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Home > Members' Coin Collection Galleries > jmuona > Modern Otho fakes

ROSA2b.JPG
Fake RIC-Another version of Peter Rosa dies. A later cast with blurred legends.
3.80 gr, max 18 mm, die-axis 6.
jmuona
ric8fakeB.jpg
Fake RIC 8A copper core of a plated modern fake.
Bruxelles coin cabinet collection.
jmuona
RIC4fakeb.JPG
Fake RIC 4A modern cast copy. Based on real dies but softness of devices condemns it immediately.
Bruxelles coin cabinet collection.
jmuona
RIC19fakeBRYb.JPG
Fake RIC 19A well executed cast fake, devices soft.
Bruxelles coin cabinet collection.
jmuona
RIC10fakeb.JPG
Fake RIC 10A well-made and convincing cast coin based on offical dies.
Bruxelles coin cabinet.
jmuona
REVERSESl.jpg
This "Otho" with "VÍCTORIA PR" reverse is an ingenious fabrication created by the famous forger "Tardani". He had obviously realized that there were a few VICTORIA OTHONIS dies recut from Galba's VICTORIA PR dies and created this fictitious but possible coin with copies of real dies. I used to have this coin and another with the same dies is in the Berlin coin cabinet. Both are overweight, around 3.9 gr. It took some time to find a Galba minted with this particular reverse die but finally I succeeded. The final proof is seen in this coin, there are a few regions were the die has broken, ie before the die ever could have been used for an Otho coin. The coin is quite convincing because of the dies, but the surfaces were a bit strange and the legends unusual in profile.jmuona
PETERROSAb.JPG
Fake RIC-This coin copies the short obverse legend PAX Otho, listed in RIC I, but not in the second edition. The type is about as common/rare as the long obverse type (RIC4).
This coin is made from Peter Rosa dies, which in turn were copies of real ones. Whether an original "Rosa" or not, I do not know.
5.05 gr, max 19 mm, die-axis 1.
jmuona
otho_fake_denarius.jpg
Fake RIC 22This is a fake dating probably to the late 19th century. The portrait is fairly good but the letters are poorly executed and the combination of long early obverse legend with late reverse is fatal. Otho on horseback is quite crudely executed and the horse is "modern". This coin is in the Bruxelles coin cabinet and I have included it to show the similarity with the corresponding aureus fake included from the Oxford university collection. Unfortunately the equipment I had with me was totally inadequate in the light available.jmuona
othoreplica2a.jpg
RIC 8 replicaThis box contained the three replicas: Galba, Otho, Vitellius-jmuona
othoreplica1a.jpg
RIC 8 replicaCast replica based on real dies, offered as a gift to ?businesspeople and including "authentication" for the replica's quality by an offical source.jmuona
othofake2a.jpg
RIC 22 Modern fakeI have chosen to call this a Modern fake, although I believe it to be from the late 1800s. Fakes with the same obverse or an obverse very similar to this exist both in gold and silver. There are other examples in my gallery as well.jmuona
otho1B.jpg
Fake RIC 22aHere we have a series of late Otho obverses. The one on the left (RIC 10) and in the middle (RIC 22) are authentic coins minted with the same obverse die. The one on the right is a cast copy (RIC 22) based on the same die (but not either of these coins!!). The forger has overdone the job in making the coin look better. Clearly the original one had worn hair and the added detail is not well executed. The neck has been slightly modified as well, but all in all this would fool the majority of buyers. The reverse has fatal flaws revealing the casting - please have a look at the accompanying detailed image.jmuona
otho10b.jpg
Fake RIC 22aA detail of the reverse of a genuine RIC 22 Otho on horsback denarius (left) and a modern cast made from a coin minted with same dies (right). Note the sharp detail in recessed parts of the real coin - pellets behind the horse's neck etc - all absent or mushy in the cast coin, althoug it appears to be less "worn". Also note that the forger has re-cut the emperor´s leg, the original having been in a different angle clearly still visible in the more worn authentic coin.
An extra bonus: both the original and the host of the fake (copied to the cast) show a shadow-line of Otho's forehead below the front leg as they were minted with a clashed die.
3 commentsjmuona
IfakeFantasyB.JPG
FantasyThis fake has a reverse known from coinf of Falba (Spain only) and Vitellius. The fabric is clearly modern, the portrait is off and the lettering is uneven both in eexecution and actual size. Has "copy" written on, but that would easily "wear out".jmuona
fakerepB.JPG
Fake RIC 8These are often called "Museum replicas" and similar things are sold at museums. A copy of a real coin, cast in wrong metal and stamprd with "R" for replica. Without the "R" and the surface manipulated this can be very convincing as a heavily worn, affordable Otho.jmuona
FAKE2b.JPG
Fake RIC 16This is the commonest Otho fake nowdays. Said to come from the Lipanoff studios, it pops out in different grades, metals and patinations over and over again. Unfortunately it was illustrated in ERIC I as the real thing. The obverse is cut imitating a real existing die, alhough the lettering is clearly off. The reverse is unlike the goddess on authentic coins, with what one might call a "celtic touch" Victory´s legs are in a wrong position and reveal the nature of this coin.
A thing to remember is that the person who cut these dies could easily have made a really convincing job - the "errors" are certainly intentional.
3.74 gr, max 19.5 mm, die-axis 6.
jmuona
fake1B.JPG
Fake RIC 19If the colour of the coin or the strange portrait do not warn, the spelling "OTO" on the obverse suffices to show this is a fake. The hair-do is close to right for the late Otho type. The low forehead, big nose and the strange smile make this an easy one to spot. The AEQVITAS is off in many ways - the face is too cute, the figure too thick and the details of clothing wrong.
4.14 gr, max 20 mm, die-axis 12.
jmuona
FAKE19b.JPG
Fake RIC 20vA rarely seen fake with everything a little bit off, but not much. The locks in the front part of the hair are too thick and immediately reveal the nature of this one, but they might work well if the coin had considerably more wear. The face is unusal, but not impossible, this type of a muscular neck is not known for Otho, however. Ceres is quite good, although the corn-ears are too detailed. The reverse letters with long serifs is too different from that of the obverse for the coin to be genuine.
3.46 gr, max 19 mm, die-axis 12.
jmuona
22AV_FAKE_2.jpg
Fake RIC- aureusThis coin is stylistically quite similat to the Bruxelles collection denarius fake and shares the same mistake: long obverse legend combined with the late reverse type. Most likely both were produced in late 19th century.
The coin is in the Ashmolean collection, Oxford, UK.
jmuona
   
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