Fake Ancient Greek Coins: Hellenistic Period

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Seleukos I Nikator Tetradrachm2 views Seleukos I Nikator (312-281 BC). Tetradrachm.
Ekbatana. Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin. Rev: ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ. Zeus seated left on throne, holding eagle and sceptre. Controls: In left field, BA above sideways anchor; monogram below throne.

Sold and declared as counterfeit by the seller
Wrong moldZheng J

ACARNANIA, ILLIRYA AND CENTRAL GREECE2645 viewsAR Stater 24 mm.
Obv. Beardess hd. of river-god Acheolous r.
Rev. Apollo Aktios enthroned l., holding bow in r. hand; in l. field two monograms.
Struck. Die-engraver "Slavey Studio - Haskovo I"
Published: Sofia 2003, no.110

Ilya Prokopov

Acarnanian confederacy, BC 229-168376 viewsObv: Head of river god Achelous
Rev: Apollo Aktios seated left with bow
BMC 10

Sold as a reproduction on ebay July 2006.

Submitted by Maridvnvmmaridvnvm

Acarnanian confederacy, BC 229-168421 viewsObv: Head of river god Achelous
Rev: Apollo Aktios seated left with bow
BMC 10

Cast fake.

Sold on ebay September 2007.

Submitted by Maridvnvm maridvnvm

Achaios, Tetradrachm821 viewsObv:- Diademed bust of Achaios right
Rev:- Athens advancing left, holding spear and shield, bull's head to left
Fig 7 is the false coin

A non ancient feel.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 11, No. 1 in 1988 - example 7
Image used with permission of IAPN
maridvnvm

Aeolis, Kyme186 viewsIdentified by Din X as a modern forgery, struck likely from transfer dies. The dies match Oakley 58.

Signs which condemn it include artificial toning and coin is too flat.

Aeolis, Kyme; AR Tetradrachm; Silver; circa 165-140 BC; Obverse: Head of the Amazon Kyme right, wearing taenia; Reverse: Horse walking right, skyphos (one-handled cup) below, KYMAIΩN left, ΣEYΘHΣ (magistrate) in exergue, all within laurel-wreath.

J Sermarini: The style seems off. Oakley 58 is probably not ancient and the dies are modern rather than transfer dies. peterpil19

Aesillas224 viewsSelling as a copy on Ebay, November 2011

Sellers desc:
Ancient Greek Coin - Macedon, Silver Tetradrachm
Hellenistic Period Greek Coinage
AR Tetradrachm 90 - 75 B.C.
An Exact Original Coin Replica
Homeland of Alexander the Great; one hundred and seventy-five years after the creation of his great empire, Macedonian fell to the Roman empire. This coin was struck during Roman rule.
Diameter: 29 mm
Use this coin to do your historical research. Hold it in your hands, you will find that it is the next best thing to owning the original coin.
Material: Silver plated lead free pewter
Obverse:Head of Alexander the Great w/horn of Ammon and flowing hair.
Reverse: AESILLAS above club between money chest and quaestor's chair.
This coin is stamped on the reverse with the word copy.SRukke

AESILLAS, ROMAN QUAESTOR 135 viewsAR Fake tetradrachm, Mint of Tessalonika
Obv: MAKEΔONΩN, Diademed head of Alexander right, Q behind.
Rev: AESILLAS, Money chest, club & chair, all in wreath.
Ilya Prokopov

Aesillas, Thessalonika, 90-75 BC, Macedonia under Roman rule603 viewsAR tetradrachm
Obv: Diademed head of Alexander right; Q behind
MAKEΔONΩN below bust
Rev: Money chest, club & chair, all in wreath, AESILLAS above
Date: 70 BC
Ref: SNGAsh_3306; Dimitrov, Modern Forgeries..., 1997, #63

For sale on eBay 11/13/2004 by Toronto Group, ID priapuslarge.

Same photograph used by Toronto Group ID "babylonruinz" 01/29/2005 Joe Sermarini

Aesillas, Thessalonika, 90-75 BC, Macedonia under Roman rule. 542 viewsAR tetradrachm
Obv: Diademed head of Alexander right; Q behind
MAKEΔONΩN below bust
Rev: Money chest, club & chair, all in wreath, AESILLAS above
Date: 70 BC
Ref: SNGAsh_3306; Dimitrov, Modern Forgeries..., 1997, #63

Macedonia under Roman rule, Aesillas the Questor
Toronto Group forgerywhitetd49

Aesillas, Thessalonika, 90-75 BC, Macedonia under Roman rule.438 viewsAR tetradrachm
Obv: Diademed head of Alexander right; Q behind
MAKEΔONΩN below bust
Rev: Money chest, club & chair, all in wreath, AESILLAS above
Date: 70 BC
Ref: SNGAsh_3306; Dimitrov, Modern Forgeries..., 1997, #63

Sold on Ebay as genuine by "kdl_coins". Toronto group forgery.

Submitted by BluefishBluefish

Agathocles, Ar Tetradrachm, ca 170-160 BC., Panjhir246 viewsObv:- Head of Hercules right wearing lion skin headress
Rev:- Zeus enthroned left
Fig 8a is the false coin

Mitch. 142.

Cast. Trade 1985. 16.42g.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 11, No. 2 in 1986 - example 8a
Image used with permission of IAPNmaridvnvm

Agathocles, Ar Tetradrachm, ca 170-160 BC., Panjhir317 viewsObv:- Head of Hercules right wearing lion skin headress
Rev:- Zeus enthroned left
Fig 8b is the false coin

Mitch. 142.

Cast. Nanteuil 462. 19.78g.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 11, No. 2 in 1986 - example 8b
Image used with permission of IAPNmaridvnvm

Agathocles, Ar Tetradrachm, ca 170-160 BC., Pushkalavati191 viewsObv:- Diademed head of Diodotus right
Rev:- Zeus advancing left
Fig 9 is the false coin

Nanteuil 463.

Cast.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 11, No. 2 in 1986 - example 9
Image used with permission of IAPNmaridvnvm

Agathocles, Ar Tetradrachm, Merv.185 viewsObv:- Diademed head of Euthydemus right
Rev:- Hercules seated left on rock
Fig 10 is the false coin

Mitch. 145.

Cast. Nanteuil 464.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 11, No. 2 in 1986 - example 10
Image used with permission of IAPNmaridvnvm

Agathocles, Syracuse, AV 40 litrae (or gold dekadrachm), ca. 295 BC244 viewsObv:- Head of Apollo left
Rev:- Biga galloping right, below the horses, triskelis
Fig 6a is the false coin - 2.90g
Fig 6b is genuine - 2.85g. Gulbenkian 337

A recent and very dangerous product struck in reddish gold.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 21, No. 2 in 1996 - example 6a
Image used with permission of IAPNmaridvnvm

Agathocles, Syracuse, AV Decadrachm, ca. 317-289 BC258 viewsObv:- Head of Athena right
Rev:- AGAQOKLEOS / BASILEOS; Thunderbolt
Fig 12a is the false coin - 5.74g
Fig 12b is genuine - Leu 52, 1991, Lot 28

Irregular flans never occur on Agathocles' gold coinage.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 22, No. 1 in 1997 - example 12a
Image used with permission of IAPNmaridvnvm

Agathocles, Syracuse, AV Decadrachm, ca. 317-289 BC240 viewsObv:- Head of Athena right
Rev:- AGAQOKLEOS / BASILEOS; Thunderbolt
Fig 13 is the false coin - 5.44g

Wavy reverse field.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 22, No. 1 in 1997 - example 13
Image used with permission of IAPNmaridvnvm

Agathocles, Syracuse, EL (?) Pentadrachm, ca. 295 BC177 viewsObv:- Head of Persephone left
Rev:- Bull butting l., ΣYPAKOΣIΩN around.
Fig 7a is the false coin - 1.23g.
Fig 7b is genuine - 1.42g. Ars Classica 17, 1934, lot 271

This curious counterfeit can be traced back to an auction in the early 1960s. Genuine coins of this issue are struck in gold not electrum.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 21, No. 2 in 1996 - example 7a
Image used with permission of IAPNmaridvnvm

Agathocles, Syracuse, EL 25 litrae, ca. 310 BC185 viewsObv:- Laureate head of Apollo left
Rev:- Kithara (Lyre), ΣYPAKOΣIΩN around.
Fig 5a is the false coin - 1.85g.
Fig 5b is genuine - 1.84g. Dies of Jenkins a/a

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 21, No. 2 in 1996 - example 5a
Image used with permission of IAPNmaridvnvm

Agathocles, Syracuse, EL 25 litrae, ca. 310 BC188 viewsObv:- Laureate head of Apollo left
Rev:- Kithara (Lyre), ΣYPAKOΣIΩN around.
Fig 10 is the false coin - 1.13g

See BoC 21/2, 1996/1997.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 22, No. 1 in 1997 - example 10
Image used with permission of IAPNmaridvnvm

Agathocles, Syracuse, EL 5 litrae, ca. 310 BC178 viewsObv:- Head right
Rev:- Octopus
Fig 11 is the false coin - 0.77g

Apparently a higher gold content than the seven specimens recorded by Jenkins, p. 155, which weight between 0.70g and 0.73g.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 22, No. 1 in 1997 - example 11
Image used with permission of IAPNmaridvnvm

Agathokles140 viewsForgeries from the end of the 19th century from newly cut dies.
Die links.

Agathokles of Baktria185 viewsCopying Agathokles.
It has the wrong legends. The head on the obverse is totally wrong The lettering on both sides of the coin are sometimes reversed or missing altogether. This coin should be pure silver. The wreath and eagle in the left field look more like a "B" and a duck. The aegis on Zeus's left arm is only shown as a circle. A very very poor copy.
This should be : DIODOTOU SWTHROS, diademed head of Diodotos I right / BASILEUONTOS DIKAIOU AGAQOKLEOUS, Zeus advancing left, brandishing thunderbolt in right hand, aegis draped over extended left arm; in inner left field, wreath above eagle standing left.
A genuine example of this type of coin:
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/baktria/kings/agathokles/Bop_13A.jpg

Sent to wildwinds for identification.
Submitted by Helveticahelvetica

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