tetradrachme owl - real or fake

Andres

I can buy this Athens tetradrachme on a local site, is it real or fake ?

[URL=http://s21.photobucket.com/user/gekkehond/media/album2/album 3/uilmpvz.jpg.html][/URL]

STLNATS

Here's a link to Forum Ancient Coin's fake list centered on the Athens section, altho not being on the list is not a guarentee the thing is authentic since this is one of the most faked Greek coins. Also have a authentication link that you might submit this coin to get the opinion of several very experienced collectors/dealers.

link
fake board

IMHO, I don't like the shape of the owl's head and the beading at 4 to 6 oclock on reverse is a big red flag to me that I'd want to understand (these had no beading as I understand it). Unless real cheap I'd pass unless I had an expert's opinion to do otherwise.

Good luck

Andres

Didn't see the beading on the reverse side , thanks a lot.

Seller wants $ 120 and claims its silver.

CIVITAS

Probable forgery. I have never seen a beaded line like that on the back of a known genuine owl coin.

FWIW, a guaranteed genuine Athens tetradrachm in that condition would run $400-$600 at auction very easily. I think the seller has some doubts about it too.

LochNESS

<< <i>FWIW, a guaranteed genuine Athens tetradrachm in that condition would run $400-$600 at auction very easily. I think the seller has some doubts about it too. >>


Good point. We sometimes get caught up in the excitement of locating a piece, and forget that "low-ball" asks usually indicate weakness; of the seller's confidence in the coin or their desperation to sell. In a down economy, it's usually both.

Andres

I just got an answer from rover , member of the Forum Ancient Coins.
thanks STLNATS for that link.

his conclusion: its a modern fake/copy coin



[URL=http://s21.photobucket.com/user/gekkehond/media/album2/album 3/uilmpvz2.jpg.html][/URL]

STLNATS

You're welcome Andres. Per Red Green - "we're all in this together!"

nicholasz219

Boy the head sure is misshapen around the eye/cheek on the right, isn't it?

LochNESS

It's amazing how obvious the differences become once the real article is beside.

Aethelred

I didn't like the rough area on the back of Athena's neck.

STLNATS

It's amazing how obvious the differences become once the real article is beside.

Actually both of the imaged coins are fakes. The top illustration of the duo was a previously reported cast fake on Forum's fake board. The second image is Andres' coin which turned out to be a second example of this fake, but with a misshapen flan, damage to the owl's eye, banker's mark on Athena's cheek, etc, perhaps to make it look more ancient.