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Author Topic: As of Augustus -- fake?  (Read 807 times)

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Ben J

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As of Augustus -- fake?
« on: December 13, 2017, 11:35:40 am »
Hi,

I've recently inherited a Roman coin collection & am a bit suspicious of one coin among said collection, namely an As of Emperor Augustus. I've done some preliminary research and found examples of this same coin here: http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.1(2).aug.431.

Supposedly it was minted in 7 BC under M. Salvius Otho. You can see '--ius Otho' on my coin but the rest is obscured, same as on the obverse. It's as though half the coin has been smudged off, which has made me suspicious.

It weighs 8 grams, has diameter of 27mm, and die axis of about 6. On the reverse I think you can only just make out part of the 'C' of the letters 'SC', though again, it's a little awkward as it's very poor condition.

Would appreciate it if someone with more expertise than I could offer their two cents. Also, what could have caused the 'smudging'?
Images:




Offline curtislclay

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Re: As of Augustus -- fake?
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2017, 12:08:52 pm »
I see no reason to doubt your coin's authenticity.

Ancient coins were often not fully struck up along one edge. The upper die was placed not quite perpendicularly on the blank, and was not struck hard enough to force the metal into the dies on the side where the distance between them, because of the non-parallel upper die, was greater. Your coin shows an unusually drastic case of this striking fault!

It could also be later damage rather than incomplete striking, however. Is the coin just as thick on the left, "smudged", edge, as on the right edge?
Curtis Clay

Ben J

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Re: As of Augustus -- fake?
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2017, 07:54:25 pm »
Is the coin just as thick on the left, "smudged", edge, as on the right edge?

Hadn't considered this -- no, not at all. The left smudged edge is virtually paper-thin whereas the right edge is relatively bulky.

Here is the coin's right & left edges -- as you can see, left much thinner.

Just the left edge--

And finally the right, bulkier edge, on which side the text & portrait is clear and visible:

Apologies for blurry images -- had to zoom in a great deal!

Online Joe Sermarini

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Re: As of Augustus -- fake?
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2017, 08:25:02 pm »
I agree with Curtis. I don't see any reason to doubt the coin.
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Offline curtislclay

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Re: As of Augustus -- fake?
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2017, 08:46:19 pm »
That looks more like later damage, maybe even deliberate. Your coin refashioned into a little knife?

A coin of 200 years later in my collection has a pinched edge at the bottom on both sides, the damage being under the patina so certainly ancient. Maybe it was mounted somewhere by inserting it into a narrow slot? I really have no idea! I believe I have seen a couple of other Roman bronze coins with similar damage.
Curtis Clay

Offline Meepzorp

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Re: As of Augustus -- fake?
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2017, 03:06:11 pm »
Hi Ben,

Your coin looks genuine to me too.

Here is my example (first coin):

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/meepzorp/ri_aug_ae_pt05.htm

Meepzorp

Ben J

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Re: As of Augustus -- fake?
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2017, 04:46:54 pm »
That looks more like later damage, maybe even deliberate. Your coin refashioned into a little knife?

A coin of 200 years later in my collection has a pinched edge at the bottom on both sides, the damage being under the patina so certainly ancient. Maybe it was mounted somewhere by inserting it into a narrow slot? I really have no idea! I believe I have seen a couple of other Roman bronze coins with similar damage.

It does indeed look like a little knife! Well I suppose whatever happened to it will remain a mystery. As long as it's genuine, which seems to be the verdict here, I'm not too bothered; thanks Curtis, Joe & Meepzorp for your input!

 

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