Vitellius sestertius

[Numerianus]

If I remember correctly, this sestertius was estimated by Cohen in 200 FF. The seller offers a nice set of other sestertii.
Could you, please, give a comment?

[curtislclay]

The seller suggests a nice set of other sestertii.

By "suggests" do you mean "offers for sale"?

Please give eBay number or link, since it would help to be able to examine the other coins!

[gavignano]

Hello. I could not get this downloaded as best as I would like on the computer I'm using, but I do have some suspicion it is tooled on the obverse. I cannot comment on the authenticity of the die pair, as I almost never see sestertii of Vitellius!

[Numerianus]

I give the link:
http://stores.ebay.com/AKRAKANTOS
All coins look strongly tooled and have the same fake patina.

[Glenn Simonelli]

You are correct about the tooling, both on the Vitellius and the many (I did not check all of them) of the other coins listed. Just look at Vitellius' ear. It's quite obvious.

Glenn Simonelli

[Rupert]

Is this coin tooled, or is it a cast fake altogether? It looks very crude and un-detailed.

This seller is one whose offerings I have often watched; he often sells rare and interesting Sicilian coins, but most of them look just like the coins he's selling now: all showing the same patina and looking "somehow odd", many also tooled. This, and the fact that people are still bidding on his coins far more than I would want to risk from such pictures, results in the fact that I've never bought from this seller.

Rupert

[Glenn Simonelli]

Well, I'm fairly certain they are tooled. Look at how the nose meets the field. But just because they are tooled doesn't rule out the possibility that they are also cast. I don't have the expertise to answer that question.

Glenn Simonelli

[Numerianus]

I wonder why our experts do not comment these auctions. To my mind there is a high probability that the seller offers cast
fakes enhanced by tooling, covered by thick fake patina and tooled again. When all this coins are at the same place, the fake patina is clearly noticeable. When they will be spread all over the world, it will be no so obvious.

[Numerianus]

Could you, please, make a look at this Vitellius which was sold almost 3 years ago on a French public auctions and which was discussed
at this board. I recall that Curtis Clay indicated that it is from  known dies but one cannot decide from the photo whether it is a cast
or not.

[Lloyd Taylor]

Slam dunk match as far as I can determine. Pea Green or Poo Brown thickly applied chemical patina options; take your pick! I am sure if the customer asks, then a pink variant will be forthcoming! On a positive note this sort of customer/market sensitivity beats Henry Ford's any color as long as its black approach!  The guys responsible for these coins are clearly market responsive; green for the US and turd brown for the Europeans!

[Numerianus]

Sold for $760.
[BROKEN LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN]