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 Replies: 7 / Views: 1,002 |
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New Member
United States
2 Posts |
Hi, I'm hoping you guys are able to help me out. My Dad has just shown me this coin that he said he picked up years ago somewhere in Kent, England (can't be more specific I'm afraid as he can't remember). Now I'm expecting this to be a fake of some kind but it is certainly interesting as it's quite heavy and is 1 1/2 inches across. I'd love to know for sure as it's sparked my curiosity! Cheers!  |
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Moderator
 Australia
16874 Posts |
I'm afraid I have to confirm your suspicions - it's a fake of some kind. It looks typical if the "Tourists fakes" of ancient coins you could buy in Italy a few decades ago (and can still find in the marketplaces of Italy today). The long, pointy beard is copied off of ancient Greek coins from the island of Naxos. See this thread. The squid/octopus is new to me. Certainly no ancient coin ever depicted such an animal, that I can recall. 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 States
1490 Posts |
I am not familiar with ancient coins at all but with the octopus it may be Syracuse, Sicily, AE15 (trias). c. 400 BC, Head of Arethusa right, hair in koymbos, dolphins before and behind. / Octopus, three pellets around. Seer # Number sg1184 I dont see the dolphins before and behind or the three pellets around the octupus but this is a start. http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/sg/sg1184.html I would also say the verdigris, dirt ect. leads me to believe it may be real. Someone will be along soon to confirm the coins identity and whether its fake or not. |
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
 to the community I agree with Sap that this is a typical tourist copy. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
I'd like to chime in just to say I have no idea as I've never seen a coin like this before. If SAP says it's a fake, I'd take it to the bank. I would like to welcome you this forum, however, and say I'm sorry about the bad news.
JW
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New Member
 United States
2 Posts |
Cool, thanks for all of your info anyway, interesting stuff.
Mildly disappointed, but not entirely unexpected!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
While looking on wildwinds for another Greek coin, I ran across this coin which looks an awful lot like your coin. Please don't misunderstand, I have no idea if your coin is genuine or not, and if SAP says its fake, then it most likely is. And, I'm not even sure if this is the same coin. I don't collect Greek coins, so this is just a stab in the dark. Regards, JW http://wildwinds.com/coins/sg/sg1184.t.html |
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Moderator
Australia
16874 Posts |
I'm always happy to admit when I'm wrong - and I was wrong about octopii never appearing on ancient Greek coins. I've got to learn to never say "never" when it comes to what the ancient Greeks put on their coins - they were certainly a creative bunch. However, CarterInKent's coin is still a tourist replica. The size, at 38 mm or so, is way too big for a Syracuse Second Democracy copper coin. The trias which both JimR and jwharper linked to is only 15mm across. And all the octopus coins on the Wildwinds page for the time period have at least seven legs; this poor thing's been reduced to five. 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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Replies: 7 / Views: 1,002 |
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Posted 10/01/2011 11:15 am
