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 Replies: 8 / Views: 2,100 |
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Valued Member
Canada
464 Posts |
This coin has spent the day in a small plastic shot glass of distilled water (yay dollar store), and the last 15 minutes being brushed with an old toothbrush. The silvered patina seems to be in tact for the most part,it is chipped in quite a few places, with the bronze exposed underneath. I don't know with which cleaning method I should proceed with. I don't want to damage the coin any further..... I am new to cleaning ancient coins, and this is the first coin which HAS something I can distinguish underneath the dirt! If anyone recognizes the face of this fellow, let me know. The lettering appears to indicate "TALSADA"... All of my internet searches have been negative. I have also included a photo of the reverse, which seems to be in worse shape than the obverse. Thanks    Edited by gawd0wns
10/17/2008 11:08 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1015 Posts |
Could be a Greek Imperial but I'll need time to research it also keep it going in the distilled water as It may take a little more time regards Harry
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Don't do anything else to clean this coin you will start to remove whats left of the silvering. This appears to be a fouree (silver plated) likely to be a unofficial provincial issue of a roman coin. The image looks like Augustus but I can't tell for sure.
Edited by echizento
10/17/2008 10:04 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1015 Posts |
If Echizento right you will lift the silvering as fouree a thinly coated so good advice mate and a give away could be the garbled legend
Edited by nuggethill
10/17/2008 11:12 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2703 Posts |
I agree. It looks like a silver washed base metal imitation (fouree) of an Augustus denarius, manufactured as contemporary counterfeit of an authentic silver coin like this one:   The legend on the fouree is similar to the authenic denarius, as are the two symbols on the reverse above the shield between the two standing figures. Fourees are avidly collected and in some cases worth more than the coins they imitate. Stop cleaning it to preserve the silver coating. |
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Valued Member
 Canada
464 Posts |
I will definately leave it alone in distilled water. I can't tell the extend of the damage on the reverse, but I can see at least a few chips in the centre. I think you may be right in guessing augustus. I have found a coin that slightly resembles it. Look at the designs on the reverse.  The reverse on my coin doesn't look exactly the same, but similar. Coin reverse (flipped)  Is this type of reverse common among roman coins? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2703 Posts |
It looks pretty good (in a typical collectible condition) for a fouree. These are pretty fragile. I would get it out of the water now, gently blot it dry and proudly put it in your collection. Nice find!  |
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Moderator
Australia
16832 Posts |
Yep, sure looks like a contemporary counterfeit denarius to me. Quote:
Fourees are avidly collected and in some cases worth more than the coins they imitate. Absolutely. It has apparently always been this way. Quote:It is truly marvellous, that in this art, and in this only, the various methods of falsification should be made a study: for the sample of the false denarius is now an object of careful examination, and people absolutely buy the counterfeit coin at the price of many genuine ones! Pliny the Elder, "Natural History" Book 33, Chapter 46 Pliny said that in 77 AD. I believe this is the earliest known record of people purchasing and collecting coins. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2881 Posts |
contemporary counterfeits may be worth more than the "real thing" in some instances but I think that would be the exception rather than the norm.
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Replies: 8 / Views: 2,100 |
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Posted 10/17/2008 10:03 pm
