Tiberus Pontif, genuine or fake

Hello all, I am new here and I am trying to find out if this Tiberius pontif is the real thing or not.

I acquired it very recently and was wondering if the lettering PONTIF is right or not, it seems very large and misaligned.

What do you guys think about this coin ?

Remy

 

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I'm inclined to say fake. Roman coins of the era usually have thin, almost wiry lettering, whereas this one is extremely blocky.

 

I understand your concern.
I wouldn’t have bought it myself, I’m afraid.
Do you have the accurate weight of the coin? Where did you buy it?

 

Livia on the reverse looks strange too. Too big head and upper body, but they vary in style too, so it’s not to say for certain.

 

These coins were produced over a span of many years and it's no exaggeration to say they are the product of scores (hundreds?) of different die-engravers, with varying amounts of skill and with various artistic styles. I wouldn't be too quick to judge on the basis of stylistic factors with this issue.

Here's mine. Yes, Livia has a bobblehead:

 

I just checked FAC's Fake Reports, and I didn't find a match. Looking at some authentic coins, I find the "PONTIF" to be large on many examples. Like @Roman Collector indicated, these were produced over several years in quantity so you can expect variations. If I may ask, at what venue did you purchase the coin? Also weight and measurement could make a difference.

I was defrauded many years ago on one of these. It's easily done. I hope yours is authentic, but I can't make that call. Here is my authentic example purchased from a dealer I trust and who guarantees authenticity.

Purchased from Marc Waller, Vcoins

 

I agree, @Roman Collector
It’s not easy to decide if a coin is genuine or not from a photo and little information.
All I can say is that I would continue to question the authenticity of the coin until I found sufficient indication that it was genuine, for example a similar reverse with similar lettering.

 

It is impossible to authenticate from the picture but it looks genuine to me. I've owned many of these over the years and, as has already been stated, the style varies greatly. Here's one from my collection.

 

Good questions

 

As the letter ‘T’ appears to sit on top of the extended laurel branch I’d say it’s fake.

 

How is that an indication of a fake? In my example, the branch is part of the I, but it is certainly authentic.

 

I hope we aren't taking a vote. The highest ballot count does not always win. Unless you find a match in the fake lists, this is one to send off for an opinion or to return if refund is an option. This is not the coin to buy from a dealer you do not trust (as if there were any coins where that is good). There are hundreds of minor style points on these. They were made for a very long time. Most separations I have seen used the chair legs as a dating clue. You might search based on those legs.

 

Here's one that was sold by CNG

 

There are many, many genuine examples of the large letters overlapping the branch. Just a couple more.

Sold by ROMA

Sold by Stacks

 

Bought it from Geoffrey Bell Auctions

Description : Tiberius. 14-37 AD. AR Denarius. (18mm, 3.76g) “Biblical Tribute Penny” Laureate head r. Rev: Livia (as Pax) seated right, holding scepter and olive branch. RIC 30; aVF/gF.

 

Thank you all, I feel much better now.

 

You got a great coin at an excellent price.

 

While this coin is quite likely genuine, it is still recommended to all that you buy ancient coins from people who specialize in and know ancient coins. There are relatively few people who are well skilled in all phases of ancient coins but any specialist in ancients might be preferable to a dealer whose specialty is paper money. This is especially true in the case of coins as often faked as the Tribute Penny, 30 Pieces of Silver and others with appeal to people who do not collect ancient coins. Our friends over at Forvm have a saying that sums up the situation: "Either know the coins or know the seller." The thing to avoid is another old saying: "The blind leading the blind." A seller may be 200% honest but their guarantees are still no better than their expertise. I have violated this rule several times and been lucky in many cases. I have also bought coins that I did not discover to be fake for 30 years and after the seller had died. It is, unfortunately, part of the hobby.

 

Here is mine
Here is mine, it seems like this is probably one of the most popular coins to make a fake one of out there.

Tiberius AR Denarius.
Lugdunum, AD 14-37.
Obv: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F
AVGVSTVS, laureate head right
Rev: PONTIF MAXIM, female
figure seated right on chair
with ornamented legs, holding
branch and inverted spear;
triple exergual line below.
RIC 28; 3.56g, 19mm,
Ex L. Rose Collection.
Roma Numismatics
E-Sale 60 Lot 724