Hello, I come to the experts for advice, but this does look authentic at least to me. Not saying much but I notice flow lines throughout and even patina. I only hesitate because it comes from a foreign country, and it isn’t slabbed. I guess that’s the gamble you take when you roll the dice and try to come up. In the expert’s opininion is this a real period indochinese Menander I gold coin?
Dude, that coin is so fake as to be laughable. If you cannot tell that, I seriously encourage you to ask us here where to buy coins. That "item" is in no way close to what it should look like, and this from a person not horribly familiar with Menander gold coinage, I have seen many though and know the silver well. I could go through a list of other tipoffs why its fake other than the design, but the design looks like an 8 year old copied it. Edit: OP, sorry if this was too harsh. For the heroic bust coins of Menander, the artistry is always much higher. I see the coin on Vatican.com, and states its located in Thailand. That is a strong clue. They are not found, nor never circulated in Thailand. I have a pretty exceptional ancient/medieval Thai coin collection and know what coins circulated there. All of the ancient gold on that website is also fake. Ancient gold was the most important coinage, so always had the best celators creating them. Here is a silver tetradrachm, a much less important coin, and you can see the artistry:
WOW!!! Are you the welcoming committee? I am sure you are loved by all. I see this everywhere on this site. So called experts with their insulting helpfulness. I am sure you have become the expert you are by making similar mistakes. We all have. Give us the list of tip offs. Is it the weight? size? surface? This would help. Or just say it looks fake and you would not buy it. Why not help us, not insult us?
Sorry if you took that insultingly. I specialize in coins from this area of the world, not Greco-Bactrian per se, but more Persian, Parthian, Sogdian, Kushan, etc. However, I own a couple of dozen silver and copper Menander's. I have been looking at gold coins of his from good auctions for 20 plus years. I can tell by sight both from design, artificial flatness of flan, and other tells this is a modern reproduction. I was being real. No specialist in this area of the world would give this item more than a one second glance. That is all it should take. I was trying to forcefully show the OP he will get ripped off if he is honestly considering buying such things. I can guarantee you this is being offered NOT by a good dealer, but some fly by night place. Ancient greek gold is very expensive, and you should never risk that kind of money if you do not know what you are doing, unless it is with a firm other collectors will vouch for. Sorry if you are "disappointed" by me John. I have only been helping people here for more than a decade, who am I to have an opinion. Let us know YOUR expertise in the series and YOUR opinion.
So James, what make you think it is authentic? I would verify by using coin websites to search for similar coins and comparing the design. You’ll probably not find anything that matches and that would indicate that this is a fake. (which it is) www.acsearch.info is a good place to start for searching.
Thank you for your expertise, I know you have helped me with some of my ancients. (most of which have been fake). I agree with directing people to the right places, but I would think it is better not to scare or shame people out of the hobby.
Fair enough sir. I am sorry if it came off poorly. I honestly was doing it on purpose, trying to scare the OP away from trying to take chances on odd sellers on the rare chance of getting a "deal". "Deals" are usually achieved through superior knowledge. I have gotten some because I knew more about the coins involved than the dealer and other buyers.
It is to often that foreign coins come up fake. If I want a precious metal coin I look no further than home. Good luck
I only have this thought. Once in a while a newby to coins will ask a question that a seasoned expert would not. This includes myself, I have few Ancients, some I would like to ask about. I try not to ask for the exact reason this guy did ask and got inadvertently scolded. Perhaps besides what is this coin worth there could be a section on coin submissions by novices for an opinion on if they are genuine. At least we should all be as non hurtful as possible. Especially if the poor guy just lost money on something.
