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Author Topic: Sev Alex aureus providentia on Ebay  (Read 732 times)

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Offline mix_val

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Sev Alex aureus providentia on Ebay
« on: December 20, 2013, 11:16:58 am »
Here's a coin on ebay and apparently located in Spain

Weight: Gold 6.5 grams. Diameter approx. 0.75" (19 mm)

Aside from being on ebay, I don't see much wrong with the coin.  I think it odd that the die rim of the obverse and reverse seems to be lost on the right side as there is lots of room for an impression.  In addition, the reverse legend is weak. 

Opinions?

 
Bob Crutchley
My gallery of the coins of Severus Alexander and his family
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php?cat=16147

Offline djmacdo

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Re: Sev Alex aureus providentia on Ebay
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2013, 05:51:41 pm »
Frankly, I do not see much right with it!  The portrait of the emperor seems to me like a grotesque parody of the real portraits of Severus Alexander.  The surface too had a dead, dull look.

Offline mix_val

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Re: Sev Alex aureus providentia on Ebay
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2013, 06:23:11 pm »
I obviously don't see that same thing that you do but I do agree that the portrait style is a bit off; just not grotesquely so.   There's a considerable variation in portrait styles from 230-235 with some being of great art and others less so.  One would expect great art for an aureus.  I was hoping that there were other indicators.  The flat field I've see before in genuine coins. 
Bob Crutchley
My gallery of the coins of Severus Alexander and his family
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php?cat=16147

Offline djmacdo

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Re: Sev Alex aureus providentia on Ebay
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2013, 11:19:07 pm »
I look at that thick neck, thick head and it seems to me the portrait is more like one of the tetrachs than Severus Alexander.  Perhaps I am over reacting, but I do agree the reverse border is strange, as if taken from another coin with the type arranged differently on the flan.  I think we should be looking more for reasons to find it right than reasons to find it wrong, and regarded that way, I just do not see anything distinguishing it from a forgery and several things that suggest it is.  By the way, I am not referring to the flatness of the fields, but rather the dull character of the surface, much more like a pressed gold coin than a struck one, which in this condition I would expect to have mint lust and metal flow lines, rather than a dull, matt surface.

Offline Joe Sermarini

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Re: Sev Alex aureus providentia on Ebay
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2013, 11:44:58 am »
I will be surprised if we can confirm this is fake.
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Offline djmacdo

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Re: Sev Alex aureus providentia on Ebay
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2013, 02:43:41 pm »
I may be overly suspicious, but I am still bothered by the "fat man" portrait, the strange reverse beaded circle that would be natural only on a coin with a different diameter, and the matt surface.  The best I can say, is I may be wrong, but I for one would not buy it.

Offline Joe Sermarini

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Re: Sev Alex aureus providentia on Ebay
« Reply #6 on: December 22, 2013, 02:52:53 pm »
Nobody should buy it from an anonymous eBay seller.  
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Offline djmacdo

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Re: Sev Alex aureus providentia on Ebay
« Reply #7 on: December 22, 2013, 08:59:58 pm »
Indeed, why would anyone sell such a high value coin on eBay when consigning it, if real, to an established dealer would almost surely bring more money and fewer headaches?  It might happen legitimately, but then I am told that occasionally it rains fishes too.

 

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