Divus Julius Caesar

Alright, so just got this one today and I am not 100% sure it's authentic so any input would be wonderful as I am still learning. Im pretty good at catching fake coins in general but my confidence isnt quite as high with ancients as it is with US coins. This coin is low risk, high reward as I didnt pay much for it since the seller had no clue about coins or even who is depicted on this one. So if it is fake, no big deal, I like it either way. So here it is:


DIVUS JULIUS CAESAR
40 BC, AR Denarius
Q. Voconius Vitulus, Moneyer
DIVI IVLI, laureate head right; lituus behind
Q VOCONIVS, calf standing left; in exergue, VITVLVS.
RSC 46, Crawford 526/2
3.32 g, 19mm

 

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I hate to have to say it, but I believe it is a modern fake. A few years ago (or more), I bought one that looks just like your example. It was IDed as fake so I never cataloged it and I'm not sure where to look for it. However, I will try to find it and take an image to post. Sorry man, and I hope I'm proven wrong.

 

I don't have one but would sure like to add one. It's attributed correct. I'll add BMC 4308.
I couldn't say fake or real, gut says no.
But I ain't an expert. But want to follow to see what others think.
Edit: Bing beat me to it

 

I'm hoping that it's good ... great bull (ummm, or calf)

 

It's a Slavey replica unfortunately. Hope you didn't pay much for it.

 

Looking back through some very old photos, I found two images. Both are fake.

 

$51 shipped. It was an ebay auction i sniped at the last second. I saw the portrait and bid. No big deal. I had a feeling it wasnt authentic. Even worn looking it looked too "perfect" and well centered. Just wanted to hear your guys' thoughts. I like fakes and counterfeits, so I like it either way. Thanks

 

To each his/her own, but I don't like being taken advantage of by someone describing a coin as genuine when it is not. I understand some people collect certain kinds of fakes, but anyone who sells one without identifying it as such is nothing but a common criminal in my mind.

 

Yeah im not sure of this seller's intent. I dont feel taken. I also dont feel like a fool. Three other bidders were on this coin/fake as well. And they probably knew less about it than me. It was a gamble on my part. I knew the portrait when i saw it. A quick search in wildwinds gave me a number, that number gave me auction archives. I knew what it could be. I also knew it was probably fake. The seller gave no info on whether it was real or not. I felt good that i knew who was depicted on it just by looking at it.

50 bucks lost in a casino, I leave with nothing. Atleast here i have an educational piece, and in my hands, it will never be sold again.

 

That's ALWAYS a red flag. Oldest line in the game. Next time you hear this, flee.

 

Being able to score this coin for $51 delivered must have been a bit of a red-flag that something wasn't quite right?

Oh well, hopefully this won't stop you from continuing to study and purchase more ancients ... they're addictive ... but nothing takes the fun out of the game quicker than being burned with a fake (that sucks)

 

I'm getting pretty good at spotting cast fakes now. And maybe the pros around here can eyeball a coin like that instantly as fake. But dang, there's a good chance I would've been fooled. To me that looks like a pretty good fake.

 

An example of that coin, if real, should cost upwards of $500. So if the price seems to good to be true.........
Here is an authentic example from acsearch.com:

 

Well yeah, but for me it was worth the gamble. If it had gone much higher i probably would have backed away from it. I dont feel burned. I knew that it probably was fake, especially when i got it in hand. It wasnt surprising. But occasionaly i do steal a coin off ebay. Like i said, it's no big deal to me.

 

That isnt quite the right one. And yes i did my research on the coin. This was a good site: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?similar=626570

 

Im not asking for the lectures. I appreciate the concern. I havee learned and still am learning a lot from you guys about ancient coins. It was you ancient collectors on this forum that got me into ancients in the first place. But at the end of the day, I learn better by doing. So this is all part of my learning process. Like i said, i dont feel burned. For me it was a win win. It was either an educational piece in my eyes or by some slight chance i stole an expensive coin. Doesnt matter. And guess what? I have two more coins on their way. From ebay. Im not discouraged, Im even more motivated about ancients. Once again, no big deal.

 

Sorry if it seemed like we were lecturing you. Some of us here sell ancient coins-- some professionally, some casually. We are particularly sensitive about people who sell fake ancient coins because it reflects on all of us.

I often sell coins on eBay, so I can see the affect that sellers of fakes have on the rest of us. Coins that sell on auction on eBay typical bring about 1/3 to 1/2 of their true market value, mainly because most people are afraid to buy from eBay because of all the fakes. Unfortunately, for an amateur seller like me, there really isn't an alternate venue, so I'm stuck with depressed prices due to the the fear of fakes.

 

I could not agree more!

 

Hi Evan,

Studying authentic coins is definitely a good idea. Even better, or in addition to that activity, is checking potential purchases against known fakes. Just in case you don't already have these sites bookmarked, here's where most of us go when checking to see if there is a match to a known fake:

Link to Forum Ancient Coins' search box for the Fakes page

Link to Forgery Network

If you're daring to buy on eBay, it's also good to see if the seller is a known purveyor of fakes. Forum Ancient Coins' "Notorious Fake Sellers List" is one such list.

There are also various excellent webpages for learning signs of fake coins. I'm at work and busy but will post links later, unless someone else beats me to it

 

I haven't knowingly nor do I have any fake ancients, that I know of anyway.
But I do have still a couple of modern fakes I got back in the day. I wasn't pissed that I got duped, I looked at them as learning experiences.