Constantia - modern fake or ancient imitation ?

[Heliodromus]

This coin just went unsold on eBay. Weight given as 1.77g.

Obviously not official given blundered mintmark and lettering, but bust style looks much better than the other other two modern fakes in already in the gallery. Patina looks kinda convincing.

Seller listed this as Constantia, giving correct PIET/AS PVB/LICA legend (totally obscured on this coin), so appears to have done some research (or knew what he had) and threw it on eBay uncleaned regardless ...

I assume it's a modern fake, but then why the blundered mintmark and crappy lettering given all the effort that would have gone into it? Doesn't make much sense as an ancient imitation either.

Based on bust style I've always grouped this type with Constantine's other postumous types for the ladies, Helena Pax Pvblica and Theodora Pietas Romana, rather than RIC's earlier 326-327 date, and the given weight of this item at 1.77g would be consistent with that. I've never seen a weight given for the two known official specimens in Paris and Leningrad.

Ben

[Joe Sermarini]

Fake coin report please.

[romeman]

This copy, or forgery, has popped up every now and then since 2018. Sometimes sold as a "museum replica" (not sure what museum that would be).

So sadly it is not a contemporary imitation, which otherwise would have been nice.

The Constantia "coins" are very problematic. The mere fact that both known examples appeared in the 1800's and no additional ones have come to light is odd. The one in BNF cannot be located, it is missing since several years. I have studied the example in the Hermitage, and it is either a forgery or heavily tooled and polished. All of this, and much more, will be found in my coming paper on Constantine's bronze coinage of Constantinopolis.

[Heliodromus]

Thanks for adding some clarity, and interesting info, as always, Lars.

Look forward to your upcoming paper.

Ben

[Joe Sermarini]

Fake coin report please.

[Heliodromus]

Another specimen - interesting to see the different/similar aging on these.

[romeman]

Agree. It appears that the forgers are skilled at producing a wide range of artificial corrosion and patinas.
This one, like many others, are sold by someone in "Yugoslavia", a country that ceased to exist decades ago.

[SC]

Yes, that top one appears to have a scarily realistic corrosion patina, at least from the photo.  If it looks that good in hand it would be very worrying.

It is possible that some smart crook has been working on "aging" these for many years and found chemical and burial methods that can get this result in a few years.....

SC

[djmacdo]

There are chemicals, used mainly by sculptors who work in bronze, that will produced a deep patina in a very short time.

[SRukke]

Another specimen - interesting to see the different/similar aging on these.

For sale right now.

[Joe Sermarini]

Fake coin reports for additional specimens, please.

[wolfgang336]

All of this, and much more, will be found in my coming paper on Constantine's bronze coinage of Constantinopolis.

Does anybody know where this paper ended up?

[Ron C2]

Is it me, oflr do the Reese's all look like different dies? I would have expected obvious die mismatches?