Strange and rare Gela coin.

[Matias Felix]

Hi friends. I bought this coin in Barcelona yesterday, but I don't know anything about it. I thinks it's from Gela (Sicily), but I can't find any match. It's bronze, and about 27mm. Please help me.

[Jay G]

I think this may be a cast

[CANTANATRIX]

The 'bluriness' and lack of detail suggest to me that this is a cast fake, plus the fact the coin should be in silver and not bronze.
It imitates the tetradrachms of Gela.

Sorry 

Andy

[link removed by ADMIN]

In fact heres another cast example from ebay via a guy that sells nothing but crappy cast bronzes of silver ancients-and er its exactly the same photo as the one you've given :?

You *ahem* sure you brought that in Barcelona?

Cos its ending in 6 hours...

[Matias Felix]

Many thanks! I see that I bought a cast copy... And you are right this is the same coin as the one in ebay!!! Many thanks anyway...

[Matias Felix]

I bought this to a man in barcelona. I tavel almost every month to barcelona, and I buy lots of differents coins from all types, and some time I find some casts... Thanks!

[mwilson603]

Matias, not doubting you at all.

What an amazing coincidence that the coin on ebay and your coin have had the photo taken on the same colour cloth background, with exactly the same weave in the cloth, and the coin at exactly the same orientation, and both you and the guy who took the ebay photos also decided to put a little camera icon in the bottom right hand corner of the picture 

I guess the one on ebay must have been bought from the same person in Barcelona, and that the Barcelona seller gives away a free piece of cloth and integrated camera icon with every cast! 

[CANTANATRIX]

Someone paid over 30 Euros for it. Oh dear.

Methinks maybe Matias thought he had found a bargain on ebay and wanted to keep us in the dark be 4 it ended lol

[Rupert]

That's possible, and would be - I think - a not extremely noble but legitimate behaviour in order not to spoil his chances. If the piece were real and he had said "This coin ends on Ebay tomorrow" and five members of this board had competed for it, he would have bitten his own - er - somewhere afterwards.

Rupert

BTW, here's the real thing:

http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=54545&AucID=57&Lot=53