Caligula - VESTA. Genuine?

[John H4]

Hi all.

I've recently bought this AS coin of Caligula. It's 27mm and weighs 10,9g. Due to its superb condition I have been puzzled whether or not this is indeed a genuine coin. Any comments concerning this issue? In advance, thanks for your help!

[Will Hooton]

Genuine, but Im a bit skeptical about poor Gaius´ eye socket! Looks tooled to me!

[Jay GT4]

Agreed, looks tooled.  Here is my example for comparison...

[curtislclay]

I suspect modern fake, unfortunately.

Look how much finer and more detailed a real one from the mint of Rome is!

There are less fine, contemporary provincial copies of this As too.  Yours could be that, but is more probably modern, in my opinion.

[Jay GT4]

The more I look at it the more I don't like how thick Gaius' neck is and how small Vesta's head is

[Mark Z]

I hate to admit this, but the first thing I noticed was the difference in Vesta's chest between the 2 coins 

Also, she's looking a little 'pinheaded' in John's coin.

mz

[postvmvs]

In my opinion it is heavily tooled, essentially re-engraved with almost nothing original remaining. Note the sunken and sloppy appearance of the letters 'VESTA' on the reverse. At this point whether it was once real is almost moot.

[curtislclay]

I see no tooling at all; that's how it was cut into the die!

[Robert_Brenchley]

The hair is completely off, and I've seen noses drawn better by schoolkids.

[John H4]

Thanks for all your feedback. I had won the coin on an auction on ebay, and I was able to cancel the order due to your feedback. Just in case this seller isn't legit, I'd like you to have a look at his earlier coins for sale:

http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=terrazaperello&ftab=FeedbackAsSeller

[Joe Sermarini]

Here are the seller's other items:

[Joe Sermarini]

And the last one.

[Joe Sermarini]

At least some of the other items above are fake.  The Julia Paula denarius and the Nero look OK to me.  The rest look at least suspicious.  I have to suspect them all because of the company they keep.  Other opinions?  Nominate the seller as notorious?

[commodus]

At least some of the other items above are fake.  The Julia Paula denarius and the Nero look OK to me.  The rest look at least suspicious.  I have to suspect them all because of the company they keep.  Other opinions?  Nominate the seller as notorious?

Couldn't have said it better! I second that nomination.