Real or fake? (tribute penny edition)

I bought this coin hoping the photography was bad and the surfaces were better looking. As it turns out, the surfaces are kind of lifeless and it really does look like this (but lighter in color). I am thinking it might be fake. What do you think?

 

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I don't believe this coin is genuine.

First, Tiberius' portrait does not look like any of the other "tribute penny" denarii that I've ever seen.

More concerning, though, is the reverse legend "MAXIM PONTIF." The height of the font is just too tall -- taller than I have ever seen on any of this type of coin, and taller than anything I've found on ACSEARCH.

Since I'm not a dealer and have been collecting for only about eight years, I'm not an expert at detecting counterfeits, so further opinions would be helpful.

If you paid a lot for this coin, it would be worthwhile to have it authenticated by an expert.

 

Yeah I'm no expert either but I agree with ides. The legend don't look right to me. But hey what do I know, been wrong before sure I will again in the near future.

 

I don't know either, but I looked through the known fakes on FAC and found none to match.

 

I am not skilled enough to know either way, but, when viewed with a similar size to the O.P. coin, the legend, on this CNG example, ("MAXIM PONTIF") the font seems to be a similar size.

 

I think the 'style' issues as specified within the previous posts has me leaning toward a 'very good' fake--- the 'it looks off to me' feeling expresses itself in the portrait and the legend. But, I've been wrong before and later discovered that 'fake coins' are genuine and that 'genuine coins' weren't.

 

I always thought Tiberius started with a T.....?

 

I instantly thought fake when I saw it. Probably pressed from fake dies. Style and fabric look wrong.

 

Winner winner chicken dinner! Viberius!!

 

Perhaps the die cutter got carried away with the Y but the T on a Tiberius coin should be made of three strokes with the top two meeting in the middle with a small, triangular gap. I do not believe the OP coin is genuine but the maker was aware he should use a first century letter form. The T in Augustus is better. The example below shows three typical three stroke T's.

 

In hand, the T looks better (actually quite a bit like yours). I think it's just a quirk of lighting. I'm about 95% convinced it's fake now. I'm going to show it to an experienced dealer sometime this week and see what he says, but I suspect this coin is going back.

 

It's not a bad fake, really. It is well rendered, but as with all fakes, the forger just doesn't quite capture the true nature of the work he is trying to copy. On the reverse, Livia is sadly reduced to having something akin to a dog turd on her head. Tiberius is decently rendered, but, well, comparing it to all known examples, it is just a modern interpretation of an ancient work. These are the things that help us to keep abreast with modern forgeries. It is far easier now in this age than it was 30 years ago.

 

I found this guy lurking about acsearch, so now I'm less certain that the portrait is bad.

 

Paul, this is one of the most commonly faked coins you can find. You have a consensus from experienced dealers and collectors that this is a fake. Unfortunately, finding coins with some slight similarities doesn't change anything. If you can get a refund, you should.

 

Totally correct, @Nemo. There are way more than enough questionable things about it for me to keep it. I'm just slightly more impressed with the forger's skill now.

 

Fascinating topic of discussion!

 

When my daughter taught kindergarten, she emphasized that the kids must make an 8 with one fluid motion of the pencil. Later in life some of those same kids went bowling and were taught that an 8 had to be made of a stack of two small o's. Depending on where you live, this may be news to you. I never can understand collectors who think they have something special because the die cutter used a different font. After all, your computer must offer a thousand of them.

 

Paul, who did you purchase this coin from? An eBay seller?

 

Not eBay. Vcoins.

 

I've avoided purchasing one of these because many of the ones I've seen being offered look as though they've been either artificially toned or tooled. I don't know enough about them to be sure. I'll definitely consult with you guys when I do.