Help Id Julius Caesar medal

[Tanit]

Hello

I would like to know if this bronze medal is authentic or not.

Diameter: 33 mm
Weight:  22 gr

Thanks

[djmacdo]

Not authentic--fantasy piece, unlike anything authentic.

[Meepzorp]

Hi folks,

If it's a fake, it's a very good one. It is very convincing.

The style is convincing. It is a match to Divus Julius coins.

It doesn't have a soapy look to it. The edge cracks aren't filled in. It looks struck and not cast.

Yes, it doesn't match any known coins. And the fact that the obverse is incused at the 12:00 position is a red flag. But, in my opinion, this one isn't so easy to condemn.

Meepzorp

[Pekka K]

Compare to this:

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3344992

Pekka K

[Diederik]

That's a gorgeous piece; Here you can see the 19th century in the way the head is done.

Frans

[Meepzorp]

Hi Pekka,

Thank you for pointing that out.

When I first looked at Tanit's coin, I suspected that it may be a Paduan/Cavino "sestertius" or a derivative of one. But the fact that Tanit's coin appears to be struck and not cast threw me off. About 99% of Paduan/Cavino "sestertius" coins are cast, not struck.

One issue appears to be resolved (whether or not Tanit's coin is a counterfeit). But this presents another problem. The CNG example is cast, not struck. Yet, it has much more detail than Tanit's coin. And Tanit's coin appears to be struck, not cast. Yet, it has much less detail than the CNG example. That would imply that Tanit's coin is a derivative (or later cast copy) of the CNG example or another earlier copy of the original Cavino coin. But how can the struck coin be a derivative of the cast coin?

Now, I'm really confused.

Meepzorp

[Meepzorp]

That's a gorgeous piece; Here you can see the 19th century in the way the head is done.

Frans

Hi FD,

I agree.

For comparison purposes, here is my example of a Paduan/Cavino Divus Augustus "sestertius":

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/meepzorp/ri_aug_ae_paduan.htm

Meepzorp

[Tanit]

Compare to this:

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3344992

Pekka K

The medal of acsaerch seems to be an imitation of mine. It is cast, has a dimension of 31 mm and a weight of 12.13 gr while mine is struck, has a dimension of 33 mm and a weight of 22 gr

[FlaviusDomitianus]

The reverse depicts the temple of Capitoline Jupiter in Rome and belongs to a Vespasian sestertius: I have one in my gallery.

Alberto

[Meepzorp]

The medal of acsaerch seems to be an imitation of mine. It is cast, while mine is struck.

Hi Tanit,

It can't be an imitation of yours. The acsearch/CNG example has more detail than your example.

And both examples have a reverse that belongs on a Vespasian sestertius.

We are now no longer certain if it is a (struck?) copy of a Paduan/Cavino "sestertius". It is still possible. Maybe Cavino copied the reverse from a Vespasian sestertius?

Something is screwy here.

The strange thing is that your coin looks so genuine. It is very convincing.

Meepzorp

[Jay GT4]

To my eye Tanit's coin looks cast.  Look at the hair and other places...very soft.  It also looks like a die match.

[Meepzorp]

Hi Jay,

If Tanit's coin was cast, wouldn't the edge cracks be filled in?

Meepzorp

[Pekka K]

Tanit's coin may be mutilated on purpose to look minted.

Pekka K