Strange Antoninus Pius sestertius

[Potator II]

Hi all,

Below is an Antoninus Pius sestertius that shows strange features. Especially the beard seems tooled, but the overall impression is of lack of style and hability in the engraving.
The other picture is of a second example, looking legitimate and possibly from the same dies (letters are very similar one to another). After the complete different style, the main difference, to my eyes, is given by a different lenght of the lace in Antonine's necck.

Is the first one heavily tooled or a complete forgery ?

Thanks in advance
Potator

[SVLLAIMP]

I would guess tooled and real.

[Postumus]

Possible ... tooled and genuine

[Pscipio]

Why tooled? The dies appear to be the same. Of course the first could be a cast, there's no way to tell from the pic unless you find a twin.

Lars

[SVLLAIMP]

I thought tooled because the portrait appears to be a little more worn on this coin than the example, but the laurel leaves and beard seem crisp and the elements spaced further apart.  But I am no expert and could easily be wrong.

[ecoli]

I would prefer a different lighting...Anyway, it could be that the reverse is not fully struck(like the head)

Anyway, a different picture with indirect lighting on the beard potentially could shed more details

[Potator II]

Why tooled? The dies appear to be the same. Of course the first could be a cast, there's no way to tell from the pic unless you find a twin.

Lars

Because, IMO, the general impression is to be from same dies, but with some differences : the snake turns once around the altar on one and twice on the other, different lenght of the lace in the neck. Those can't be explained by the sole wear or different lighning.

Other opinions ?

Thanks
Potator

[Pscipio]

I don't see any traces of tooling. The snake may have been smoothed away, or maybe it's just flatly struck.

Lars

[cebolar]

I think Pscipio is right, no tooling there and not even smoothing. the missing coil of the snake might be due to a filled die .
regards
frank