Greek Decadrachms

Daren

Hello all.

My father had this coin in his collection for a long time before he passed, and I never quite discovered how he'd acquired it. Suffice it to say, he usually could spot a fake be it ancient or modern mintage; he was fairly versed in numismatic skill, but probably wasn't entirely known to pick up a forgery just for interest's sake.

He told me once that one of the coins in his collection was probably worth 'a pretty penny,' but he could've been talking about any number of rare coins.

I took this coin into my local coin broker; he claimed it was a fake, and as far as I've researched, it seems like Greek decadrachms from Akgragas were only struck in silver; this one seems to be bronze, or perhaps it's tarnished copper. I was hoping somebody around here might verse me in decadrachm varieties. Attached are two pictures of the coin in question. Thanks so much for any information you can offer (if in the unlikely event it is real and of a mintage I'm unaware of, I am certainly interested in selling it).

CIVITAS

It is most assuredly a modern reproduction, likely in brass.

Here's the real deal:

http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=61094&IsEnlarged=1

Daren

So the real deals were definitely only struck in silver?

And why would anybody want to reproduce it in brass or bronze knowing collectors know the difference? Was it made merely for replica's sake, or to pass off as a forgery?

CIVITAS

Made merely as a trinket/souvenir/museum gift shop item.

Sapyx

<< <i>And why would anybody want to reproduce it in brass or bronze knowing collectors know the difference? Was it made merely for replica's sake, or to pass off as a forgery? >>


Precisely because experts and collectors can tell the difference. Nobody can accuse them of making a forgery that was deliberately designed to fool collectors.

Did your father ever go to any of the "ancient places", like Turkey, the Holy Land, or some such? He could have purchased it there (knowing or at least suspecting it was fake). Locals in such places often make copies of ancient coins for sale to tourists (in most cases it's illegal for them to sell genuine ones). Tourist copies are usually copies of copies of copies, though, and much lower quality than this one.

Daren

No, the closest he ever traveled to the middle east and europe was southeast asia and korea.

Anyway, guess I can throw this out with the trash.

Thanks so much for your insights, everyone.