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 Replies: 15 / Views: 1,470 |
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
Hello, I found this coin in an elaborate presentation box along with a certificate from a reputable dealer in Italy. I do not trust elaborate presentation boxes and certificates, so I am looking for some opinions on this coin. It is in a folded lucite holder. Under loupe and compared to several other coins online ... And contrasted with the hundreds of fakes I've seen, it looks good to me. Can some confirm? Or give me the bad news? I didn't pay much. Thanks!    |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
725 Posts |
Edited by JohnConduitt
05/31/2022 08:32 am
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Pillar of the Community
 Italy
1130 Posts |
@johnconduitt - I tend to agree, but I have seen approximately 5 genuine Roman coins in thrift markets in Rome and literally hundreds of fakes.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
725 Posts |
Hmm that isn't a good rate. Surely they could sell real coins as cheaply from the more common emperors. Julius Caesar I can understand.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
Coin pictured is authentic. Condition SPL (Italian)
Not a denarius, but a two denarius coin, known to collectors today as an 'antoninianus', with Gallienus depicted wearing a radiate crown, which is the sure way of identifying the coin as an antoninianus denomination.
The denarius ceased to be issued during the reign of Gallienus due to the problem of inflation of the currency, at a time in which the Roman empire was in decline.
Denarii were issued during the reign of Gallienus, but are very rare. However, the antoninianus denomination is very common, and were issued in almost industrial quantities.
It is reasonably easy to find genuine antoninianii of Gallienus in almost As Struck condition, sometimes with silvering for earlier issues in this reign.
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
@johnconduitt I have three thoughts on this.
I think the overwhelming majority of fakes I see are reasonably old fakes designed to fool tourists from the 19th century to recent times.
There are a few reputable shops in Rome where genuine coins can be bought for €30 euro ... And there's room for negotiating at that price as most things in non corporate shops in Italy.
There is also a pretty strong and knowledgeable collector base here, so genuine coins tend not to appear in thrift shops.
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
@sel... I cannot find the exact RIC link with this legend, any chance you know it?
Would you break it out of this ridiculous holder?
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
Rev. Genius holding patera and cornucopia,
R.I.C 197 (var)
A hint of silvering remains with this coin, most evident on field in front of Emperor's face
OK left as is.
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
Thanks @sel. I really appreciate it. Regarding leaving it in the holder, it is massive! So I'm considering removing and putting it in a capsule.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
If you only have one or two ancient coins, then any sort of display / storage that you prefer is OK. Capsule OK for coin pictured.
If you have an extensive collection of ancients (I have about 300 coins over 1,000 years old from all World cultures), then
a consistent method of storing / displaying for every coin becomes critical, if such a collection is to illustrate some sort of numismatic story
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Pillar of the Community
 Sweden
2124 Posts |
Although perhaps a bit over-sized, I think the arrangement with the holder and box looks quite nice. I would keep it like that (even though I have all my ancients in ordinarily sized plastic capsules). But it is really up to you, what you prefer.
The coin looks fine, and genuine, by the way.
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
@sel and era. Thank you! Although you're both offering wonderfully opposite opinions. I have a full time job, but I buy and sell as a hobby; I mostly buy and sell beer steins and chess sets. I am a recovering beer stein and chess set collector too! I have an aversion to collecting anything that takes up unnecessary space. I suppose that's part of the reason reselling is such a nice hobby...I get to sell, make some profit, decrease volume of stuff, and put the money back into silver and gold coins which take up, literally, no space. I know once I crack the coin out, there's no going back...
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2099 Posts |
This coin has a palm branch in exe and thus I would attribute it as as RIC V-1, Asian Mint 638.
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
Thanks @marid. I own exactly one other ancient so I am very new and inexperienced at attributions.
This coin is listed as silver, billion, and plated...depending. which is most accurate? Thanks again to everyone for the help. I really enjoy finding and learning about this and interacting with people on here makes it all the better.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
725 Posts |
Small legend or design variations seem to make attribution more of an opinion than a science. On the link I provided above, the coin with the same legends (but featuring an altar, which may or may not be present) has been attributed as RIC 638ff, where ff signifies "like the coins on the same pages of the catalogue as the named coin." Presumably, other references might be just as good. Or you could say RIC 638 var if it is a different variety of that coin, or cf RIC 638 to mean "compare your coin to this one."
These are called "silver" as they are meant to be, but were debased so much they are really billon. They wouldn't be plated (unless they are imitations or fourrees) but often have a silver wash to make them look more like silver.
Edited by JohnConduitt
06/02/2022 09:28 am
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
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Replies: 15 / Views: 1,470 |
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Posted 05/31/2022 08:31 am
