I submitted this in 2018 but it didn't win so I offer it up again: This Kushan coin is one of my favorites. I really like the three-fingered Santa Claus but not as much as as the goggle-eyed horse rider. I see this piece more as the equivalent of a hobo nickel than as a damaged ancient coin.
Here's an example of a coin that someone put a heck of a lot of work into, particularly the details and the size (32mm, 25.1gms). It also has really nice patina.
LOVE this idea @Suarez! And you're right, we've got to make a yearly tradition of celebrating mediocrity. Will you judge and decide at the end? And can we create new categories?? If so, I present best/worst tooled hairstyles:
No, I'm not qualified, sorry. My experience with Greek and Roman Provincials is very limited. Someone else needs to pick up this torch ;- ) The intent of the thread here is obviously lighthearted but if you're new to the hobby and you're left wondering whether a coin like below is or isn't legit, seriously, just stick to buying from biddr or slabbed otherwise you're gonna get burned on ebay. Rasiel
Someone has had some fun finding this "hoard" of "100% Authentic" coins. It must have been wonderfulfinding put about strange names such as Amandus, Bonosus, Regalianus and Dryantilla. Oh and the word "Dremel".
This thread has shown several variations of problem items. 1. Fakes made from fake dies of original artwork copying real originals 2. Fakes made from fake dies of original artwork producing something that does not occur in genuine coins 3. Fakes tooled from real original coins that were not the type created 4. Fakes mechanically replicated using copy dies 5. Fake individual coins mechanically replicated by casting 6. Fakes tooled starting with something that was itself a fake 7. Coins augmenting the original but with details nothing like the original 8. Absolute jokes produced in any manner Of these, the last category is most interesting. What were they thinking? Which market sector was intended to be fooled. Our declaration of a coin being questionable should always include our opinion of which category we believe applies in this case.
This thread is not sexy enough. Here is a “Coin” that keeps showing up in eBay. This one is advertised as “Roman Silver Coin Unknown Old Rique [sic] Naked Lady Man Unusual Antique Unresearched.” Note that the seller does not explicitly state that it is an ancient Roman artifact. But the seller does not explicitly keep you – or a novice collector – from drawing that inference, either. The description does seem to hope that somebody might take it to be genuine and bid accordingly.
Currently up for auction, described as a 'cut AE from the middle of the 4th century, interesting work'. Can't decide if it's best described a number 3 (Fakes tooled from real original coins that were not the type created) or number 8 (Absolute jokes produced in any manner ) in Doug Smith's suggested classification
This copies two different originals separated by about 50 years. The style is correct for neither. I guess that makes it class 1 and class 2 for the combination.
Wow, some really brutalized coins in this thread. Here's one sold by a major auction house (in 2018, so it doesn't make the, um, cut), listed as extremely fine, with no mention of the carving job. The diadem, hair waves, beard, and spiral torque should look similar to the one here: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2837479 Orodes II diobol:
I don't think it is a copy, rather a re-cut Fel Temp galley of Constans or maybe Constantius II, with the reverse legend smoothed. The style looks OK to me and the reported weight of 5.94 g is on the heavy side but within range
A previously unique(one example in BM) Alliance coin from Aphrodisias and Ephesos desecrated by tooling.
OMG that's hilarious! "Hey, the reverse is worn smooth but if it wasn't you'd see the design right here where I placed this murder scene chalk outline!" Rasiel
The winner has to be this one from eBay two years ago, straight from Uncle John's attic. I believe the asking price was $50,000 USD
Looking again: The obverse is IMP ALLECTVS PF AVG tooled from a Constantius Gallus with added beard and radiate crown. It now qualifies as class 8 hilarious. I wish I had seen it for sale. It is worth as much as the Gallus parent.
Some sucker on ebay is about to plunk down real money for this turkey. I wonder, if the guy who made this was ballsy enough and changed the lettering to read DIVO CALIGVLA 41 AD wouldn't it get more bids?