Hadrian Fourée Denarius imitation

Reference.
cf Strack 70; cf RIC II 129, cf RSC II 908, cf BMCRE III 291

Obv. IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANV(S) AVG COS III P P (sic)
Laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder, seen from front

Rev. P M TR P COS III / LIBERAP AVG/ III in exergue (sic)
Hadrian seated left on platform, making distribution to citizen standing right.

2.13 gr
18 mm
6h

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-140693

RIC 129
Correct legends

Obv. IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG

Rev. P M TR P COS III / LIBERAL AVG/ III in exergue

All his official Legends for Roma mint.

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=ERIC - HADRIAN

 

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Neat find, Eric.

 

You just keep finding nice Hadrian's. I'm impressed not only with the coin but with your hunt. Congrats.

 

Nice fourree. Of course any time you show a fourree of Hadrian you run the risk of me posting mine:

 

Very nice!

 

Seeing a nice example like that makes me want to collect them. High praise indeed!

Congrats!

 

Wow! Fourrée and brockage! This is really rare! I had been noticed only one before!

 

Question for Mr. @dougsmit , Mr. @David Atherton , or any of our respected experts. Not a trick question.

If the outer silver layer of a fourrée were damaged thus exposing the base metal during ancient times—what would the ancient Romans do with the coin? Would they continue to use it? Would it remain in circulation, or would it be discarded or turned over to an authority?

Thanks! —DR

 

IMHO, I believe they should have been quickly discarded, or at best, put back with all caution and caution to circulation. The penalty of forging money or using fake money was to be thrown to be devoured by the beasts (damnatio ad bestias), depending on whether you were a slave or patrician (in which case, at best, you could be exiled ...).

 

Thanks, @Multatuli ! Yes—I imagine the penalties would have been severe!

 

Here it goes one recent acquisition, found in Portugal. It’s silver, not fourrée, but a very curious imitative:


Please, take a look on legends:
IMP HADRIANV-S AVG COS I
INO VICTO (looks like Juno (?) seated, holding a patera with the right hand and a scepter with the left hand).
17mm diameter, weight 3.0g.

I believe that was struck not to deceive, but by people on the boundaries of the Empire, just to local circulation.

 

@Multatuli is correct. The plated coins would have been discarded and not accepted. We can tell it was an ongoing issue because of the many 'banker's' and test marks found on countless coins.

 

I imagine the answer would be different in Rome than in the outback. Suspicious coins could be passed to people not familiar with what they should be but not city savvy people. I have seen holed fourrees so I wonder if some became jewelry or toys. When we find a coin in the dirt, we do not know if it was dropped by accident or thrown in anger.