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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,209 |
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Valued Member
United States
224 Posts |
Can anyone identify this by the images? I can only read AVG on the obverse, which doesn't help, and it looks like TOP on the reverse. I examined with a loupe, and it appears to be silver over a base metal. Thanks in advance for any help you can give!   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Have you looked at provincials from Stobi, Macedon? Just a thought...might be "STOBE" on the reverse.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
I also see what looks like the word STOBI
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Moderator
United States
34424 Posts |
Quote:
it appears to be silver over a base metal. Normally, we should be thinking that this is a fourree, right? It is just with this level of wear/environmental corrosion, I'm rather thinking that it may have been "spruced up" by someone more recently. Or am I way off base with this assessment?  "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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Valued Member
 United States
224 Posts |
Some more info: I am a newbie, and this coin, heavily corroded, was zapped as a last resort. Yes, it does look like STOBI under further examination with the loupe. It measures 25mm at the widest. Figure on the reverse has a wing. Certain there is silver with copper color showing through in places. So .... is this enough to give us any guess as to the emperor shown.? The identity of the winged figure on the reverse? Perhaps a date range? Thanks for any info. Very glad I found this site, and I read every post on the ancients forum, not just on my own questions. Oh ... what is a fouree?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Quote:
is this enough to give us any guess as to the emperor shown.? The identity of the winged figure on the reverse? I would guess it's possibly an early Caracalla. The winged figure is Nike. |
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Valued Member
United States
224 Posts |
Thanks, Bob. I just looked at quite a few images of Caracalla, and I do believe the coin depicts him. Thanks for keeping this coin out of my "unidentified" box. :-)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Here's a Stobi Caracalla for comparison. Note the same obverse legend at 10:00 (MAVR), and the same conclusion to the legend at 5:00: NINV. (die match?) The MVNIC of the reverse is sometimes on the left, with the STOBE (or STOBI) on the right - as on your example. On the example below, they are reversed. Other than that, darn close.  Edited by Kamnaskires
05/19/2018 11:54 pm
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Valued Member
United States
224 Posts |
Thanks for all the info. I find the fact that it appears to be an ancient counterfeit (fouree) to be quite interesting. Is there generally interest in counterfeits among collectors?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1554 Posts |
The silver color you are seeing is probably an artifact of the electrolysis.
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Valued Member
United States
224 Posts |
I soak many coins, but also zap crusties that have little hope. With this coin it was possible to see sections, even before electrolysis, that showed silver over copper. It was quite clear under close examination with a loupe that bits of silver had chipped away on some high points. I could use a nitrate test to confirm the silver, but don't have any at present. This is the first ancient I have encountered like this.
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Valued Member
United States
224 Posts |
But, of course, there would be no reason for a silver coat to exist if there was no silver coin for it to copy. Guess I'll have to get a drop of nitrate.
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Valued Member
United States
224 Posts |
Sorry -- meant to say "drop of nitric". Been away from the lab too long. Anyway, I'll let you know how it tests. My guess: you folks are correct, and my sight failed on this. But thank you very much for the Nike and Caracalla info.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,209 |
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Posted 05/19/2018 8:28 pm
