How do I measure the thickness of a coin?

You guys are high tech! I use my trusty plastic ruler. But I only bother measuring the thickness of my cast bronze items, so it works for me.

 

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This looks very much like the Celtic imitation of an Apollonia Pontika drachm in the upcoming Gorny and Mosch sale!

https://www.sixbid.com/browse.html?auction=3297&category=67923&lot=2750090

 

Thank you, I believe the OP wanted this answer as thickness and diameter are different. My husband measures coins all the time taking their specific gravity and dimensions but seldom on ancients. Since they are so irregular, only weight and sg are important. I'll see if he has a way. @Insider

How true.

 

Simular to these but much more affordable is what we call a tri pod. They come dial or digital.
In the aerospace industry we use the to gauge the depth of curvature even dings in the metal or the depth of fasteners used to hold the metals to the structure.
I've never thought about using one to measure relief of a coin but I guess it could be done.
Try googleing "aerostructure mechanics tools" under gauges.
Typecoins is an upcoming engineer maybe he can explain it better. I just build planes not design them.

 

I do not understand your comment. My measurements are for my collection. Someone commented (I believe @Jwt708 ), that I measure the thickness of a coin, which I do. Additionally, I measure the width from top to bottom. Should the coin be oblong, I will measure the other dimension. Lastly I measure weight. These dimensions are for my collection, as I am not in the business of selling any. I honestly am not interested in specific gravity, as it is not relevant to my collection.

 

I just use my plastic calipers. I try and avoid digital whenever I can, I don't want to add to the battery mountain. I don't have that many thick coins so it isn't an issue for me. I am careful when I use them, haven't scratched anything yet.

 

I'll answer for my wife who tried to complement you for actually answering the OP's question about measuring the THICKNESS of a coin. I think you gave a good answer. @Alegandron.

For coin authentication, I never measure the thickness of a coin's relief design as it is unnecessary due to many variables. I do measure the thickness of its rims and the coin's diameter on a suspect coin. BTW, I measure the diameter in four slices - each 45 degrees.

As for ancients, I never bother to check the thickness or the diameter of an ancient coin as IMHO they are too irregular. We all know an ancient coin's weight can be very important. I have read that Becker was not too careful about the weight tolerances of his fakes.

As for specific gravity testing - IMHO, it is just as important for the authentication of ancients as the coin's weight. That's why IMHO it is relevant (more so than thickness or diameter) to all our collections. It may save some unwanted surprises later.

Unfortunately, for us in this present day, the quality of many fake ancients matches anything we can discover by measurement including metallurgical testing. I'm sure all of you know that the great counterfeiters have been melting genuine coins for material to make their product for decades. An interesting, first hand account written in the late 1960's by Admiral Dodson, a very distinguished ANA member, describes his experiences with counterfeiters (Garyphallakis and Christodoulos) and illustrates many of their wares he purchased while visiting the "old country." Dodson provides evidence that the dies and many counterfeits were returned to the family when the Greek government lost a case in court. Sorry, I'm off tract. What I wish to say is even back then the "master counterfeiters" got the weights correct and used ancient metal from genuine coins to make their products.

PS Thanks for the "heads-up" to the member who wrote about the NY firm selling "Becker the Counterfeiter."

 

Glad you like the Dodson piece. I recently stumbled across an interesting post on Facebook about Christodoulos that seems to have a lot of material I haven't seen elsewhere:

https://www.facebook.com/MyJournalOnCyprus/posts/1437451779599509:0