I'm a rookie, so thanks for your help

spitfirevickers

Hi. This is a coin that my uncle asked me to identify. Its listed as a "Tiberius", but there seem to be a few different types of this coin. Also, I am concerned that it may not be original. No reason for the concern, I just don't know how to tell if it is genuine or not. What do you think? Thanks

spitfirevickers

Oops, pictures didn't upload....

spitfirevickers

lordmarcovan

Looks like a silver denarius of the Roman emperor Tiberius.

Could be fake. There were copies made during the Renaissance called "fourees", I believe, but some of those still have value as collectibles in their own right.

I am not qualified to say whether or not your denarius is real or not, but it does not look like some of the really bad modern fakes. If it's a fake, it's a little bit better one.

Without my books handy, that's all I can say, but stick around and you'll get an answer.

Welcome, by the way.

tlhoy

Courtesy post

spitfirevickers

Tlhoy, I owe you twice....

tlhoy

You might want to turn on your Private Message--Click Profile and click ON for Allow Private Messages:

spitfirevickers

That tab is getting high pretty quick, eh?

Aethelred

From that scan I can't judge if it is real or not. If it is, it is an AR Denarius of Tiberius ( AD14-37). Value would be about $250-300.

This type is one of THE MOST copied of all ancient Roman coins, so don't get your hopes up.

spitfirevickers

Thanks. I'm assuming that the weight is the main issue.

wybrit

By the way, welcome to the forum!

CIVITAS

A few things come into play with ancients and authentication. Weight, style and fabric are most important. It can be very hard to condemn/authenticate a coin from an image. Weight should be in the neighborhood of 3.5-4.0g. Check the edge for a casting seam. The style of the reverse looks OK. Something about the face on the obverse bothers me though. Could just be the lighting in the image though.

Any chance of a better scan?

CIVITAS

<< <i>There were copies made during the Renaissance called "fourees", I believe, but some of those still have value as collectibles in their own right. >>



Copies of ancient coins were made during the Renaissance. However, the term "fourrée" refers to a coin with a silver or gold shell/plating over a copper core. It is from the French meaning "filled." They were intended to deceive contemporary merchants and traders, not collectors. Some still argue whether they were official issues as a way for the existing government to make a little extra on the side, or if they were made by unscrupulous individuals outside the government.

Askari

Welcome to the forum, Spitfirevickers!

Josh is right. Collecting ancient Roman and Greek coins became quite popular among the nobility and wealthy merchants during the Renaissance. Medalists of the period often made very nice reproductions (and sometimes fantasies) of popular ancient coins.

lordmarcovan

Thanks for straightening me out, Civitas.

The trouble with spotting a counterfeit ancient coin is that even the originals were often crude. A crude copy of a later coin will stick out like a sore thumb, but when you're comparing a crude copy to a crude original, it gets trickier!