A Silver Diobol from BULGARIA???

Actually, the coin was struck at the Mesambria (Nesebar Bulgaria) mint and has such a COOL looking Corinthian helmet that I couldn't resist going after it---although my present 'budget' said 'NOT NOW'!!!! LOL

We all seem to think of crests from front to back and rarely think of them as ear to ear. Yet, officers helmets frequently had them as depicted on this coin.

Mesambria Thrace, 450-350 BC
Silver Diobol, 1.22 grams, 10.3 mm
Crested Corinthian officers helmet facing
M E T A counter-clockwise in the four corners of a radiate wheel (solar disk?)

Please feel free to post any coins of the type or region---especially COOL helmets

 

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Unfortunately, a lot of these are still being made in Bulgaria. I would need such a coin to be thoroughly vetted for authenticity, starting with a much much better image. Where did it come from?

 

Point taken JA, but since this was offered from FORVM, I feel reasonably comfortable that it's genuine. The sellers photo is a bit poor, but they almost always seem to be there....

 

JA is right. These seem to be faked a lot; however, since you purchased it from Forum, it is probably OK. I have one I bought a few years ago and I've never been 100% certain about it's authenticity. It's not worth the cost to have it vetted.

 

Mind you, I don't see anything suspicious about it, just a warning about these coins in general.

 

Hmmm, It's unfortunate that we have even a shred of doubt about a coins authenticity, but I don't suppose we can ever be 100% certain about a coin, even with a Sears certificate.

I still cringe about the fake Histaia I purchased from AGORA......

 

This is an example of a 100% fake (and bought for that reason):

 

1.25g 10mm

like mikey's it has little "dots" near the ears

 

I almost bought that very same coin on FORVM 2 months ago, but ended up deleting it from my cart because I just didn't feel comfortable due to the reasons JA mentioned.

Oh well, glad it went to a good home. Congratulations!

 

@brassnautilus

Your example is wonderful....I just hope mine is legit, but it is 'guaranteed for eternity', so I can always contact Forvm again.

And, I did win four dollars on power-ball LOL...Gads, it's up to 2 BILLION !!!

 

Dear Mikey Zee, your coin just beautiful. But it is true? And in this country has a lot of fans of counterfeiting coins. I would like to complement it on the market in Nesebar found coins are sold whole heaps, but many are in poor condition. And probably like you are not there.

 

=> Wow, my $50 David Sear investment is proving to be money-in-the-bank!!



I love ya Mikey-Z => I definitely want your OP-example to be a total winner!!

cheers

 

Thanks, Steve...I do too

 

I keep telling myself that I would try better to document this Black Sea fake but this thread seems like the place to put it and I'm lacking time to give it another go tonight. This is where I stood at last attempt. There is a lot of dust and tray lint on this. Note, instead, the slopes of the top of the M with lines that differ from the polish marks in the field. I don't know if this is in any way related to the question or not. Maybe someday I'll get the photo I want. Big 'maybe'!

The first tip we were given 20 years ago was that the cutter of the BS Hoard dies did not understand that he was showing a helmet with no head inside so his nose guards looked a bit too much like noses and the eyes had too much personality for simple holes in metal. There were 'complete' sets of die ID's circulated showing the suspect dies but I do not have this and more were probably added later. Then I read that someone suggested that the dies showed signs of having been cut with rotary tools (probably dental tools) and there were suspicious raised scratches that looked rotary rather than hand engraved. I claim no expertise in this department but my image of the reverse does show raised lines which might just be polishing marks, flow marks or might (possibly?) be these rotary marks.

The obverse photo shows what seems like crystallization at the left but the pattern is just not quite right in my opinion. How these were added I do not know. Finally I was told that someone had bought some of these for about $5 in a museum gift shop and in no time we all were able to buy these in that price range. I did not pay the 1989 going rate of $265 for this one but wanted it at $5 as a memento of the numismatic crisis of the decade. There was a fake of Apollonia at that same time but I never was able to buy a cheap fake for my set. Shortly after that several other Black Sea coins were found to be of modern manufacture. That is about the time I started leaving coins of this region to other collectors. Certainly experts can try to keep up and protect all of us from whatever these guys are up to next. I don't try to keep up.

There are plenty of non poisonous snakes to fill my desires to play with reptiles. Still, you can get bit every so often but no one dies. The same goes for coins. If you must have one of these, buy it from someone who knows more than I do. I have two coins of this type that I believe are genuine but I would not sell them to a beginner since I am only 90% sure of them. If I sold them to someone who knows the whole story, fine, but I can not guarantee them like I might with most of my coins.

 

Good explanations Doug.

 

Thank you Doug Smith for an interesting comment about this very good and beautiful coin Your comments are always excellent.

 

Very good story & explanation Doug, thank you. And that boy about to lick that snake

 

Hello,
this is authentic or fake Diobol?
1,33 gr.
Regards - Krassi.

 

I wish i could comment on your question @Krassi666 but I'm only 95% certain my OP is genuine since I purchased it directly from FORVM....otherwise I'm as uncertain as everyone else seems to be.

 

Thanks for the answer @Mikey Zee . I bought this coin here http://wilkesandcurtis.com/.
I hope it is authentic.