Unknown Ancient - Probable Fake

I bought this coin because it has a cow design. (I grew up on a dairy and I like coins with cow designs.)

I strongly suspect this coin is a fake but I know next to nothing about counterfeit detection of ancient coins. The underlying metal is highly crystalized which makes me think it is not silver. I give this coin a 1% to 2% chance of being genuine.

Can anyone tell me anything about this piece? Is it a fake as I suspect? What coin is it supposed to be?

Thanks in advance. (Sorry for the poor cropping. I need to brush up on cropping coins that are not circular.)

 

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Apollinia Illyria 229-100 BC Drachm
Obv: Cow standing left,
looking at her calf that she is feeding.





unfortunatly, it is a fake.



stainless

 

I think it is Greek and to be honest I am not so sure that it is a fake, you can get a similar effect on some ancient silver coins depending on the type of soil it has been in. I honestly woudnt like to say one way or the other without having the coin in hand.

 

That's what I figured. Thanks.

Unless I am mistaken on the terminology on this coin the cow is standing left.

 

yah, fixed sorry. I copied the wrong reference..lol.


stainless

 

have you cleaned it at all?

 

I have not. Who knows what someone before me may have done.

 

I'm curious on what it would look like after a light wash, but since I dont know whats up with the coin I can recomend it

 

n before i forget



heres my fake

 

Both of yours look to be contemporary fouree's (silver plated) coins to me.

 

Hobo's too? if that were the case, shouldn't I see bronzish insides where the coin has been worn?


stainless

 

A good point, which got me thinking. It is, of course, possible that a lead core was used in lieu of bronze, which I have seen done a few times. But looking at this coin more makes me think it genuine and a product of peculiar preservation.

I think that the coin was deposited in a hoard of other silver coins. Groundwater got into it, and some of the silver leeched out. Silver from other coins became deposited on this one. During the cleaning process, the excess (horn) silver was worn off, giving the effect seen on the tops of the letters.

 

That's good news. I assumed it was a modern counterfeit. I love contemporary counterfeits and an ancient contemporary counterfeit (fouree) would be a great addition to my counterfeit collection.

Thanks for your opinion. I'll try to have someone that knows ancient coins take a look at it and give me their opinion.

 

That is a kool looking coin Hobo, congrats with it. :thumb:

Phoenix