Repaired Claudius Sestertius Spes

[mix_val]

I found the bottom coin on a European auction site. 

Auction house description: Claudius (41-54), Sestertius, Rome, c. AD 50-54; AE (g 29,43; mm 36; h 7); TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP P P, laureate head r., Rv. SPES - AVGVSTA, Spes advancing l., holding flower and raising skirt; in ex. S C. RIC 115; C 85.  Beautiful portrait struck on a large flan; brownish patina somewhat smoothed, otherwise good extremely fine.

Something about the bottom coin made me wonder and so I did a die search and found the top coin on acssearch

2016 sale Auction House description: Claudius, AD 41-54. Bronze Sestertius (29.4g). Rome, AD 41-2. Laureate head of Claudius facing right. Reverse: SPES AVGVSTA S C, Spes advancing left holding flower. RIC 99; S-1852. Some smoothing in the fields and scattered pock marks on both sides. Glossy dark brown patina. Struck on a nice large flan. Sharpness of Very Fine

I was initially happy to see a die match but then looking closely, I saw that both coins had identical flans and imperfections in the lettering.  A cast coin seemed possible but I think that the bottom coin has been expertly repaired and repatinated.  The areas of fill on the bottom coin are slightly mauve and don't quite match the field.  Opinions?

[curtislclay]

Certainly the same coin, in my opinion!

[Hydatius]

That's some impressive restoration, but I wouldn't want to buy it. I think the description simply isn't an accurate account of the coin.
  RWB

[Jay GT4]

Disappointing that people are doing this kind of thing....

[Meepzorp]

Hi Jay,

I agree.

Meepzorp

[Meepzorp]

Hi mix,

My Claudius/Spes sestertius (RIC 115) also has pock marks (scroll down, second coin):

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/meepzorp/ri_claudius_nero.htm

That appears to be quite common on those coins (Claudius sestertius issues). I've seen several of them with those pock marks. I wonder why.

Meepzorp

[Meepzorp]

Hi folks,

Why is the RIC number different (99 vs. 115) in the 2 auction house entries?

Meepzorp

[mix_val]

Hi mix,

My Claudius/Spes sestertius (RIC 115) also has pock marks (scroll down, second coin):

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/meepzorp/ri_claudius_nero.htm

That appears to be quite common on those coins (Claudius sestertius issues). I've seen several of them with those pock marks. I wonder why.

Meepzorp

Nothing special about pocket marks on coins.  I think it amazing that a coin almost 2 thousand years old, exposed to oxygen, water and who knows what can look so good.  In the best cases, corrosion creates a thick strong patina that retains the image of the original metal surface but sometimes faults in the metal combined with local chemical environment can lead to pockets of rapid corrosion and low structural integrity.  The oxidized metal just crumbles away leaving pockets...not very pretty.   You see the same thing with Bronze disease except that it is an extremely rapid process compared with the slow corrosion that creates a desirable patina.

[curtislclay]

Why is the RIC number different (99 vs. 115) in the 2 auction house entries?

The obv. legend ends with P P, so it's RIC 115.

Without that P P in the obv. legend, it would be RIC 99.

[Octavianus]

How/where were you able to do the die search?

What material would be used to fill the pitting on a coin like this? Metal or something else?

[djmacdo]

There are all sorts of filling material.  Particularly dangerous, in my opinion, are the so-called metal clays--mixtures of self-harding clay-like material and metal powder.  They come in both bright and colored.  I have even seen dental mercury amalgam used in past years.