that I have specifically studied, but I agree that a perfectly round coin would be unusual. In a quick look on vcoins and ma-shops, it looks to me like the coins of Smyrna for sale this morning tend to be on quite round flans. "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 Report this Post to the Staff
Squire Wilson Pillar of the Community Australia 653 Posts	Posted 03/17/2018 10:21 pm Thanks a lot for your knowledgeable feedback josephrg and Spence I purchased the coin from a reputable dealer so a refund is not a problem. I have posted another picture collage of the coin. It looks really old, it is smooth in texture and I have also shown the rim of the coin in detail. Squire Report this Post to the Staff
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