Fake Ancient Greek Coins: Hellenistic Period

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Alexander III166 viewsModern fake of AR tetradrachm of Alexander III "The Great" of Macedonia
Messembria, Thrace 16.92g, 31mm
obv: head of Herakles with features of Alexander, right, in lionskin headdress
rev: BASILEWS to right, ALEXANDROU to left of Zeus enthroned, left, holding eagle & scepter
Sold on ebay Mar 2011 by fake seller ahma01 of Razgrad, Bulgaria & Skopie, Macendonia
commodus

Alexander III143 viewsModern "tourist fake" of AR tetradrachm of Alexander III "The Great" of Macedonia
Poss. in imitation of Pella (?), 26mm, cast in AE
obv: head of Herakles with features of Alexander, right, in lionskin headdress
rev: ALEXANDROU to r. of Zeus enthroned, left, holding eagle perched on outstretched r. arm & scepter in left hand; helmet before, below outstretched arm
offered on the Swedish auction site Tradera.com, Mar 2011commodus

Alexander III245 viewsCast fake AR tetradrachm of Alexander III "The Great" of Macedonia
Made in imitation of Byblos mint type
obv: head of Herakles with features of Alexander, right, in lionskin headdress
rev: ALEXANDROU to r. of Zeus enthroned, left, holding eagle perched on outstretched r. arm & scepter in left hand; helmet before, below outstretched arm
cf: Sear 6724
Offered on ebay as a reproduction Mar 2011

commodus

Alexander III136 viewsModern cast fake of AR tetradrachm of Alexander III "The Great" 16.8g, 24mm
obv: Alexander, r., in guise of Heracles
rev: Zeus enthroned, l., holding eagle in outstretched r. hand
Offered on ebay by notorious fake seller jbcollectables99, Mar 2011commodus

Alexander III198 viewsModern fake of AR tetradrachm of Alexander III “The Great” of Macedon 12.88g, 25mm
obv: head of Herakles with features of Alexander, right, in lionskin headdress
rev: ALEXANDROU to r. of Zeus enthroned, left, holding eagle perched on outstretched r. arm & scepter in left hand; helmet before, below outstretched arm.
Cast in billion-like AE/AR alloy from known dies
Of Egyptian origin, circa late 1950s.
[example I of two matching fakes]
commodus

Alexander III250 viewsModern fake of AR tetradrachm of Alexander III The Great of Macedon 12.88g, 25mm
obv: head of Herakles with features of Alexander, right, in lion skin headdress
rev: ALEXANDROU to r. of Zeus enthroned, left, holding eagle perched on outstretched r. arm & scepter in left hand; helmet before, below outstretched arm.
Cast in billion-like AE/AR alloy from known dies
Of Egyptian origin, circa late 1950s.
[example II of two matching fakes]
commodus

Alexander III240 viewsModern forgery of AU stater of Alexander III, The Great, Pergamon, Mysia, 334 BC, 8.6g
obv: bust of Alexander III as young Herakles in lion's skin headdress, r.
rev: Pallas Athena standing facing, holding spear to l. & shield with tassle to r.; in lower left field, a crested helment & in lower right field, a rooster.
Struck from modern dies; stylistically incompatible with any other known examples
Sold in a major US auction, Jan 2009 despite condemnation of exact same coin in 1996. cf: IBSCC "Bulletin on Counterfeits" 1996 Vol 21 page 8, fig. 1a. There was some debate over the authenticity among experts and the coin was initially withdrawn, though it sold, nevertheless, for $100,000, unprovenanced and despite the expert condemnation. Auction officials stated that although they were aware that the coin had been condemned, the buyer purchased fully aware of the risk. Thus, this coin's provenance will now carry the auction record without recording the condemnation. (See also fake report filed nearby on original condemnation)commodus

Alexander III130 viewsModern forgery of AU stater of Alexander III, The Great, Pergamon, Mysia, 334 BC, 8.6g
obv: bust of Alexander III as young Herakles in lion's skin headdress, r.
rev: Pallas Athena standing facing, holding spear to l. & shield with tassle to r.; in lower left field, a crested helment & in lower right field, a rooster.
Struck from modern dies; stylistically incompatible with any other known examples.
cf: IBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits BOC Vol 21 No.1 1996, Page 8, Fig 1a
This coin has been condemned and photographed by the International Bureau for the Suppression of Counterfeit Coins. Refer to "Bulletin on Counterfeits" reference above; photos from same, scanned with permission: "Only four or five specimens of this coin exist and this is modelled on a known example. The general aspect of this coin is dazzlingly fresh."
cf: also fake report on same specimen sold in a major US auction, Jan 6, 2009, despite condemnation as above.
commodus

Alexander III111 viewsModern cast fake in AR (or AR colored metal) of AU stater of Alexander III, 5g, 17mm
obv. (unconvincing) helmeted head of Athena, r.
rev. ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ Nike stg., l., holding wreath & mast; thunderbolt in field to l.
commodus

Alexander III136 viewsModern cast fake of AR tetradrachm of Alexander III, cast in AE or similar base metal; 24 mm, 11.61 g
obv.: head of Alexander in guise of Herakles, right
rev.: [BAΣIΛEΩΣ] AΛEΞANΔPO[Y] Zeus, left, holding eagle in right hand & long scepter in left; cornucopia in field left, A (?) under seat
n.b. granular surface, lack of detail & softness of extant detail, incorrect metal & weight
cf: Price 108; Troxell, Macedon, Group G, 57; Müller 369

commodus

Alexander III113 viewsModern cast fake in AE of AR tetradrachm of Alexander III (The Great) of Macedon.
obv: Alexander as Herakles, r., wearing lion's skin headdress
rev: Zeus seated, l., holding eagle in r. hand and scepter in l.
Of poor style with dirt and patina applied; tourist fake of Turkish manufacturecommodus

Alexander III56 viewsAlexander III tetradrachm, Tourist fake from Athen, " From Athens - counterfeiter has a skilled hand but no eye for style. " IBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits BOCS Vol 4 No.4 Page 86
Din X

Alexander III43 viewsObv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin.
Rev: AΛEΞANΔPOY, Zeus seated left with sceptre and eagle, in left field, monogram.
Cast!
Ilya Prokopov

Alexander III96 viewsAR drachm, 3.8g, Lampsakos mint, c. 310-301 BC
Obv.: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress.
Rev.: AΛEXANΔΡOY, Zeus seated left, forepart of Pegasos in left field.
Pressed from cast dies, probably Dimitrovgrad Studio. The coin is underweight, exhibits casting bubbles and traces of a seam. The reverse is a match to another Dimitrovgrad forgery listed on this site.John Anthony

Alexander III 103 viewsAV Stater. Amphipolis mint, ca 330-320.
Obv. Head of Athena right, in triple-crested Corinthian helmet, adorned with coiled serpent.
Rev. AΛEΞANΔΡOY, Nike alighting left, holding wreath in extended hand, stylis in other; trident-head downward in left field, monogram below.
Price 179
Cast- used a mold of an original coin.
Ilya Prokopov

Alexander III183 viewsObverse die match to IBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits BOCS Vol 5 No.1/2 1980 Page 1 Fig 4
Pressed fake from modern dies.
Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AR tetradrachm (26.5mm, 17.16 gm, 6h). Macedonia, ca. 325-323 BC. Head of Heracles right wearing lion-skin headdress / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus seated on backless throne left, holding eagle on outstretched right hand and scepter in his left; rooster standing left in field before. Price 79. Muller 392.Din X

Alexander III66 viewsObverse die match to IBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits BOCS Vol 5 No.1/2 1980 Page 1 Fig 4
Pressed fake from modern dies.
Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AR tetradrachm (26.5mm, 17.16 gm, 6h). Macedonia, ca. 325-323 BC. Head of Heracles right wearing lion-skin headdress / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus seated on backless throne left, holding eagle on outstretched right hand and scepter in his left; rooster standing left in field before. Price 79. Muller 392.Din X

Alexander III81 viewsObverse die match to IBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits BOCS Vol 5 No.1/2 1980 Page 1 Fig 4
Pressed fake from modern dies.
Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AR tetradrachm (26.5mm, 17.16 gm, 6h). Macedonia, ca. 325-323 BC. Head of Heracles right wearing lion-skin headdress / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus seated on backless throne left, holding eagle on outstretched right hand and scepter in his left; rooster standing left in field before. Price 79. Muller 392.Din X

Alexander III67 viewsObverse die match to IBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits BOCS Vol 5 No.1/2 1980 Page 1 Fig 4
Pressed fake from modern dies.
Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AR tetradrachm (26.5mm, 17.16 gm, 6h). Macedonia, ca. 325-323 BC. Head of Heracles right wearing lion-skin headdress / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus seated on backless throne left, holding eagle on outstretched right hand and scepter in his left; rooster standing left in field before. Price 79. Muller 392.Din X

Alexander III39 viewsIBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits BOCS Vol 5 No.1/2 1980 Page 1 Fig 4

http://forgerynetwork.com/asset.aspx?id=GRmMSdVbyho=Din X

Alexander III38 viewsIBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits BOCS Vol 5 No.12 1980 Page 1 Fig 3

http://forgerynetwork.com/asset.aspx?id=Tl3N493kAiQ=Din X

Alexander III38 viewsIBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits BOCS Vol 5 No.1/2 1980 Page 2 Fig 8

http://forgerynetwork.com/asset.aspx?id=XY4XQVRZnAI=Din X

Alexander III46 viewsIBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits BOCS Vol 5 No.1/2 1980 Page 3 Fig 10

http://forgerynetwork.com/asset.aspx?mode=6Q/zOXMHeZ0=&id=CdbVNxGJlP4=Din X

Alexander III73 viewsPublished fake

IBSCC Bulletin on Counterfeits BOCS Vol 5 No.1/2 1980 Page 2 Fig 8

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/fakes/displayimage.php?pos=-18282

GRIECHEN MAKEDONISCHE KÖNIGE. Alexander III. der Große, 336 - 323 v. Chr. Tetradrachme, (16,76g). 330 - 320 v. Chr. Mzst. Aradus, Vs.: Kopf des Herakles mit Löwenfell nach r. Rs.: ALEXANDROU, Zeus mit Adler auf der R. nach l. thronend, l. Monogramm. Müller 1375. Price 3426Din X

1929 files on 81 page(s)