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Author Topic: Akragas tetradrachm  (Read 356 times)

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Offline paul1888

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Akragas tetradrachm
« on: March 20, 2023, 01:34:46 am »
Hello,

I recently purchased an Akragas tetradrachmhttps://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=180200 After I had it in hand I started to be a little suspicious about the authenticity of coin and started researching it and happened upon a discussion on another board ( https://www.cointalk.com/threads/akragas-and-the-struggle-of-authentication.381585/) where it was pointed out that this coin is from the same die as a common fake.  And I found the same die discussed on the Forum fake coin report.  (https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=111892.0).  I mention this because I was able to track down the auction it was previously sold at.  The coin was returned back to the auction house but then sold again, and I was the next victim of the fake.  I am really disappointed with this since I really wanted to purchase one of these coins and I feel upset that I did not figure this out sooner, preferably before I purchased it. I am also upset that the auction house did not destroy the coin or otherwise remove it from circulation.

Thanks,

Paul

Offline Din X

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Re: Akragas tetradrachm
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2023, 06:12:30 am »
"I am also upset that the auction house did not destroy the coin or otherwise remove it from circulation."

They can not do this, if they are not the legal owner of the fake.
The forgery is the property of someone and the auction house has to give it back to the legal owner after it has been withdrawn from auction or after auction.

The main book for this coinage is

 Ulla Westermark, "The Coinage of Akragas c. 510–406 BC", Uppsala 2018

It is online available,

https://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1189867/FULLTEXT03.pdf

https://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1190038/FULLTEXT03.pdf

Altamura2 posted the links here (there you can find my Akragas Tetradrachm).

https://www.numismatikforum.de/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=62523&hilit=akragas&start=15

The obeverse die seems to be O10, the Reverse die could be R20.
I am not sure if this die combination is actually plausible and possible.









Offline Din X

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Re: Akragas tetradrachm
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2023, 06:16:48 am »
Pictures show paul1888´s coin
And the first picture shows the reverse of paul1888´s coin vs die R20 in Ulla Westermark, "The Coinage of Akragas c. 510–406 BC (Imho die match).


Offline Din X

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Re: Akragas tetradrachm
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2023, 06:24:31 am »
Now there seems to be only one obverse die with the claws of the eagle exactly like this in Ulla Westermark, "The Coinage of Akragas and this is O10.
This is a problem, because the N is recut wrong in the transfer die and so different on the authentic coins!
Yours has the wrong recut N only found on the transfer die fakes :(
The surface of yours looks very strange and soapy indicating it could be a cast fake.
There are stange artifacts on the obverse and reverse, they can not be found on authentic coins so they must be either die flaws in the transfer dies or casting defects or lumps.

Offline Din X

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Re: Akragas tetradrachm
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2023, 06:31:10 am »
Sometimes consignors will after they were notified by auction house or dealer that a coin is fake and they got the coin back, try to consign the condemned coin again after a while as authentic to the same dealer or auction house or to another dealer or auction house. I have seen this already several times.
I assume that some of the consignors might even honestly think that the coin is authentic and that it has been condemned wrongly others consignors might know well that the coin is actually fake but they do not care.

I am not sure if the auction house is aware of the situation that they had withdrawn this coin already, I rather assume they forgot it und will refund you after you notify them.

Offline paul1888

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Re: Akragas tetradrachm
« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2023, 07:38:10 am »
Thank you for all the information.  I really appreciate it.  The dealer I purchased it from has agreed to take the coin back and refund what I paid for it.  I have learned a lot from this experience.

Thanks again.

Paul

Online Joe Sermarini

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Re: Akragas tetradrachm
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2023, 10:10:38 am »
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