This is just a guess, but lead oxidizes white. Ptolemeic bronzes can have high lead content, 30% or more, and sometimes the mixture of white from...
What I don't get is in a world with @Ken Dorney and @Valentinian and many other collectors and dealers on here freely contributing knowledge and...
Some archeologists want an outright ban private collecting. This guy seems quite reasonable in comparison: “He would appreciate an amendment that...
I just did a series of posts on this topic, but let’s step through this seller as an example of how to evaluate an eBay seller: Check feedback as...
I completely agree. Asking folks on a forum to authenticate a coin from photos is futile anyway, except in cases of obvious fakes. That was the...
I don’t know, I’m out of my depth with these. Based on the other categories I’ve looked at, I think it is safe to assume the chance of fake...
There are tons of them. 20 - 40% fake is an absurdly high number. Imagine going to a BMW dealership where a third of the cars are rebadged Yugos....
As far as scales go, you don’t really need great accuracy for coins. If you want an accurate scale, those made for reloading ammo are usually...
My photos have always looked like rubbish. Over the years I’ve bought increasingly expensive cameras to get better photos. Never helped. This year...
@Lolli That withdrawn slabbed coin is wholely remarkable. Between the photos, the slab, and the provenance I wouldn't have given authenticity a...
No market is perfectly efficient so by definition bargains must occur. Experienced skillful folks such as yourself can root them out. That said,...
The third and last post in this series examines how risky shopping on eBay really is. The chance an ancient coin listed on eBay is fake varies...
I recall reading a masters thesis about counterfeit ancient coins. The author reported many dealers maintained black cabinets, though they were...
The second in my Thanksgiving "If the tryptophan doesn't put them to sleep my posts will" series... "Is it real?" is the most common question on...
I started my list years ago after seeing a dealer condemn a coin with a glance. When pressed, he couldn’t say exactly what was wrong with it, but...
@TIF Thanks for all the great feedback! I’m always looking to improve my skills. I’ll update my list accordingly. A few comments: *Warren* Etsy -...
One of the most common threads on this and seemingly every other ancient coin forum is: “is this real?” Experts can often answer that question by...
There was a TV show called Ancient Inventions (I think?) that had reproductions of a number of these devices, including the steam turbine and the...
The surface appearance of billon coins can range from silver to bronze, depending on how they were minted, the percentage of silver, and the...
Good catch. It will help many others if you post a nomination to the NFSL here: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?board=9.0
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