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need coin id help

wacky1980wacky1980 Posts: 3
in World & Ancient Coins Forum
anyone know from when and where this coin originated?
imageimage
i know, the pics are kinda low-qual, sry its the best i can do. the writing is not english, and some of the characters are hard to categorize (upside-down "R", backwards "S" and "Z", the pi symbol, the colon symbol). in the first pic, there is some type of family shield. in the second pic, there is a bundle of arrows surrounded by curly shapes (smoke?)
the only other coin i've found that is even somewhat similar is the hungarian wladislaw II, but that was silver and the engravings in the center did not match, although the letters could be from the same alphabet. also, i can't find any markings that would indicate a date.
any help would be appreciated. thanks,
tim
what's a signature?

Comments

  • Conder101Conder101 Posts: 10,536 ✭
    The arms in the right hand image are from Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain so I would say Spain of possibly Castile in the late 1400's. I've seen a lot of fake coppers that perported to be from there though.
  • wacky1980wacky1980 Posts: 3
    what would be some of the telltale signs of a fake?
    i'm not really into this stuff but i found the coin in an old building's walls while tearing it down and got curious.
    what's a signature?
  • coachleonardcoachleonard Posts: 995 ✭
    an original piece would almost always be more irregular shaped, being a hammered piece. This piece also seems to exhibit surface bubbling, which points it to it not being authentic.
  • wacky1980wacky1980 Posts: 3
    so it would be safe to assume that this coin is a fake. my next question would be why would someone counterfeit a coin that's 500+ years old? espically if it's simple for the trained eye to notice. was it just to make a replica, or to actually pass it off as real?
    what's a signature?
  • AuldFartteAuldFartte Posts: 4,597 ✭✭✭✭
    Counterfeits are typically made to sell to unsuspecting buyers to make a quick buck ... illegally, of course.

    I can't tell from the pics, so I'd suggest maybe taking it to a local coin
    shop in your area and ask for an opinion there, too.

    Welcome to the forums !!! image
    image

    My OmniCoin Collection
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    Tom, formerly in Albuquerque, NM.
  • coachleonardcoachleonard Posts: 995 ✭
    i have seen other replicas of these ferdiand and isabella coins, and i assume replicas were made of these as souvenir "Christoper Columbus Coins." Now here's the real kicker--- an AUTHENTIC worn but idetifiable spanish coin of ferdinand and isabella wouldn't cost you a heck of a lot more than you'd pay for a replica in a souvenir shop!
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