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| Fake Coin ReportsUSE THE FAKE COIN REPORTS SEARCH TOOL to find a specific type. Start with only one or two terms and add more if you get too many results. Using the search will be much faster than clicking through pages of reports. FORVM recommends buying ancient coins only from reputable dealers. ALL COINS PURCHASED FROM FORVM ANCIENT COINS ARE GUARANTEED FOR ETERNITY. If you must purchase from an unknown seller, we recommend looking for the type here first. Please join FORVM's Classical Numismatic Discussion and then report fake, replica, and modern counterfeit ancient coins here. FORVM will screen these reports and correct any errors we detect, however, any discussion board member may submit a report. It is possible that a genuine coin could be listed here in error. Except for known fraudulent regular sellers of fakes, do not include the names of sellers in reports. DO NOT POST COINS HERE TO ASK IF THEY ARE FAKE - USE THE DISCUSSION. |
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| Fake Coin Study Images - Learn to Identify Fake CoinsExamine these images and read the descriptions to learn how to identify modern forgeries of ancient coins. Discussion board members please add images of study value and describe the characteristics that indicate the coin is a fake. |
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Evidence of Casting
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Pitting, filled cracks, field dips, edge seams, filing, soft features, lack of detail, casting sprues, ghost images...
92 files, last one added on Jun 30, 2023 Album viewed 1974 times
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19,177 files in 37 albums and 3 categories with 690 comments viewed 2,582,945 times |

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Fake Oil Lamp, La Marsa Group, Tunisia 20th/21st Centuries3 viewsPer David Knell (Strobilus2): "I'm afraid your lamp is a poor-quality tourist fake. The style and fabric suggest it was probably made in the 'La Marsa' workshop in Tunisia during the 20th/21st centuries."
More about the 'La Marsa Group' here:
https://ancient-heritage.blogspot.com/2018/09/how-to-spot-fake-roman-lamps.htmlv-dromeSep 25, 2023
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Attica, Athens AR Tetradrachm (5th cent. Classical / Transitional)3 viewsAttica, Athens forgery tetradrachm.
Apparently imitating a Classical, possibly Transitional ("Starr Group") or Eastern style owl.
Reported measurements: 17.01g, 24mm.
(Die axis appears roughly 6h in photo?)
Obv: Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet ornamented with three olive leaves above visor and spiral palmette on bowl, round earring with central boss and pearl necklace.
Rev: Owl standing to right with head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ to right; all within incuse square.
This forgery type (identical dies/centering) first reported by helvetica in 2016: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/fakes/displayimage.php?pid=17721
This specimen discussed 24 Sep 2023 in Discussion (including original, unedited photos): https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=132406.msgCurtis JJSep 25, 2023
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Julius Caesar Denarius 452/2, Female head LII / Trophy1 viewsIdentical obverses, same banker's mark on cheek. Top coin appeared on social media, the brockage appeared in the inventory of a European dealer (reportedly 3.83g).
Type of: Julius Caesar. Silver Denarius, c 48-7 BCE. Military mint traveling with Caesar.
Obv: Diademed & wreathed female head right (Pietas or Clementia?), LII behind.
Rev: CAE-SAR, trophy of Gallic arms; to right, axe surmounted by an animal's head.
Ref: Crawford 452/2; Sydenham 1009; RSC 18.
Curtis JJSep 12, 2023
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GORDIAN III RIC 15 denarius3 viewsIMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG / PM TR P II COS PP
22mm 2.2g
Wrong style, wrong lettering and iconography, wrong weight (too low)
Dominic TSep 05, 2023
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Trajon Decius2 viewsTrajan Decius, AV Aureus 249-251, CAST FAKE. 4.2 grams. Obverse: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder. Reverse. DACIA FELIX Dacia standing left, holding standard. Note cast bubble on cheek. RIC 14 note.
Mike P3Aug 28, 2023
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Theophilus, 829 – 842 AD2 viewsAV solidus
Constantinople Mint
Obv. - Crowned bust of Theophilus facing, holding patriarchal cross
Rev. - Facing crowned busts of Michael II (his deceased father) and Constantine (his deceased son), cross above
20.16 mm / 4.35 grams
A cast fake from Beirut. The main diagnostic points are as follows, courtesy of member DIN X:
1.Same scratches on obverse and reverse
2. same centering and flan shape, on yours it is slightly modified (a little bit huger flan) that you can see that part of the dotted border is missing due to bad centering of the authentic mother, so your coin can not be the authentic mother.)
3. Same flat struck areas on obverse and reverse on all coinscmcdon0923Aug 28, 2023
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Trajan Denarius Dacian Captive Mourning on Pile of Arms (RIC II 98, Woytek 283b). Replica by Parmalat (Italy, 1985)2 viewsPer Din X, citing "Gettoni ed Exonumia" blogspot (see below): a novelty replica produced by an Italian sweet company in 1985, one of a series with replicas of at least 15 different Republican, Imperatorial, and Imperial silver types. An "R" on the reverse above the Dacian's foot.
Context: shared on social media (24 Aug 2023) by someone who inherited it among a collection of purportedly genuine coins. No weight / diameter given.
Trajan AR Denarius. Rome, c. 108/9 CE.
Obv: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P. Laureate bust r.
Rev: COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC / DAC CAP (in exergue). Dacian captive seated left on pile of arms in attitude of mourning.
Ref: RIC II Trajan 98 ; Woytek 283b ; OCRE: https://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2.tr.98
See also: Gettoni ed Exonumia, 23 Aug 2015, https://exonumia.blogspot.com/2015/08/1970-parmalat-mister-day-monete-romane.html & https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=132126Curtis JJAug 24, 2023
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Celtic, Atrebates and Regini, Verica, c. 15 - 42 A.D., Silver Minim9 viewsCeltic, Atrebates and Regini, Verica, c. 15 - 42 A.D., Silver Minim
Silver minim, SCBC 145, Van Arsdell 486, Cottam ABC 1295, VF, Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester, UK) mint, weight 1.194g, maximum diameter 9.9mm, c. 15 - 42 A.D.; obverse cross with central pellet, pellets in angles, all within pelleted border; reverse trident
Condemned as a modern forgery by NGC.Joe SermariniAug 24, 2023
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