ancient coin question

olmanjon

I have in my collection this ancient coin that I always figured was a replica. I have found out that the composition of the coin is 48.37% nickle,31.32% copper 16.86% lead and 3.45% tin. Would this indicat real or fake?

Aethelred

Got a photo?

I don't know of any ancient coins with a high nickel content.

STLNATS

ancient coins with a high nickel content.

There are a few Bactrian/indoGreek pieces that have substantial nickel (not sure what % tho). Other than these I think you're correct.

Sapyx

<< <i>There are a few Bactrian/indoGreek pieces that have substantial nickel (not sure what % tho). Other than these I think you're correct. >>


Yep, the Bactrians have been credited with (accidentally) discovering how to make cupronickel coins. They get a mention on the Cupronickel Wikipedia page. Wiki suggests they may have acquired the skill from the Chinese, who had been making "white copper" since the 200's BC.

If on the other hand your coin is supposed to be an Alexander the Great tetradrachm, Syracusian dekadrachm or Athenian "owl", then the answer is "fake".

olmanjon

Heres the pictures--what do you think?

Sapyx

That's a Roman denarius of Marcus Aurelius as caesar, or it's supposed to be one anyway, so it's definitely supposed to be silver. If there's zero silver in it, then I'd say a 99% probability that it's a modern fake, with the remaining 1% the probability of it being a contemporary counterfeit.

How'd you get the composition, by the way? XRF?