Dr. Ilya Prokopov's Fake Ancient Coin Reports
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Home > Fake Coin Study Images - Learn to Identify Fake Coins > Fake Coin Edges

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Edge - Cast and Tooled564 viewsEdge of an AR Tetradrachm, additionally manipulate. Ilya Prokopov
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Edge - Cast and Tooled177 viewsokidoki
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Edge - Cast Coin619 viewsCast edge with a seam. 1 comments
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Edge - Cast Denarius693 viewsEdge of a cast AR Denarius.
Ilya Prokopov
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Edge - Cast Sestertius587 viewsEdge of cast AE sestertius, with clear casting bubbles. Ilya Prokopov
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Edge - Casting Flaw from Lack of Metal277 viewsEdge of cast tremissis.
Clearly visible - cavern (lack of metal), as well as small bubbles.
Ilya Prokopov
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Edge - Casting Seam254 viewsThis is an obvious casting seam!okidoki
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Edge - Casting Seam228 viewsThis seam is clear and shouldn't fool anyone who looks. Joe Sermarini
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Edge - Cold Pressed Sestertius528 viewsPressed AE sestertius.Ilya Prokopov
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Edge - Cold Pressed Sestertius509 viewsCold pressed AE sestertius.Ilya Prokopov
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Edge - Cold Pressed Silver461 viewsCold pressed. Very different from a genuine coin edge. Excessive cracking which is rare on genuine coins and usually indicates a fake. There are a few genuine types that typically have many flan cracks, but without an expert opinion, assume such a coin is fake. Ilya Prokopov
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Edge - Electrotype (Galvanocopy) Ptolemaic Bronze Replica173 viewsPtolemaic bronze coin (AE32, 25.2gm). The is an electrotype (assembled from plated 'shell' halves, filled with lead or tin), possibly of a cast. It's unusual in that this 'size' for this type doesn't exist so the original is something of a mystery. And it's highly unusual to find a fake Ptolemaic bronze at all. It was probably an educational or museum study piece not intended to deceive.

Magnification of small area of the gray material seem, probed to reveal shiny soft fill metal - apparently lead or tin.
Joe Sermarini
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Edge - Electrotype (Galvanocopy) Ptolemaic Bronze Replica160 viewsPtolemaic bronze coin (AE32, 25.2gm). The is an electrotype (assembled from plated 'shell' halves, filled with lead or tin), possibly of a cast. It's unusual in that this 'size' for this type doesn't exist so the original is something of a mystery. And it's highly unusual to find a fake Ptolemaic bronze at all. It was probably an educational or museum study piece not intended to deceive.

Magnification of edge of the coin showing an apparent seam, but hard to tell because at this point the seam is nearly perfect but there are some file marks. See our additional images of this coin where the seam and the fill material are easily visible.
Joe Sermarini
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Edge - Electrotype (Galvanocopy) Ptolemaic Bronze Replica137 viewsPtolemaic bronze coin (AE32, 25.2gm). The is an electrotype (assembled from plated 'shell' halves, filled with lead or tin), possibly of a cast. It's unusual in that this 'size' for this type doesn't exist so the original is something of a mystery. And it's highly unusual to find a fake Ptolemaic bronze at all. It was probably an educational or museum study piece not intended to deceive.

Magnification of an area of the seam where separation is notable and there's some gray material between the edges of the seam.
Joe Sermarini
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Edge - Electrotype (Galvanocopy) Ptolemaic Bronze Replica148 viewsPtolemaic Bronze Replica - Electrotype (Galvanocopy)

Ptolemaic bronze coin (AE32, 25.2gm). It is 'light' for its size. Note a little 'bumpiness' of the surface near the face of Zeus. And the 'coppery' color is unusual for a real Ptolemaic bronze - another hint it's not right. Note also the 'dent' at the edge in front of Zeus. Flaws in cast Ptolemaic bronze flans aren't that unusual but this is probably an actual dent of the copper electrotype shell.

Magnification of sections of the edge seam are provided below the obverse and reverse images.
Joe Sermarini
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Edge - Electrotype (Galvanocopy) Stamped GB211 viewsSome electrotype copies of coins from the British Museum and are marked GB on the edge. Joe Sermarini
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Edge - Electrotype (Galvanocopy) Stamped RR (Robert Ready)153 viewsIn the late eighteenth to mid twentieth centuries electrotypes were made as originally officially sanctioned copies of specimens in public collections, including the Ashmolean and the British Museum. They were not meant to deceive, but were to be employed as teaching aids for numismatists who might not be able to see the genuine coins in the collection, and serve as display examples for individuals who wished to be able to have an example of specific coins. The majority of electrotype copies were produced by the British Museum, most under the auspices of Robert Cooper Ready and his sons between 1859 and 1931. A skilled seal maker and modeler, these electrotypes are known by the letters RR stamped on the coin’s edge. They are highly sought-after collectables in their own right. At one point, a large portion of the coin collection was electrotyped, which proved to be widely popular with Museum customers and art enthusiasts. However, later unscrupulous individuals used these electrotypes to deceive the unwary, and the British Museum halted the process. Joe Sermarini
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Edge - Electrotype (Galvanocopy) Stamped RR (Robert Ready)200 viewsIn the late eighteenth to mid twentieth centuries electrotypes were made as originally officially sanctioned copies of specimens in public collections, including the Ashmolean and the British Museum. They were not meant to deceive, but were to be employed as teaching aids for numismatists who might not be able to see the genuine coins in the collection, and serve as display examples for individuals who wished to be able to have an example of specific coins. The majority of electrotype copies were produced by the British Museum, most under the auspices of Robert Cooper Ready and his sons between 1859 and 1931. A skilled seal maker and modeler, these electrotypes are known by the letters RR stamped on the coin’s edge. They are highly sought-after collectables in their own right. At one point, a large portion of the coin collection was electrotyped, which proved to be widely popular with Museum customers and art enthusiasts. However, later unscrupulous individuals used these electrotypes to deceive the unwary, and the British Museum halted the process. Joe Sermarini
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Edge - Electrotype (Galvanocopy) Stamped RR (Robert Ready)123 viewsIn the late eighteenth to mid twentieth centuries electrotypes were made as originally officially sanctioned copies of specimens in public collections, including the Ashmolean and the British Museum. They were not meant to deceive, but were to be employed as teaching aids for numismatists who might not be able to see the genuine coins in the collection, and serve as display examples for individuals who wished to be able to have an example of specific coins. The majority of electrotype copies were produced by the British Museum, most under the auspices of Robert Cooper Ready and his sons between 1859 and 1931. A skilled seal maker and modeler, these electrotypes are known by the letters RR stamped on the coin’s edge. They are highly sought-after collectables in their own right. At one point, a large portion of the coin collection was electrotyped, which proved to be widely popular with Museum customers and art enthusiasts. However, later unscrupulous individuals used these electrotypes to deceive the unwary, and the British Museum halted the process. Joe Sermarini
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Edge - Electrotype Edge with Joint Where Two Halves are Glued Together615 viewsIf you note that a coin is glued from two parts (obverse and reverse) it is a guarantee it is fake, usually an electrotype. These fakes are often nearly perfect copies - except for the edge. This is an unmasked edge with a clear joint. Often the edge is masked but when observed carefully the joint is still visible. Ilya Prokopov
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Edge - Electrotype Edge with Joint Where Two Halves are Glued Together439 viewsIf you note that a coin is glued from two parts (obverse and reverse) it is a guarantee it is fake, usually an electrotype. These fakes are often nearly perfect copies - except for the edge. This is an unmasked with a clear joint.Ilya Prokopov
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Edge - Electrotype Edge with Joint Where Two Halves are Glued Together610 viewsTraces from the creation of the coin by joining (glued) two halves together; crack of the kernel as a result from the machine work; traces from copper under the silver layer.
Inspection and observation are made in co-operation with my colleague Alena Tenchova.
Ilya Prokopov
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Edge - Electrotype Edge with Joint Where Two Halves are Glued Together399 viewsIf you note that a coin is glued from two parts (obverse and reverse) it is a guarantee it is fake, usually an electrotype. These fakes are often nearly perfect copies - except for the edge. Ilya Prokopov
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Edge - Electrotype Edge with Joint Where Two Halves are Glued Together307 viewsEdge of an Electrotype fake. Each side must be made separately and then glued together.

Ilya Prokopov
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