Real or Fake? opinions wanted...

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Steven Michael Gardner, Mar 6, 2020.

  1. Steven Michael Gardner

    Steven Michael Gardner Well-Known Member

    I am considering a purchase of one or more of these coins, however they look to
    perfect to me, so the thought has crept in that they may be fake... what opinions
    are there when each of you look at these coins?
    The seller has 1100 feedbacks all positive 100% however this is an ebay sale
    which always makes me take stock, but of course are returnable...
    Steven
     

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  3. RichardT

    RichardT Well-Known Member

    Suggest you check Forvm's Notorious Fake Sellers list. The Antony looks like a bad cast fake.

    Which makes the other two pieces very suspicious.
     
  4. Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

    Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Well-Known Member

    Last edited: Mar 6, 2020
    Okidoki, DonnaML, Ryro and 3 others like this.
  5. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    I shy away from any seller listed on the NSFL. They are "notorious" for a reason.
     
    ominus1 likes this.
  6. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    Emoji%20Reading.png
    Do some homework before shelling out money ;).
     
  7. pprp

    pprp Well-Known Member

    The corinth and the abdera have the wrong style and are most probably bulgarian imitations. have a look at an original corinthian stater of these dies here
    https://www.acsearch.info/image.html?id=1027777
     
    svessien likes this.
  8. svessien

    svessien Senior Member

    I agree the Mark Anthony looks bad. If one coin looks bad, I'm not doing business.
    Kudos to Forvm for keeping a list like that. Very helpful.

    Once upon a time, I was a member of the Coin Forgery Discussion List (still get their emails), and was about brainwashed by Alan van Arsdale to trust no one. It still sticks. I'm no big fan of buying on ebay, and especially not high end coins.
     
  9. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    phone E.jpg E
     
    Ryro likes this.
  10. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    ominus1 likes this.
  11. Keith Twitchell

    Keith Twitchell Active Member

    The surfaces don't look good, and I can't imagine the edges look any better.
     
  12. Charles Riley

    Charles Riley Welsh-language medal collector and numismatist

    All three look very fake I'm afraid.
     
  13. oldfinecollector

    oldfinecollector Well-Known Member

    Very bad fake hopefully even I can see it so not dangerous fakes , black list this seller. I don’t trust EBay sellers.
     
  14. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    In general, I agree. But there are sellers on Ebay I trust and have been doing business with them for a long time. There are sellers on Ebay that are members here on CT as well as being listed on Vcoins. Like someone said, do your homework. You will save yourself at lot of heartache.
     
  15. oldfinecollector

    oldfinecollector Well-Known Member

    I should say that when I will feel ready in term of knowledge I will buy to some EBay trusted , Vcoins ... I feel to newbie for that even if for bad cast fakes I begin to detect them on photos.

    I carryon to do my homework, reading , watching many photos and going to dealers to feel in real some specific coins and buying some from them.

    A reputable expert tell me : first buy at the best prices to reputable dealers that offer guarantee as the worst is to buy a fake. After some years or less you will be able to be more secure buying on internet.
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2020
  16. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    I agree with all others. I have not spent the time to identify each coin why, but my eye instantly told me all three are fakes. I know the wings on the pegasus are wrong.

    Best way to tell fakes? Spend 20 years or more staring at good coins. When you look at Ebay your eyes simply hurt. My eyes always tell me first when something is wrong, then I study it to identify what specifically my eyes objected to.
     
    Charles Riley likes this.
  17. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    I'd agree that these are far too suspicious to buy on eBay...

    That being said, I buy most of my ancients on eBay and, after looking at thousands of auctions, I still maintain that the majority of coins listed for sale are genuine... especially if you buy lower grade stuff like I do.

    That being said, the OP coins are a perfect example of the common eBay fake - flashy surfaces, great centering, very little wear, and popular types. Add somewhat granular surfaces and questionable style points (as noted by others in this post), these would be good to avoid.
     
  18. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    I have some sellers I buy from as well. However, the bigger point is Ebay is NOT for beginners, but more advanced collectors. You can get good coins and deals, but intermediate or advanced collectors should shop there, not newer collectors.
     
    DonnaML likes this.
  19. J.T. Parker

    J.T. Parker Well-Known Member

    When I was purchasing ancients off eBay back about 10 years or so, I always had an understanding w/ the seller that I intended to send the coin to David Sear for a COA.
    If the seller had any qualms over allowing a return if needed, I refused to buy from that dealer.
    Perhaps selling has changed in the last 10 years, but the COA has not.
    All of my Ancient Greek coins have a David Sear COA, thus making any future sale
    (& my piece of mind) much more possible.
    I agree that a Sear COA in not a 100% infallible, but IMO it's darn near it.
    J.T.
     
  20. CaptHenway

    CaptHenway Survivor

    Run, Forrest, run!
     
  21. Steven Michael Gardner

    Steven Michael Gardner Well-Known Member

    I love the LIST, great piece of reference info for buyers!
    Thank you all for your comments, sounds like it was unanimous in
    running away from buying any of these coins, they did look just to
    good to be true, and generally always are...
    By the way, I have used the same return request, if an ancient is
    declared not genuine by the NGC, the seller must guarantee a refund at any
    future date!
     
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