Unknown 10K Ancient ? Coin

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Hookman, Dec 7, 2018.

  1. Hookman

    Hookman Well-Known Member

    This is available on eBay. It's about to finish.
    302978609014
     
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  3. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    The photo is too blurry to see much of anything. This seller doesn't have any other ancient coins in his inventory which leads me to believe he is probably not much more qualified to spot a fake than your average guy on the street.

    I'll follow up with this... if you had an authentic ancient gold coin would you sell it for $17?
     
  4. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    If it is authentic, it seems to be a fanam (modern era, India), which is a tiny speck of a coin. I don't know enough about these modern coins to venture a guess about authenticity.

    If, as the seller says, it is 10 karat gold and weighs 0.3 gm, the melt value of the gold in that coin is currently ~$5.00.

    There is no cause for excitement with this listing.
     
  5. Victor_Clark

    Victor_Clark all my best friends are dead Romans Dealer

    it's a gold fanam, very common and very small

    sizestudy.jpg
     
  6. Hookman

    Hookman Well-Known Member

    There was never any excitement. Just curiosity.

    Typically these sellers I frequent test their metals. As such, he may not know a fanam from a bantam, but he knows gold when he tests it. So he offers it as what he knows it to be : antique 10K gold coin, he also gives the weight in the description.
    I added the word "ancient". He used antique. Did you notice the question mark after the word "Ancient"?

    I also ran the numbers and came to the same value conclusion. It went past that easily.

    Hey Victor_Clark , Thanks for the positive I.D. and the pix !
     
    lordmarcovan likes this.
  7. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Okay. No offense intended :).

    There is numismatic value beyond the weight of the gold, if the coin is authentic and if you collect them.
     
    Hookman likes this.
  8. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    Its a Marathas of Tanjore AV Fanam "Dagger" type. I have 2 didderent ones. They were struck 1700s. A mint specimen sells for $75. This one looks FAKE.
    John
     
    Paul M. likes this.
  9. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    It's even not clear whether 10 Korona or 10Karat gold. Shame if Fake.
     
  10. Hookman

    Hookman Well-Known Member


    10 Korona ????

    Please enlighten me. I am no kind of expert on anything but I have never heard of some kind of gold called "Korona".
    nor a weight.
    nor a purity.
    nor a type.

    Please enlighten!

    Thank You.
     
    panzerman likes this.
  11. Hookman

    Hookman Well-Known Member

    As per other discussions concerning fake coins, exactly what is it about this one that seems to be saying " Hey, look at me. I'm fake !"

    Any knowledge would be helpful to this completely inexperienced tyro.

    Thank You.
     
  12. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    A quick Google search shows many which look like this coin and the general style seems okay. It's hard to say much else though due to the poor images (which I've saved, cropped, joined, and uploaded here since eBay image links will eventually die).

    I don't know anything about this other than the fact that these tiny gold coins of India exist. Several people on this ancients board have bought them and there are probably some ancient-side members who are well versed in this more modern coin, but you might also want to post it to the World coin board if you don't get answers here.

    As Panzerman indicated, is an anonymous fanam from Tanjore, "dagger" type. I don't have any references for these. A quick search turned up anecdotal reports of the gold purity for these (or the lack of gold purity), although I don't know if 10K is lower than normal or if it raises a red flag.

    CT-Fanam_edited.jpg
     
  13. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    Korona is a form of Hungarian AV coinage during reign of Emperor Franz Josef I 1848-1916
    10K = not 10 Korona, but 10 carat as gold finess of Tanjore AV Fanams. Ten carats = .400 fine gold
    Most coins are .916/ Dukaten are /986 US Double Eagles are .900/ Spanish Escudos.875. Most ancient gold coins were .999.
     
  14. Hookman

    Hookman Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the info TIF.

    Now what about the other 2 aspects of this that have been raised :
    Korona? What does that mean?
    Fake? How can someone tell?

    I don't buy gold coins and I don't buy ancient coins. The closest I've come to ancient is Russian wire(silver) money, and sometimes I buy lots that have some beat up, impossible to decipher "coins" that I set aside because, for the most part, I only buy Silver.
    I have very little numismatic interest in the coins I buy, though I've been buying so many for so long that I can't help but learn something about them, and thus develop even a rudimentary knowledge and understanding of their numismatic place.
    I posted that small gold coin to CT to simply interact with the other members. I wasn't interested in it, but perhaps someone else was. I know there are members interested in old coins, ancient or otherwise, and also in gold coins. That particular seller seems to specialize in military, especially bayonets and knives, thus his eBay handle of "smallsword". Having bought from him off and on for years , I have never had a reason to doubt his honesty. Just like many eBay sellers, he will typically buy and then resell anything that will turn a profit.

    I am not trying rip anyone off and I am not trying to show any one up.
    I am simply trying to have fun and learn something while I do it.

    As I often say, "I learn something new every day.".
     
    7Calbrey likes this.
  15. Hookman

    Hookman Well-Known Member


    Thanks , but I know about Koronas/Coronas the coins. Several countries call them that. Either spelling simply means Crown. I have several from different countries.

    Look at how he wrote that , as if he were referring to one type of gold versus another.

    Jeez, people can't take a moment to read a sentence or heading before they start throwing out implications of someone being stupid?




    Look Fellas, I defer to most of you simply because I know that most of you DO HAVE more numismatic knowledge than I do, but that absolutely does NOT mean I'm a total dumba$$.


    My mama and daddy taught me that if you want respect, you have to give it.

    Capiche?

    Thanks
     
  16. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    I think 10K refers to the gold content in that, and as mentioned, the coin is an Indian fanam.
     
  17. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    I'm not sure how relevant the following threads will be to the modern coin you're inquiring about, but if you're interested in learning more about ancient coins and detection of fake ancient coins, here are some threads:

    https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancient-coins-beginners’-faq-thread.324858/

    https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancient-coins-beginners’-faq-thread.324858/page-2#post-3222342 (the latter half of this post lists resources for learning about detection of fakes)


    I think you're overreacting to some of the comments.
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2018
  18. IdesOfMarch01

    IdesOfMarch01 Well-Known Member

    Agree 100%. I've read through this thread more than once and have no clue as to what provoked the OP's reaction.

    That surely makes more sense than interpreting the description to mean that the coin is worth $10K.
     
  19. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    FWIW, the fanam in the OP link looks fine to me. In the 1990s, I bought and sold them in the $8-20 range. Most common types are still relatively inexpensive. They are one of the cheapest and smallest gold coins you can buy, actually, and fun. Not ancient, but old. That was not a bad price on the OP coin. In my experience, they're harder to find under $30-35 nowadays.

    I bought one back in January but it is a dated one from the reign of Tipu Sultan in the 1700s, and a little bit scarcer, I guess. Prior to my getting it slabbed, it cost me €51.83.

    India (Mysore): gold fanam of Tipu Sultan, AH 1200 (1786), Patan mint
    [​IMG]
    PCGS MS62; population 1 - the only example certified by PCGS as of 12/08/2018.
     
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  20. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    For some idea of how truly tiny an Indian gold fanam is, you can see the coin I posted above in its PCGS slab at the far right of the photo below.

    (But @Victor_Clark's comparison photo with the US dime in Post #4 even better illustrates that.)


    [​IMG]
     
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  21. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    @coin-friend Hookman. There's been a total misunderstanding from my side regarding the link which you kindly posted in the beginning of your thread. I saw the gold coin of Frank Joseph and thought it was concerned. Then the title of your thread might lead promptly to think that an ancient gold coin was going to be sold for 10 Grands. Then the more you read there and you feel you're not understanding what you're buying. Add to this the sincere comments of the fellows here, not to mention the reputation of some sites, which might be false anyhow, well all that maybe pushed me to make that funny comment. I do like fun, just like all people. And I tend to like all the people, including your good self. Now I'll go back to coins at this season which seems very promising to me, as it sounds. Cheers..
     
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