Looks like RSC18? I cant see the rims but I am inclined to say this is genuine, looks XF with a bold portrait. Really hesitant on Vitellius as coins of his type have a lot more counterfeits out there. Appreciate any thoughts/input
Your coin appears to be RIC 73, BMC 7. (I don't know the RSC references). To my eye, there is nothing obviously inauthentic about it but I'm not an expert, and even if I were, making a definitive authenticity judgment from a photo would be at the very least unprofessional. These coins can be pricey, and my suggestion is that, if you paid more than $500 for it, you should have it professionally authenticated in hand.
..going for the 'year of the four' are ya?......that's a noble quest.. a legit Otho was the most difficult for me...i didn't get him until just the last year or so...here's mine..(with a Nero kicker)
Why would you not trust the dealer who has the benefit of having the coin in hand? I have never heard a disparaging word about them either.
Even the best dealers make mistake. It's good practice to do your own due diligence before making a purchase.
You are correct. You should be diligent and check all sources available to you before you buy. However, there are sellers I trust and frequent. Yes, they can make mistakes, but the ones I frequent will own up to such.
To my eye, it is either Near EF (not quite fully EF) or Good VF, and it has a flan crack visible at 6h reverse. I would not call it EF because of the flatness along the hairline and wreath of the portrait and across the high points of Concordia. However, ask 3 people to grade a coin and you'll likely get 3 different answers.
It's not RSC 18. RSC 18 bears the obverse inscription A VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG TR P. Yours reads A VITELLIVS GERMAN IMP TR P, making it RSC 20; BMCRE1 7; RIC 1, vol. 1, 73, p.272.
Sorry, but how is asking on an online forum (and without a reason for suspicion!) a good way of doing due diligence? Yes everyone makes mistakes and it's good to do your own homework. Perhaps you would like to check sites like forgery network and Forvm fake reports if you are really suspicious of the coin for some reason. For what it's worth, I would be surprised if this coin is fake since it looks struck and the style appears to be correct.
Well of course I am doing my own reading, and research on the coin, but I came to the forum to gather more opinions. A lot of knowledgable people, and maybe one or two has seen ths design before. I never suggested the coin was a fake, I just wanted to hear others’ opinions. Surprised posts like these get met with such bad reception here!
The ear is barely separated from the laurel wreath and its leaves are not all distinct. How can that be EF (XF)? It is bold, but I see nothing that looks "sharp" or "fresh." Grades are more useful for modern coins and I don't think our deciding on how to name the grade makes any difference to the coin; it is what it is. However, if one insists on picking a grade on the usual sale (which is probably a bad idea), it seems much more worn than EF. That does not stop it from being a desirable coin.
