I could use a hand with identification of a small hoard of ancient coins...

terribleredmonster

Hello, everybody!

The first thing I'd like for you all to know, right off the bat, is that I'm not one of those people that won't do his homework. My problem is that about 90% of my collecting energies to this point have been devoted to lightside pursuits and as a result I simply don't have the appropriate tool kit to do the work on this problem. More than identification of these coins, I am interested in learning how to do so myself in the future (though, if you happen to know what you're looking at don't hesitate to blurt it out).

A few years back an uncle of a good friend of mine died. This uncle was a collector of, well, everything under the sun. My friend helped to clear out his home and sell off most of his estate, but had some items he didn't know what to do with. He knew that I collect coins, so he figured he would bring these to me to figure out. I told him that I wasn't the man for the job due to the fact that I was primarily a US type collector, but he said I was still his best bet and to take my time. I did make a few attempts to figure out what all was in the box he gave me, but I found myself frustrated for a lot of reasons and kind of gave up. I told him that I didn't think I could do the job and tried to give his coins back. After a long conversation he convinced me that I was still the best person to hold them and that nobody in his family wanted them, so he sold the box to me - cheap.

I have no doubt that there are some counterfeit coins in this box (in fact, one is in a flip that says so), but there is also a reasonable amount of silver in it, so I figured I really couldn't go wrong. At any rate, these are what I think should be the best three coins in the lot. Any information you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

Coin 1




Coin 2




Coin 3




BTW, obverse and reverse were total guesses for me. I speculated that the cupped side of the coins were the reverse based on the assumption that the coins were hammered.

terribleredmonster

Barring any ideas on the actual ID, maybe somebody could just kindly direct me to some good books?

STLNATS

Here's the link to forum ancient coins web id help website. Post 1 coin at a time, include size and weight in metric, don't ask for value (which is discouraged on the site), and I'm sure someone will be along to help you out. This site is frequented by an amazing set of real and experienced experts in just about any area of ancients who are quite helpful, and also has some online resources which are easy to navigate including a listing of known fakes. I think you want to look under carthage for the first of these, but this is really not "my" area.

forum

btw here's a cut and paste link: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?board=7.0

Good luck!

PS you have to join the forum to post, but that's easy and doesn't cost anything.

terribleredmonster

Thank you!

BruceS

Looks like a Drachm or a Tetradrachm. Old Greek or Roman. I'm by no means an ancient coin expert. But I do love those BC silver coins. They made a new one every time the had a new Emperor. So there are thousands of variations. Good luck in your hunt.

coachbedford

Assuming they're all genuine--and nothing leaps out to me as to their not being genuine-- they are all Greek silver drachmas or tetradrachmas from c. 3rd to 2nd century BC, though I can't rule out that one or two date back to 4th century BC. The first one looks like it could be a greek coin of Carthage.

STLNATS

As luck would have it, the first of your coins was just posted on CNGs web store, its description is: SICILY, Entella. Punic issues. Circa 320/15-300 BC. Tetradrachm. Here's a link

link

This is a very rare coin and looking again at the style, level of detail and surfaces of the scans you provided, I'd guess that they are all reproductions. It seems like almost all ancients have been repro'd with increasing frequency; some are easy to id, some are very very good. To be sure, I'd suggest you post these on the Forum site I mentioned to get more expert opinions.

Good luck!

lordmarcovan

I'm suspicious and a little leery of those, though I cannot defend that stance with any solid information. It's just a gut feeling, based on I don't really know what.

So take that for what it's worth (next to nothing). Hope I'm wrong. Good luck on 'em. If real, those are some nice pieces to have.

bronzemat

<< <i>I'm suspicious and a little leery of those, though I cannot defend that stance with any solid information. It's just a gut feeling, based on I don't really know what.

So take that for what it's worth (next to nothing). Hope I'm wrong. Good luck on 'em. If real, those are some nice pieces to have. >>



Thats why I didnt reply to the thread. I dont like how they look either. I think they may be fake. But due to the photos its a bit hard to tell.

7Jaguars

Sad to say, but based on those photos I am also in the "contrived" camp..

terribleredmonster

Thanks for the info fellas. I expected that I'd be holding fakes, so I'm not heart broken or anything. That said, these three coins are definitely silver. On weight alone I'm ahead of the curve.

terribleredmonster

Here's the best image of the first coin's edge I can muster at the moment. Any dead give aways here? I think I see a ridge bisecting the coin, but I have no idea if I'm correct or if a hammered coin might naturally have some kind of ridge.

terribleredmonster

Here are some slightly better images. The more I look at this the more I believe I can see the signs of casting.

lordmarcovan

Better-than-average fakes, I think, and possibly older fakes. Might actually have some value in themselves, as high quality fakes, despite all that, who knows?

Nothing like the value the genuine coins would have, of course, but there are people who collect older, high-quality fakes and "Paduans" and stuff.

SmEagle1795

<< <i>Better-than-average fakes, I think, and possibly older fakes. Might actually have some value in themselves, as high quality fakes, despite all that, who knows?

Nothing like the value the genuine coins would have, of course, but there are people who collect older, high-quality fakes and "Paduans" and stuff. >>



Thanks for the better pictures - I agree with the lord, they look to be good fakes. This is supposed to be a Siculo-Punic tetradrachm of Persephone but unfortunately doesn't pass my sniff test.

SmEagle1795

Here's a similar genuine example: