Vitellius fake or not?

[Stefan R]

What do you think?

[SRukke]

Even though your reverse is pictured at an angle I believe it matches these 2 fakes. Different obverse though. These 2 fakes can be found on the Forgery Network. The FN calls them high quality cast fakes. I don't know enough to say yours is fake. If the FN coins were cast from an original yours may well be real.
I'll let the experts determine that.

[mwilson603]

Does the FN describe how the razer sharp flan cracks are introduced?  I thought that was impossible in a cast?
regards
Mark

[SRukke]

Does the FN describe how the razer sharp flan cracks are introduced?  I thought that was impossible in a cast?
regards
Mark

Nope.

Here is the FN info. Looks like it was submitted by Cliff Laubstein.

Item : 11329      Description
Description :  Ancient Roman Imperial Rome Silver Vitellius Denarius      Obverse: A VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG TR P Head, laureate, to right./ Reverse: LIBERI IMP GERM AVG Draped bust of Vitellius Germanicus on left facing right and Vitellia on right facing left
Authenticity:  Forgery - Modern
Category :  Ancient Roman Imperial - Coins      Series Date: 69 CE -
Category Details      Source
Category :  Ancient      Sold as: Authentic Seller ID: Serdiko = Peter Petrov
: Roman Imperial      Source : ebay 310030739004 Entered by : Laubstein
: Rome   
Key Info      Item Details
Denomination : Denarius
      Catalog RIC 101
Emperor : Vitellius
      Weight : 3.28
Content : Silver
      Condemnation
      High Quality Cast Fake - see remenants of host edge on reverse from 5:45-6:15. See doctored cast twin 11330 Forgery Type: cast

[mwilson603]

Interesting, thanks Romanorvm.  I can see where the remnants of the host coin can be seen on the reverse, although I'm still intrigued as to how 2 casts could have such sharp flan cracks.  Anyone got any suggestions?
regards
Mark

[casata137ec]

Maybe pressed after casting? Those cracks look a heck of a lot like the flan cracks on the decent pressed bronze fakes that were around a few years ago.

Chris

[jmuona]

Well, it would be helpful to see the coin in normal flat perspective, but I cannot see how it could have the same reverse die. To me they are clearly different in many points. However, somehow the structure of the coin feels strange, as if the center would be higher than he rest, like in many mid 2nd century denarii and definitely not like they are usually for Vitellius.
As to the two alleged forgeries, they legends and surfaces look suspicious, so I guess I believe they could be false.
s.
Jyrki Muona

[crispus]

 the lettering on the reverse is different. An i instead of a in liberi.

[commodus]

the lettering on the reverse is different. An i instead of a in liberi.

Different on the obverse, also. Note the letters LLIV and their relationship to one another -- quite different in the two examples.