Possible fake Tigranes II with reversed letters?

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Joseph Sarkissian, Jul 15, 2018.

  1. Joseph Sarkissian

    Joseph Sarkissian Active Member

    IMG_3356.JPG Hello all, I just acquired this coin on vcoins. I hadn't noticed the legend up close until I received it, and noticed reversed letters. Since I can also read and understand Greek, here are the discrepancies which make me believe that it is either a fake, or a mint error from ancient times.
    The coin is of the Artaxiad dynasty, Tigranes II (95-56 BC), chalkous AE21, 9.07g, obverse is bust of Tigranes right, with Armenian five-pointed tiara, reverse is Tyche seated on a rock with a palm leaf and river god Orontes swimming below, legend (what should be) ΒΑΣΙΛΕΟΣ - ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΤΙΓΡΑΝΟΥ.
    1. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΟΣ on the right is written in reverse, that is from right to left, mirror image. The I is substituted with a Υ, and the Λ is substituted with the latin L, and the O is substituted with a Ω.
    2. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ on the left: Ω is upside down, and the last letter N is a Σ
    3. ΤΙΓΡΑΝΟΥ on the far left: is written in upside down (one has to turn the coin over) - except the Υ.
    Since this forum is full of experts, has anyone come across anything like this, or should I return the coin?
    Thanks
     
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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    That's interesting. I know little about this area of collecting, but here's my speculation.

    I don't think it's a modern fake; why would a modern forger do such a thing? Could be an ancient counterfeit, though, by someone with low Greek literacy.
     
  4. Pellinore

    Pellinore Well-Known Member

    That's what I think, too. A barbarous imitation, reasonably well done.
     
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