This look fake to you?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Roman-Empi...=item3d770ca552:g:39sAAOSwSUJa0-Jx:rk:10:pf:0

looks like a fouree

 

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Looks off to me. I would pass on it.

 

Looks mushy

 

Looks like a crappy modern cast fake to me, I only see 1 picture though.

 

Oh, I thought you said Bourée...

 

Nailed it! My thoughts as well.
That dull, soapy, mushy look is a tell tale sign that it's a modern fake.

 

Do yourself a favor, check out this RR denarius from a good numismatist- with lifetime guarantee and less than half the cost of these ebay fakes. It has a good weight, a little worn from being held by many ancient peoples. A lot of action on the reverse! This store has many other RR denarii that are very fine and AUTHENTIC!
https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/ma...s__juno_sospita_fighting/1049828/Default.aspx
Of course if this is a lot of dough for you I understand, I do not have a lot to spend on coins either. I also understand if you want to post just to rub shoulders with the heavyweights here on CT. I do it too! It is fun for sure.

 

Yes.

 

thanks guys. I had a feeling.the color is off for silver( even tarnished)

 

The color/toning is is fine. It's the mushy details ("soapy") that give concern.

 

More diagnostic than the color is the lack of clear definition between the fields and embossed design ("mushy" appearance as already stated) and the bubbly orange-peel texture of the whole piece, which is common with casts of anything. This is a more obvious cast but there are some skillful and sophisticated cast fakes out there that are rather harder to detect at a glance. Looks like the seller deals in "modern" coins and is probably not consciously trying to swindle anyone.

 

I'd give it a pass! Does not look struck, at all. Besides, a seller who does not provide photos of both sides of a coin is doing every collector a discourtesy. The seller also seems more concerned about terms and conditions of payment than the coin itself.

 

Ah yes, one of my all-time favourites!

 

See that's what I don't get...... How to tell between wear and tear over the centuries and fussy legends and fields?

 

Have you read through all of the links/pages we've shared before? There are many websites which teach collectors how to spot signs of fakery. If you read each page of each link you'll have a much better understanding.

From the Ancient Coins Beginners' FAQ Thread, on page 2:

Resources for learning how fakes are made and how to detect them:

http://www.calgarycoin.com/reference/fakes/cast.htm
http://www.calgarycoin.com/reference/fakes/struck.htm
Forum Ancient Coins' "Learn to Identify Fakes Coins"
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/numis/fakes.html (part of CoinTalk member @@Valentinian's extensive website about ancient coins)
http://ancientgalleonllc.com/uncategorized/identifying-fake-ancient-coins/

Databases of known fake coins:

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/fakes/
http://www.forgerynetwork.com/default.aspx

 

Yes but I have come across coins that I would think it fake and they turned out to be genuine... silver or bronze denarii reacts to so many variables. in the ground, the bottom of the sea

for example


This C Allius Bala looks like he was in the sea for centuries but its confirmed to be authentic. both online and offlin by many experts.. it appeared fuzzy online but you COULD think its fake at first glance

 

Circulation wear affects the high-points to a far greater degree than the fields and crevices/transition zones which should be crisp relative to the rest of the coin. Coins which have been damaged by the chemistry of their burial spot may look unusual and will often have the same rough texture everywhere (often revealing a crystallized appearance from copper atoms migrating out of the homogenous silver alloy over the centuries) but you'll still generally see the standard wear patterns. I may be wrong but I don't think the forgers can replicate crystallization so it's a good indicator of authenticity even if not preferable by those seeking top-grade coins.

 

Really? I hope so

Didn't I hear that people sometimes place modern fakes in acid to corrode and break it down to artificially age the coins to appear authentic? cant that cause crystallization?

 

I'm not really sure, but the appearance of acid-etched modern silver is significantly more "frosty" and fine-grained than the appearance of ancient crystallized silver, which is much more coarse and fissured in appearance to both the naked eye and under magnification. My understanding is that the crystallization of silver is an extremely slow process and takes centuries, but perhaps it can be replicated by repeated heating and cooling to encourage the copper atoms to migrate, followed by chemical treatment? That's a question for a metallurgical expert.

 

maybe boiling it in acid or. yes that makes sense heating it and cooling it rapidly to speed up oxidation? that's an interesting thought!

I fear for the day that coin forgers will make coins that will fool even the best experts