Image search results - "Bactria" - Dr. Ilya Prokopov's Fake Ancient Coin Reports

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Alexander III AR Decadrachm, Baktria-Babylon36 viewsAR Decadrachm, Baktria-Babylon
Cast, Dimitrovgrad Studio.
Without marking.
Ilya Prokopov

Antimachos, 171-160 BC (Baktria and Indo-Greek) 458 viewsAR tetradrachm
Modern, 'eyes closed,' forgery in fine style
Diademed and draped bust right, wearing kausia / BAΣIΛEΩΣΘEOY ANTIMAXOY, Poseidon standing facing, holding trident and palm-branch. N within O in right field
Sear 7542

Sold on German Ebay March 2005 as "probably a replica".

submitted by rupertRupert

Antimachos, in the name of Diodotos I (c. 174-165 B.C.), Bactria, AR Tetradrachm124 viewsObv:- ΔIOΔOTOY ΣΩTHPOΣ, , diademed head of Diodotos I right
Rev:- BAΣIΛEYONTOΣ ANTIMAXOY OEOY, naked Zeus striding left, hurling thunderbolt, with aegis over left arm, eagle at feet, wreath in left field, N in right field
Fig 2 is the false coin
Type of Mitchiner 128.

Modern cast, offered in Munich by an Afghani gentleman in large quantities. Made in Afghanistan and Northern India.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 14, No. 2 in 1989 - example 2
Image used with permission of IAPN maridvnvm

Antimachos, Indo-Greek c.171-160 BC129 viewsIndo-Greek (Bactria) King Antimachos AR Tetradrachm coin issued in ca.171-160 BC. Scarce. Ref: Mitchiner 124, Sear 7542. VF condition with original dark grey tone. ~32mm and 16.5g. Guaranteed genuine. 7 days return privilege. P&H is $5 for worldwide registered airmail and not refundable. Good luck. Please understand it usually takes 10-12 days from Singapore to Europe or America for post delivery. Please view my other auctions on ebay and visit my ebay Store.

sell this fake cast on ebay SELLERS NAME cncoin99 (Xin Long Gallery)

Antiochos II Drachm of Ai Khanoum Mint, Bactria302 viewsFake Antiochos II Drachm of Ai Khanoum Mint

This coin is associated with the group of high quality Bactrian Antiochos II fakes, dating perhaps to the late 19th century, as described by G.K Jenkins in A Group of Bactrian Forgeries, Revue Numismatique, 1965 Volume 6, Number 7, pages 51-57.

Critical aspects bearing on this consideration include:

Die Axis: Most tellingly, the die axis of the coin is 1h. This is inconsistent with the Ai Khanoum mint standard of dies adjusted to 6h. Refer: Houghton & Lorber (Seleucid Coins), Newell (The Coinage of the Eastern Seleucid Mints) and Kritt (Seleucid Coins of Bactria and Dynastic Transitions in the Coinage of Bactria). All of the known genuine gold and silver coinage of the Seleucid and Diodotid period, which bears the mint controls of Ai Khanoum have a 6h die axis. It is well documented that the mint struck coins with adjusted 6h dies. In contrast, many of the forgeries catalogued by Jenkins are characterised by other die axis orientations with a bias towards 12h.

Weight: The coin weighs 4.52 grams, which is 8% heavier than the attic weight standard drachm of 4.2 grams to which all the documented authentic examples of drachms of the mint at Ai Khanoum conform. Review of the catalogue of comparable drachms in the catalogues of Newell, Houghton and Lorber and Mitchiner (Indo-Greek and Indo-Scythian Coinage Volume I) reveals no example of an Ai Khanoum drachm of the Seleucid or Diodotid period with a weight in excess of 4.31 grams. Most examples are appreciably less than 4.2 grams. Jenkins (p. 54) noted that the anomalously high weight of 4.56-4.64 grams characterised two fake drachms in the La Berre collection that match lot 4166 in terms of description.

Dies: With absolute certainty, the coin is struck from the same dies as a gold stater SNG ANS 70 (refer Pl. 4 SNG ANS Part 9 Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek Coins). The reverse die is characterised by an anomalous style with unusually bold dots or beads that delimit the letters of the legend and the ornamentation of the omphalos. The comparable elements on established genuine coins are more subtly executed than those on Lot 4166. Jenkins commented that on the fake coins of this type… ‘The reverse may be compared with that of the genuine coins in the BM and we note once again the comparatively flat and feeble modelling.’ To my knowledge there is no known authentic example of a Seleucid drachm of the period of Antiochos II struck from the same dies as a gold stater.

Diameter: The utilisation of dies from the larger diameter gold stater necessitates a larger than usual diameter silver drachm flan to fully accommodate the images. Lot 4166 is 17 mm in diameter, in contrast to the more usual 14-15 mm of contemporaneous Seleucid drachms issued from Ai Khanoum. By way of comparison SC 618/ESM 710, the type to which this coin was attributed in the description of Lot 4166 is 14-15 mm in diameter based on the illustrations of the coin in Houghton and Lorber (Seleucid Coins) and Newell (Eastern Seleucid Mints).

Visual Diagnostics: Two small spherical beads of metal clearly visible under magnification and also on the photo image of the coin. They are located respectively on the obverse and reverse. The first is evident at ca 9h immediately behind the outermost strand of Antiochos hair. The second is present between the lyre and shin of Apollo. Both are spherical beads that cannot be associated with die wear. They are more suggestive of air bubbles entrained in a mould from which the coin was cast. Additionally, from the photo of the coin, one might infer the presence of an edge seem. However, this is a photographic artefact that results from the abrupt transition from a flat coin face to the more curved coin edge. In hand specimen this transition is unlike anything seen on authentic Ai Khanoum issues. It has a "modern" character to it suggestive of pressing, or alternatively of moulds taken from a pressed hoist coin.

These are the only directly visible diagnostics of fakery, the balance of the argument depending on more subtle numismatic conventions and standards applicable to this coin type.

For those interested in Jenkins article on Bactrian Forgeries a copy (without plates unfortunately) can be downloaded from
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/numi_0484-8942_1965_num_6_7_923

Antiochos II, Av Stater. Bactria84 viewsObv:- Diademed head right
Rev:- BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY, Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding bow and arrow
Fig 2 is the false coin

Mitch. 61 b. G. K. Jenkins, A group of Bactrian forgeries, RN 1965, pl. 4, 5.

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

Azes II, Drachm49 viewsAnother American Mint replica sold for $47.95 (Customer can only order up to 5 pcs.) with the following description....
The silver drachmas of the powerful Bactrian ruler Azes II were in circulation during the life of Christ. With the Greek script "King of Kings" and an Indian legend, they are among the first bilingualcoins that were ever minted. It is possible that the great Azes himself was one of the three Magi who came to Bethlehem in order to pay homage to baby Jesus.

Azes, Bactria, Ar Tetradrachm, ca 57-35 BC118 viewsObv:- King on horseback right
Rev:- Nike standing left with wreath and palm
Fig 4 is the false coin
Type of Mitchiner 739.

Modern cast, offered in Munich by an Afghani gentleman in large quantities. Made in Afghanistan and Northern India.

Published in the IAPN BOC Vol 14, No. 2 in 1989 - example 4
Image used with permission of IAPN maridvnvm

Bactria, Agathokles, Fake28 viewsAppallingly wrong style, wrong metal, the type does not exist in bronze.

Looks like a pressed, rather than struck fake.

Dealers description:
Lot 2510. GRIECHISCHE MÜNZEN, ASIEN, BAKTRIEN
AGATHOKLES. 171-160, Merv.AE-22 mm. Drapierte Büste mit Diadem r. Rs: Zeus steht frontal mit Zepter, in der Rechten Hekate mit 2 Fackeln.
MIG -, vgl. 137 ff. Bopearachchi -. RRR ss-vzEx Sammlung A.W. vor 2013.
Die zitierten Corpora verzeichnen nur Silbermünzen dieses Typs. Möglicherweise handelt es sich um eine AE-Anima einer subaeraten Münze, deren Silbermantel nicht erhalten ist.

Translation:Lot 2510 GREECE COINS, ASIA, BACTRIA
AGATHOKLES. 171-160, Merv.AE-22 mm. Draped bust with diadem r. Rs: Zeus stands frontally with scepter, in the right hecate with 2 torches.
MIG -, cf. 137 ff. Bopearachchi -. RRR ss-vzEx collection A.W. before 2013.
The quoted Corpora list only silver coins of this type. Possibly it is an AE anima of a subaerate coin whose silver coat is not preserved.

The last statement simply seeks to "blow smoke" over the fact that it is a most obvious fake.n.igma

Bactria, Diodotos II, AV Stater - Cast Fake183 viewsWithdrawn from auction sale by a reputable vendor. Coin has all the diagnostics of a cast fake and is of a type documented as fake by Frank Holt in "Thundering Zeus" - Holt D series AV fakes

Vendor Description:
BACTRIAN KINGDOM. Diodotus I and II (ca. 250-230 BC). Gold stater

BACTRIAN KINGDOM. Diodotus I and II (ca. 250-230 BC). Gold stater (8.05 gm -5% under weight against the AV Stater standard applicable to Bactrian issues.). Diademed head of Diodotus I right / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ] ΔΙοΔοΤοΥ, Zeus, nude, seen from behind, advancing left, holding thunderbolt in right hand and aegis over left arm, eagle standing left before, crown in inner left ﬁeld. Bopearachchi Series 5, A. Test cut repaired; edge damage and a few surface ﬂaws. Nearly extremely ﬁne

Bactria, Eukratides I Tetradrachm32 viewsBASILEUS MEGAS EUKRATIDHS, heroic bust left, wearing helmet adorned with bull's horn and ear, seen from behind, brandishing spear in his right hand / HLIOKLEOUS KAI LAODIKHS, jugate draped busts of Heliokles and Laodike, diademed, right; monogram behind. Bopearachchi Série 16A; SNG ANS 529.

Cast copy.Manuel

BACTRIA, Eukratides, Becker, Hill 12714 viewsBACTRIA, Eukratides, Becker, Hill 127

BACTRIA, Eukratides, Becker, Hill 12717 viewsBACTRIA, Eukratides, Becker, Hill 127

BACTRIA, Eukratides, Becker, Hill 12718 viewshttps://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb417590361

BACTRIA, EUTHYDEMUS, EUTHYDEMOS, Becker, Hill 12613 viewsBACTRIA, EUTHYDEMUS, EUTHYDEMOS, Becker, Hill 126

BACTRIA, EUTHYDEMUS, EUTHYDEMOS, Becker, Hill 12611 viewsBACTRIA, EUTHYDEMUS, EUTHYDEMOS, Becker, Hill 126

BACTRIA, EUTHYDEMUS, EUTHYDEMOS, Becker, Hill 1268 viewsBACTRIA, EUTHYDEMUS, EUTHYDEMOS, Becker, Hill 126

Bactria, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, Plato42 viewsBAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Plato. Circa 145-140 BC. AR Tetradrachm. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing helmet adorned with bull's horn and ear / BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ ΠΛATΩNOΣ, Helios standing facing in quadriga; MT monogram to upper right, MZ in exergue. Bopearachchi Série 3A; MIG Type 197; SNG ANS 631; Bopearachchi & Rahman -; Qunduz 381.
11g approx 24mm - Cast tourist fake, underweight, poor style
From an identification request on FORVM June 2020.Edessa

BACTRIA, Heliokles, Becker, Hill 1289 viewsBACTRIA, Heliokles, Becker, Hill 128

BACTRIA, Heliokles, Becker, Hill 1288 viewsBACTRIA, Heliokles, Becker, Hill 128

BACTRIA, Heliokles, Becker, Hill 1287 viewsBACTRIA, Heliokles, Becker, Hill 128

BACTRIA, Heliokles, Becker, Hill 1284 viewsBACTRIA, Heliokles, Becker, Hill 128

BACTRIA, Heliokles, Becker, Hill 1286 viewsBACTRIA, Heliokles, Becker, Hill 128

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