Is it unusual or alarming if an AE Follis is this silvered? I’m drawn to the strike of Mars but don’t have enough experience with these to know if it has been doctored up a bit.
Yes, the coin is fine. Bronze coins from Lodge frequently look like this, he shoots with a pretty bright light right on the coins...you can see more of the light reflecting at the top on the obverse and reverse. Folles from this period were normally silvered, though you usually find them without.
Black coins are hard to photograph. If we put on enough light to see detail, some will say the photo does not represent the coin properly but when you look at a black coin or brightly cleaned silver coin what you see is mostly the glare from the surfaces rather than the surfaces themselves. This photo looks like what we call axial lighting or the result of a ring light. With either, light bounces straight back into the lens and makes a record of the shiny little mirror.
it isn't so unusual to find silvered follis, In years I have had many of them. For example this is a specimen from Severus II fully silvered. As Doug writes below, dark coins are hard to photograph but with the right setup silvered are more easy.
I didn’t act fast enough. Someone snatched this one with a quickness. Thanks for all the responses nonetheless. I need to sulk for a minute.
Wow, come to think of it, and forgive my Roman Imperial ignorance; This is my only silvered Follis that I have... RI Constantine I CE 306-337 Æ Follis 19mm 3.2g Siscia CE 326-7 AVG Laureate R - PROVIDENTIAE AVGG Camp gate 2 turrets no door star RIC 200