is there any reason to doubt this siglos? weird certificate of authenticity.

[iameatingjam]

So I have learned not to buy from random sellers on ebay... but I ordered this like 6 weeks ago before I learned that lesson... and it just came today. It came with this 'certificate of authenticity' and I'm actually not sure if its a joke? You can obviously see that some text was pasted onto it and then photocopied. It looks really bad. I don't know if that is normal practice? but it seems really weird to me, it actually had me doubting the coin itself which was labelled as a siglos from the achaemenid empire from 450BC. Looking back its weird that its an absolute number as opposed to a range...

 I've never seen or felt one in person before but it does strike me as quite smooth feeling.

 Your thoughts? Thank you!

[iameatingjam]

more pics

[Virgil H]

I cannot comment on the coin itself, but I have seen these "certificates of authenticity" before. Normally, they are part of selling "Spanish doubloons" to people who don't know anything about coins, but have heard of a Spanish doubloon. It is part of the marketing strategy and I suppose appeals to people who want a piece of history and they are advertised in general interest rather than specific types of publications, like the Smithsonian Magazine. In the case of the "Spanish doubloons," I always thought they were probably authentic as far as being old coins (but I really don't know), but they were so worn as to be unidentifiable and overpriced. Seeing this for a coin like you posted is something different.

Virgil

[djmacdo]

Such certificates of authenticity are only as valuable as the person issuing them.

I see nothing suspicious about the siglos, but it is impossible to be absolutely sure from a photo.  What is the weight?

[iameatingjam]

5.48 grams. and from the widest point about 17mm.

[JBF]

I think it is an authentic siglos, but research it and form your own opinion.  As I recollect, the Darius types have a kneeling archer, or a half archer.  So, this is probably later than Darius.  But, again, it is imho a Persian siglos, just probably not Darius.  For a book showing the differences in sigloi, Greek Coins and their Values, vol 2 Asia, there are probably better sources both online and off, but I am not familiar with them.

[Joe Sermarini]

For a book showing the differences in sigloi, Greek Coins and their Values, vol 2 Asia, there are probably better sources both online and off, but I am not familiar with them.

Or just click on siglos and see the article in NumisWiki.

[iameatingjam]

I think it is an authentic siglos, but research it and form your own opinion.  As I recollect, the Darius types have a kneeling archer, or a half archer.  So, this is probably later than Darius.  But, again, it is imho a Persian siglos, just probably not Darius.  For a book showing the differences in sigloi, Greek Coins and their Values, vol 2 Asia, there are probably better sources both online and off, but I am not familiar with them.

Thanks for your input. I dont know whos on the coin but whoever he is, he is definitely kneeling. I guess its probably hard to see from the picture but both legs are bent.

[Altamura]

... I dont know whos on the coin ...

We neither  . It is just a symbolic depiction of the Persian great king.

...  he is definitely kneeling. I guess its probably hard to see from the picture but both legs are bent. ...

This is the so-called "kneeling-running stance" you find quite often on the coins of this time, expressing a dynamic movement. On the Persian sigloi you have it always:
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=achaem+siglos&category=1&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&images=1&thesaurus=1&order=1&currency=eur&company=

Regards

Altamura