Opinion on Vespasian denarius: fake or real

hello friends, what do you tnink, is this a real deal?
Weight 3.03, size 18 mm
I am just not sure about sides, no cracks or imperfections, very smooth
Thank you for all your feedback

 

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it doesn't look quite right.. and i think i see a seam, but.....?...

 

I'm a Rookie here, but those bubbles/craters make me suspicious. As well the last picture, though very blurry, looks like it has a seem...

 

No, no seam

 

I think it looks okay but can you try for any better pictures?

 

while looking on ebay earlier this evening this Vespasian(?) bust LEFT(!)popped up as an unidentified ancient Roman or Greek but the reverse is a strange mess. It is at $2.25 with a day to 2 to go on bidding. Maybe a Vespasian collector would recognize it? https://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIDENTIFI...Z28/362275741476?_trksid=p2485497.m4902.l9144
the reverse is such a mess so it may be almost worthless.

 

It is not the same coun

 

Here are few more pics

 

I didn't mean to imply it was the same as the OP. Just an FYI for folks interested in the emperor.

 

It's a pretty common type for Vespasian. The pictures aren't very good...low resolution and grainy.

It still surprises me how many people buy a coin without knowing a thing about it. "Know the coin or know the dealer." If you follow that advice most of the time you'll come out on top.

Here's mine for comparison



RIC 356 Vespasian denarius
IMP CAES VESP AVG P M COS IIII
Laureate head of Vespasian right.

AVGVR TRI POT
Simpulum, sprinkler, jug, and lituus (Priestly implements).

Rome 72-73 AD

2.51g

RIC II: 356 (C3)

 

I looked through Forumancientcoin's fake reports, wildwinds, CNG, ACsearch, and coinarchives. Looking for matching fakes or die matches of genuine specimens with keywords "vespasian" and "implements." I found neither. What I don't like about your coin is the bust. After looking at hundreds of examples of Vespasian Denarii with priestly implements; the bust on yours stands out as unique. He looks younger than he does on most of his 73 AD coins and forehead looks taller. The reverse being completely flat, with sharp edges, also isn't a good sign. I would say it's questionable with a tilt toward forgery, imho.

In addition, at $54 shipped, if genuine, would be a steal; considering the toning and condition. It appears several other Ebayers shared the same suspicion.

-Michael

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

Thanks Michael, this was exactly my concern- sharp edges, i saw a few of those, and those turned out to be modern pressed coins. Pictures provided by a seller were very blurry, i had to make a judgment call- I was wrong. I don’t know much about portrait in here, but as you pointed out flatness and edges were concerning to me. Thanks again

 

Thanks Bing, again appreciate your feedback here

 

The portrait doesn't really bother me. Vespasian's portrait varies quite a bit, especially in the beginning of his reign. Perhaps it was an ex-jewelry piece and was polished. If you could get a sharper image it would help.

 

Why would you fake a Vaspasian lol

 

Hi Jay, thank you, I was trying to get even a better pics with my Iphone X, -the ones I posted - best I could do... I am suspicious about sharp edges, I had another Vespasian like this, with sharp edges, went ahead and reached out to Vagi- confirmed that that one was pressed . here is an example. was proved by both numismatists as pressed fakes. the one I originally posted reminds me of this one

 

Yup, that one is a pressed fake. All the signs are there. The one that started this thread doesn't look like that though. Try taking a picture with the coin on a table rather than in your hand, preferably in a window ledge. Place your phone on a stack of books or something to stablize it.

 

This is a "stock" question, but do you have some specific reason to doubt its authenticity? The seller's other items - are any of those more-or-less obviously inauthentic? Perhaps this seller has a less than spotless reputation? etc.
If there is no other reason to doubt it, I might not be quite so quick to jump on the "it's a Fake!" bandwagon. Of course, being a common piece, it would be easy enough to pass it up and look for another of the same type, but that also raises the question of why, given such talent in forgery that there is a significant question (which admits the possibility of it being genuine), the creator would have chosen so prosaic of a type - probably one of the lowest value denarii of the 1st century - rather than copying a somewhat more "exciting" type or one that tends to sell for more?
However the overarching concern is that you do not feel comfortable enough buying it to do so without asking for the board's opinions. As I said, and you're no doubt aware, it's common enough of a type that it should be very easy to find another, comparable specimen of the same type if its necessary to "fill a hole" or there is some other reason (other than low potential hammer price) you wanted this piece.
If it makes you personally uncomfortable, that alone should be reason enough to pass it up.

 

Thank you lehmansterms, a bit uncomfortable here