Accidental Gold Ancient?

stevereecy

OK this is weird. Around 15 years ago, I bought a lot of unclean coins off of eBay after getting them, I was disappointed with the quality and the era. I promptly put them in my dresser drawer because I didn’t think they were anything of consequence.

The other day I was cleaning my dresser out, and some old change got commingled with some of those coins

Fast forward to today. I scooped a bunch of change in my pocket so I could buy a soda later playing with my change. This morning I noticed that I accidentally grabbed one of the presumed near worthless copper Constantine ancients. Just now, after its been rattling around in my pocket all day when I looked at it a second time , it gives the impression that there could be gold underlying whatever layer of copper was on it.

What do you recommend I do? I need to clean it, but I need to clean it in a manner that won’t be frowned upon by the grading companies. XRF it?

Sapyx

Late Roman gold coins are very pure gold. They come up out of the ground looking like gold coins. They don't get coppery layers forming on them.

And the probability of one just turning up in an uncleaned lot is zero, since dozens of people would have looked at the coin before you, and would have spotted and fished out anything gold. Some uncleaned sellers salt their lots with tiny Indian gold coins, just so they can get "I found gold" feedbacks, but they won't deliberately leave behind a Roman gold coin.

This coin has several odd features - such as that arc-shaped blob or dint to the right of the portrait - but being made of gold is not one of them.

Sapyx

If you wish to confirm it's not gold, a specific gravity test should be adequate.

7Jaguars

Definitely appears not gold. As a relatively Constantinian [probable] small copper or nummus it is of little value so treatment such as immersion in ammonia 1:1 with water would likely reveal the copper beneath and NOT harm gold which would be impervious.

stevereecy

Hey guys, thanks for the suggestions. Turns out it is not gold. Truly amazing how the change in my pocket revealed bright copper.