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Author Topic: Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?  (Read 758 times)

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Offline SC

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Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?
« on: January 17, 2022, 02:46:35 pm »
I have had this coin for about a decade but haven't spent much time on it until now.

I have always suspected it was an ancient imitation.  Both sides are seriously off-set plus the flan appears to be too small.

I did some searching for every example of the official coin (RIC-63 under Tiberius) I could find an image of and none are off-set by any appreciable degree, and certainly nothing remotely like mine.

So clearly an imitation but is it struck or cast?  Given the poor overall quality the details are not bad with the highlights showing wear and/or casting issues.  I used to think the "lava flows" in the reverse fields were the remnants of a patina.  But now I think they are signs of casting flaws.

The edge also seems to show signs of a seam.

What do people think?  Also I could find no reference to imitations of this type though imitations of AE coins of the first half of the first century are common in Britain, France and Spain.  (I picked this up at a shop in Paris, though that is no guarantee of origin.)  Anyone aware of references to imitations of this type?



Divus Augustus AE Sestertius, struck by Tiberius, 36-37 AD.
DIVO AVGVSTO SPQR around shield inscribed OB CIVIS SER, supported by two capricorns.
TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST P M TR POT XXXVII around large SC.
14.7 grams, 29x31 mm.

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(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline Joe Sermarini

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Re: Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2022, 09:21:12 pm »
I think it is very likely cast.

I don't recall seeing ancient casts of this type, but I would not be very surprised if others exist.
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Offline PeterD

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Re: Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2022, 06:43:44 am »
If it is cast, it must be a cast of something. The original must of been a struck coin, whether official or imitation.
Peter, London

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Offline SC

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Re: Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2022, 07:41:48 am »
The type is well known.  And the style matches the type - even if the degree of offset and the casting flaws are there.

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(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline Ron C2

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Re: Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2022, 09:09:07 am »
I don't think the offset is all that noteworthy, per se. Even on serstertii if that period, you do see the occasional sloppy strike.

Honestly, I can't tell if I'm seeing casting flaws or just very pronounced corrosion pits. Seems strange though to cast/copy a very deteriorated example with very marginal resale value at best.

Others may have more confidence in making a ruling in this coin. .
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Offline SC

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Re: Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2022, 04:46:28 pm »
I haven't found any official large AE coins from the first century with any real degree of offset.  I'd be interested where you have found images of some.

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(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2022, 04:49:44 pm »
I haven't seen one that off center either.  But Shawn are you sure the weight is correct?  14.7g is far too light for a sestertius, even with the corrosion.  Should be around 25g.

Offline SC

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Re: Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2022, 05:29:29 pm »
Yep.  Another reason it is obviously imitative.

The cast imitations of large 2nd-3rd century AEs, also called limes falsa in German though in English that term seems restricted to AE casts of denarii, from around Carnuntum are all like that - similar diameter but most are severely under weight.  They were made by pressing genuine coins into clay molds but they obviously did not press them deeply enough.

I have several shown in my Cabinet of Curiosities gallery, with weights:
 https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4329

And many more can be found in Numismata Carnuntina.

But what I can't figure out is how could a cast coin be that offset, assuming the original wasn't.  It is not unusual for Chinese cast cash to have one side severely offset, but not both.  It happens when one side of a bivalve mold shifts. 

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(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline Ron C2

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Re: Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2022, 06:36:03 pm »
Shawn I was sure I had seen some here and there, but then I went looking to find images and a remarkably high number of sestertii from that period are in fact well centered.  I guess my memory is not always perfect - go figure.

I found a couple 1st century sestertii that were a little off, but not as much as yours, and these were difficult to locate.  Here's a couple examples:





Starting in the 3rd century, I started to find more off-center large AEs

I guess I should pay more attention to these issues, I really only collect gold, silver and billon.

What has me at a loss though is how the reverse can be so offset on your coin if it's cast - presumably the mother coin would also have to be offset? Could it be a cast of a struck barbarous imitation?
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R. Cormier, Ottawa

Offline SC

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Re: Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2022, 07:23:03 pm »
I don't know.  Maybe it was struck.

The seam on the side could be because the flan was cast in a bivalve mould. 

I can't figure out if the reverse field issues were due to casting or old patina.  Was hoping someone would be more sure than I was.

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(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline Joe Sermarini

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Re: Struck or cast imitation of Divus Augustus Sestertius?
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2022, 05:45:21 pm »
Perhaps the original coin was cut down to the desired size before pressing into clay for a mould.
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