I say probably FAKE. That pattern of crystallization is often found on copies. So what auction is it in??? Hope I'm wrong!
Hold on to them. I still have all mine 20+ years worth. I haven't bought a modern coin in months, but at the same time I don't want to part with them either. I still have unfinished sets. I may get back to it one day.
Well, if any of the collectors/dealers question it in the least, it will get pulled so for now, I'm wrong. BTW, If I call every ancient I see a fake, sooner or later I'll get one right. PS: Everything I said about the crystallization is true. Therefore, this coin may be the exception. PSS Just tried to find Agrigentum Dekadrachm on the Heritage auction site w/no luck. Link please?
Those numbers make it a tetradrachm which, in that grade, is still a four digit coin at least. If a seller called it a dekadrachm, they obviously do not know enough to be selling such a coin and would not tell real from fake. The Harvard specimen weighs 43g http://www.harvardartmuseums.org/art/189782 If you are going to buy a $10+k tetradrachm, get your advice from someone better than me. If you are interested in a $1-500,000 dekadrachm, wait a few decades and study up.
The above Tetradrachm is an electrotype by Robert Ready. I am surprised they listed such a sloppy weight on the coin. It is customary to list to the hundredths of a gram. BTW this one sold for $575.
Here's the link to coin https://sports.ha.com/itm/miscellan...c3=ViewItem-Auction-Open-MyTrackedLots-101116
As Doug hinted at, Heritage simply made a listing error with this coin and left a zero (or more) off the estimate or opening bid. It may not look like much but it is rare and desirable. The level of bidding isn't particularly surprising. Also, in case anyone misunderstood about it being a match (or possible match, I haven't looked closely) to the Robert Ready British Museum electrotype, that would not condemn the coin. The electrotype was made from an actual coin. I really don't see any firm reason to doubt the currently for-auction coin's authenticity. Here's one of the few in ACsearch, hammer of $40K in 2012. It's of higher quality though. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1178477
@TIF Besides the "unusual" crystallization which appears to flow around the face. Besides the unusual number of thin crevices (like 6 oc reverse up over the body and 7 oc under the horses leg. What do you think caused the raised straight line from the horses ear to the grapes? Very peculiar ancient but someone will own it.
That seems like a pretty good deal for such a rare artistic coin. It is the little brother to the dekadrachm that was the most expensive ancient coin for several years.