What is this?!?!?!

Please help! I have no idea what this is. I found it in my grandmas attic.
thanks!

 

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Looks like a cast counterfeit of a Roman coin.

 

Otacilia Severa sestertius. I wonder if thats fire damage?


edit: my mistake just woke up sorry.

 

It's a sestertius and it should be genuine, just harshly cleaned and removed from jewelry.

 

It's a modern copy of an ancient Roman coin.

 

OK... we have a couple of "genuine" and a couple of "copy" opinions... all by respected members of this forum. I'm interested in how this pans out, as I personally have no clue.

 

I suppose you are seeing casting bubbles. But in this case, the "bubbles" are very fine and evenly distributed, which is characteristic of surface porosity. What's confusing on this one is the harsh cleaning.

 

Yes, that is what I based my opinion on. I will admit that I could be mistaken because I am not familiar with what the genuine coin should look like (and I always say knowing what the genuine coin looks like is an important part of authentication).

 

The thing in the photo that looks most odd is the silver color on what should be a bronze coin. There also is a lump on the reverse that looks like a broken off button shank. It could be a real coin that has suffered a lot but I'd tend to side with the fake option unless the problems are mostly from the photo and the coin looks different in hand.

 

I'm seeing the lump on the reverse as solder. Note the darker area on the reverse, where the soldered-on bar would block any cleaning.

 

so if it is real what is it worth?

 

It is not real. It's a copy. It is made of a locating of the fused metal in the special form.

 

Just had a scratch test done and it is 100% silver. I guess thats good:yes:

 

The scratch may not be so good. Why not do a nondestructive test instead (e.g., a specific gravity test)?

 

i just had it done on the top corner very lightly

 

But if the piece were silver plated, would you be able to tell?

 

Are you asking me? A specific gravity test would let you know the piece was not the proper SG if it was silver plated.

 

I just want to know why hobo took the picture of the coin in question as his own forum picture? :thumb:

 

the guy at the coin shop told me that it was solid silver no plate.

 

Hey, I resemble that remark!!