Start here to learn some signs that an ancient coin might be fake...
The following questions should be asked when authenticating an ancient coin...
Does the
style match the expectations for the
type? (Strange
style may mean pressed or struck with modern dies.)
Does the metal match expectations for the
type? (Many replicas are made in a different metal than the genuine original.)
Does the
fabric match expectations for the
type (thick, thin, squared, oval, round, etc.)?
Does this coin have the expected edge for the
type (ragged, with or without sprues, beveled, straight, etc.)?
Does the strike match expectations for the
type (weak, strong, even, uneven, centered, off center)? (Perfect on a
type that is almost never perfect needs close examination.)
Do the flow lines match expectations for the
type with similar die wear? (Particularly for some Roman silver, the more apparent die wear, the stronger the flow lines should be.)
Does it have edge cracks and splits within normal expectations for the
type? (Too few for the
type may indicate casting. Too many for the
type may be a sign of machine pressing.)
Does the
weight fall within expectations for the
type? (Some types are never light. Some often are, but underweight is
still a reason for a closer look.)
Does it have casting bubbles?
Does it have casting pearls from bubbles in a mold created by casting?
Does it have a ghost line indicating the edge of an original coin used to make the mold?
Does it have missing
legend or parts of the
type and indications that it was cost from a mold made with a coin with those parts off
flan?
Does it have waves in the fields (from uneven cooling after casting)?
Are the fields unusually flat? (May indicate machine pressing)
Does it have filing on the edge? (Filling often indicates an effort to hide a casting seam).
Does it have a casting or
electrotype seam on the edge?
Are the edge cracks and splits real? (Real cracks and splits are rough inside and difficult to fake with casting).
Does it have an unusually high number or larger size edge splits than usual for the
type? (May indicate machine pressing).
Does it have tooling?
Does it have a natural
patina or an artificial
patina? (A genuine coin may have an "enhanced"
patina, but a fake coin will never have a natural
patina.)
Does it match any fake in the fake coin reports?
Is the
price especially low? If it is on auction, are others not bidding it up to the normal
price for the type/quality?
Is the seller also listing other fake or questionable coins (if you suspect one coin, look at the rest of the offerings).
Is it for listed on eBay by a member of the Notorious Fake Seller List (NFSL)?
Is it for sale on eBay and the seller says
no returns or has private listings?
Is it for sale on eBay and it is a very
rare type or emperor, misattributed as a common coin?
The challenge of authentication is not
just knowing what to look for generally, but also knowing what is normal for the particular
type.
Ancient Coin Authentication Links
Abramson, T. Anglo-Saxon Counterfeits: Fakes, Forgeries and Facsimiles, A.D. 600 – 1066. (London, 2011).
Balcer, J. "The archaic coinage of Skyros and the forgeries of Konstantinos Christodoulos" in SNR 1978.
Carson, R. "The Geneva Forgeries" in RNS Numismatic Chronicle, Vol. 18 (1958), pp. 47-58.
Dimitrov, D., I. Prokopov, & B. Kolev. Modern Forgeries of Greek and Roman Coins. (Sofia, 1997).
Estiot, S. "Aurélien et Tacite: monnaies d 'or et faux modernes" in BSFN 9 (1990), pp. 923-7.
Hendin, D. Not Kosher: Forgeries of Ancient Jewish and Biblical Coins. (New York, 2005).
Hill, G. Becker the Counterfeiter. (London, 1924).
Kinns, P. The Caprara Forgeries. (London/Basel, 1984).
Larson, C. Numismatic Forgery. (Irvine, CA, 2004).
Metcalf, W. "A Hoard of Forgeries from Luxor" in Revue Belge de Numismatique CXXII (1976), pp. 65 - 77, pls. 1 - 2.
Prokopov, I. Cast Forgeries of Classical Coins from Bulgaria. (Sofia, 2004).
Prokopov, I. Coin Forgeries and Replicas 2006. (Sofia, 2007).
Prokopov, I. Contemporary Coin Engravers and Coin Masters From Bulgaria "Lipanoff" Studio. (Sofia, 2004).
Prokopov, I., K. Kisyov & E. Paunov. Modern Counterfeits and Replicas of Ancient Greek and Roman coins from Bulgaria. (Sofia, 2003).
Prokopov, I. & R. Manov. Counterfeit Studios and Their Coins. (Sofia, 2005).
Ravel, O. Numismatique Grecque Falsifications. (London, 1946).
Salyes, W. Classical Deception: Counterfeits, Forgeries and Reproductions of Ancient Coins. (Iola, WI, 2001).
Svoronos, J. Christodoulos the Counterfeiter. (Ares Pub, 1974).
When referring to
ancient coins...
Fake should only be used when referring to modern copies or
ancient coins that have been altered. A fake
patina or modern
patina is an intentionally created chemically induced
patina.
Forgery should only be used when referring to modern fakes meant to deceive collectors. An ancient counterfeit may also be called a forgery but I prefer to use the more specific term counterfeit for
forgeries that were intended to circulate as money.
Replica refers to modern fakes that are not meant to deceive collectors.
A "tourist fake" is a fake sold by locals at ancient sites, often misrepresented as genuine, but which will not deceive most collectors. Tourist fakes sometimes do not even remotely resemble a genuine ancient coin
type and are often less realistic than replicas. Before describing a coin as a tourist fake, consider that your comment may insult the owner because it implies they lack basic knowledge and perhaps should have known better.
Counterfeit should refer to ancient fakes meant to circulate as the genuine original. Counterfeit is sometimes used to describe modern fakes made to deceive collectors but I prefer to use the term counterfeit only for
forgeries intended to circulate as money (ancient
forgeries). For greater clarity "ancient counterfeit" is better than
just "counterfeit" and "modern forgery" is better than "modern counterfeit."
The term "contemporary counterfeit" is sometimes used to describe
ancient counterfeits (genuinely
ancient coins but from an illegal or unofficial mint). "Contemporary" has multiple meanings, two of which follow: 1) existing, occurring, or living at the same time, 2) of the present time, modern. See the problem? We have received many questions from new collectors confused by the use of the term
contemporary. "Contemporary" should not be used to describe any coin, modern or ancient, official or unofficial.
To remove any possible confusion, we recommend using the terms "ancient counterfeit" and "modern forgery" and avoiding the terms "contemporary counterfeit," "contemporary forgery," "ancient forgery" and "modern counterfeit."
A
fouree (various spellings possible) is a
plated ancient counterfeit (silver plate on a bronze core for example). A
plated modern fake should be called a
plated modern fake,
plated modern forgery, or a
plated replica, but not a
fouree.
Imitative refers to
ancient coins that copy another
type, but which probably were not meant to circulate as the genuine original. Some imitative types were used as currency in an
area outside the
area the original coin was issued. Some may have been used as substitutes for the original coin in areas where coinage was in short supply.
Barbaric imitative refers to imitative coins of a non-Greek or non-Roman
style, usually but not always crude.
Tooled or tooling refers to mechanical alteration of a coin, for example engraving to change the letters of the
legend or to sharpen details of a portrait.
Smoothed or
smoothing refers to a less damaging form of tooling that penetrates beyond the
patina and into the metal but which is limited to
smoothing rough surfaces.
Smoothing does not include strengthening, changing, or creating detail.
Not Recommended Preferred Alternativecontemporary counterfeit ancient
counterfeitcontemporary forgery ancient
counterfeitancient forgery ancient
counterfeitancient
fake ancient
counterfeit or ancient
imitativemodern
counterfeit modern forgery (or
fake, or
replica)
modern
fouree plated modern forgery (or
plated fake, or
plated replica)
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