copper color follis (Sol, Lyons)

[Heliodromus]

I just got this one in hand, and was rather startled by the color! Not sure how it got to have what appears to be a coppered surface like that! Any opinions? Any others like it? Authentic?

Ben

[AncientCoins]

Well, I think it is definitely authentic and a beautiful coin at that!

Could it be that the patina has been removed?  It sort of looks like it from the color, although it is usually more shiny....  A chemist or someone will probably know if it's something involving the bronze

Andrew

[PeterD]

I've had this one with a similar sort of colour for over 30 years. It's not stripped bare, but almost seems to be like a 'desert patina' without the rough bits.

[maridvnvm]

I have a great liking for these coins. This is a bery nice looking example and the style is absolutley typical of the mint. The Draped and cuirassed bust seen from the front is absolutely normal. As far as the coloration / patina is concerned, the photo makes for quite an appealing coin, possibly over-cleaned, it is really difficult to tell from the photo. I would have probably bought it if I had seen it and if I had still been chasing after coins from this period. I am trying to stay disciplined.
RIC 33, Bastien Volume XI 594 (citing 16 examples).
Regards,
Martin

[Heliodromus]

Thanks, guys.

The surface color/metal may well be the result of over cleaning (perhaps combined with an odd flan composition?), but I've never seen another looking quite like it. The color in the photo is true-to-life - it's really a reddy copper color rather than bronze; it's as if the flan pickling or cleaning somehow left it with a copper rather than silver enriched surface.

Martin - I'm glad it passes your eye test on the bust style. I don't have enough pictures of this time period to be 100% sure. I gather you're concentrating on the earlier coins? What time period exactly?

Ben

[maridvnvm]

Ben,
I am trying to focus my collection on the production of Lugdunum from the opening of the mint under Aurelian through to the reform of Diocletian. I had broadened my Lugdunum collection out as far as Nero and through to Constantine and the Family, leading me to own more than a hundred LRBC from Lugdunum and purchasing several volumes of Bastien. The bust style on you coin is spot on when comparing to the plate examples in Bastien, right the way down to the way the drapery forms rolls around the neck.
Regards,
Martin

[peterpil19]

If you overclean a coin, and then buff it, it does become as shiny as your coin. The colour could be just the result of too much copper in the bronze alloy (perhaps bruce61813 should step in now?).

Peter

[Robert_Brenchley]

I don't think there's much question about authenticity; it just looks overcleaned to me.