Nero Ric 306, Real Or Fake? - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 3 / Views: 531
oriole Pillar of the Community Canada 5239 Posts	Posted 11/18/2023 4:24 pm I was shown this coin, and I am not sure if it is fake or not. The inscriptions are clear enough NERO CAESAR AVG GERM IMP, and PACE P R TERRA MARIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT RIC 306 is a near perfect match to the example illustrated. However, the weight is only 9.66 grams while it should be about 11.3 grams. The diameter is about 25 mm, close to the RIC examples of 26 mm. Also, the spacing of AVG GERM as you can see is not the same as on the RIC version. The third red flag is that the patina seems a little too green. The fourth red flag is that of the origin: The owner got it from his grandfather, who got it in Italy while on a campaign in WWII. I cannot detect any casting ridges on the edge, nor can I detect casting bubbles on the fields (they could be hidden by the green) but the edge seems a bit too smooth. I have no financial interest in this, and while the red flags make me suspicious I would like some other opinions before offering the owner any news, good or bad. Report this Post to the Staff

jecz79 Pillar of the Community Portugal 655 Posts	Posted 11/21/2023 2:49 pm It looks more like active recent corrosion than ancient patina. Beware. Perhaps someone scratched at it in recent years and it corroded since? Even if genuine it is in a bad shape. Report this Post to the Staff
Sap Moderator Australia 16812 Posts	Posted 11/21/2023 6:09 pm The different spacing isn't really an issue; dies back then were hand-engraved and different letter-spacing was normal. If it is a fake, it is a cast fake, and the original coin it was copied from would have had that spacing. The different weight is more of an issue, as significantly lighter weight combined with more or less correct size and no indication of mass loss, implies a lightweight metal and/or it's considerably thinner than a typical coin. The green-blue "patina" is more concerning; this is not a typical patina for coins found in Italy, and has to me all the appearances of a dipped-in-vinegar fake patina over fresh metal. So for me, the overall appearance is not conducive to it being genuine. This is a very popular coin type, of probably the most infamous emperor; it is not a typical random Roman coin you might happen to stumble upon in Italy. 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 Report this Post to the Staff
oriole Pillar of the Community Canada 5239 Posts	Posted 11/21/2023 7:28 pm @Sap, thanks Your comments provide some substance to my suspicions. I will advise the owner (not me, fortunately) Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 3 / Views: 531

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