Can we have more information? Diameter, weight, and from whom you acquired it are pretty basic data points in trying to assess authenticity by images alone.
Ummm... The time to determine authenticity when buying a coin worth a couple thousand dollars is BEFORE you pay.
It is not mine, my apologies no more data. Anyway, most of the modern fakes have a proper weight, so I think it is not so important. The best is to see it in your hands but not easy...
A friend of mine sent me it asking for authenticity, he said that it comes from a Spanish group in facebook. I am not considering buying it at all, and I believe it is not for sale, I am just asking for your several opinions.
If it's a fake it is a fairly good one. There are things you can look for that give you clues on how it was made which can help you form an opinion about authenticity but, unfortunately, we have had cases of the manufacturers of fake coins coming on to this forum to ask for a free lesson on how to make better fakes. I'm not sure getting opinions from a forum is the best venue to vet a coin of this value. If authentic it's a beauty. Have you checked the FORVM fakes database? The best advice that I can give on a coin of this caliber is to send it to NGC or David Sear.
I agree with Curtis. Please know that I am not an expert but I see no overt signs of fakery. The fabric and style look like other examples of the type. An in-hand exam by an expert is probably warranted if it wasn't purchased from such a person. Looks like it may have been a metal detecting find (shovel scrape on the reverse?).
Ok, I appreciate your opinion. I agree that it is better to do not give many details. I checked database but we know that many fakes are missing. NGC is not 100% secure, I saw some fakes guaranteed (but I do not want to discuss on that, it is another story).
I don't see anything alarming, but from the photos alone I cannot say for certain if it is genuine or not. For a coin such as this it would be well worth the money to send it to David Sear.
3 of those aureus (RIC 28) have been sold last October for about 3500 US $by serious auction houses...so I think your friend should invest a few dollars to make it authentificated.
I remember when NFA had that Ahenobarbus Aureus....it sure looked 100 percent the real McCoy/ but that story ended badly. They are expert forgers out there, esp. for high end coins.
The reverse style seems off to me. Pax is depicted almost looking pregnant. Besides, Spain is the new Bulgaria as it pertains to fakes.
Thanks for your answers. For me, there is no doubt that the coin is a fake. I will not say the reasons, sorry about that, because I will not help them to improve fakes. And yes, there are a lot of fakes in Spain and everywhere, it is pity. The only weapon that we have is the knowledge, so, never trust anybody (even a dealer can have mistakes) and learn where are you investing your money.
