I can see why its controversial. Some suggestions of casting are evident in the form of
1) what appear metal pearls and splatter on the
obverse, although some would relate this to corrosion and metal transfer on the surface
2) softness of detail of devices that is arguably inconsistent with a wear pattern on both
obverse and particularly on the feathers of the
owl on the
reverse, plus the weak definition of the edges of the
reverse incuse,
3) some circular depressions suggestive of casting bubbles e.g. at 4 hr on the edge of the
reverse.
Note also the
border of the eye of
Athena with a missing segment of the
border which cannot be related to die wear.
Also the reticulate pattern on the cheek of
Athena is not as
sharp and defined as one would anticipate from a genuine specimen...perhaps
smoothing of the coin surface has been undertaken, but then again it could be the result
poor casting of an authentic coin exhibiting a crystalline reticulate surface.
None of this is definitive in the absence of a known
fake match, or detailed microscopic physical inspection, but it is certainly suspicious in my view.
