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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 2239228, member: 19463&quot;]Definitely is too strong a word.&nbsp; To be fourree you need a base interior and a precious exterior.&nbsp; The Basil could be a base metal fake with no silvering and still be red inside.&nbsp; The John seems to be more likely not fourree.&nbsp; If you wish to go farther, you need a professional.&nbsp; If you wish to take this further, the coin needs to be examined by a metallurgist with equipment to assay exterior and interior (x-ray, core drilled or destructively).&nbsp; The photo appears to have a considerable layer of something on the surface (grease, patina, paint - from photos you are not going to have &#039;definitely&#039;) that could be removed ruining any numismatic value of the item.&nbsp;&nbsp; If the coin were mine, I would not destroy it to find more than you have now.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>The reference on fourrees: Campbell, William, <i>Greek and Roman Plated Coins</i> Numismatic Notes and Monographs No. 57, American Numismatic Society, 1933 is now free online:</p><p><a href="http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.30000104992965;view=1up;seq=7" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.30000104992965;view=1up;seq=7" rel="nofollow">http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.30000104992965;view=1up;seq=7</a></p><p><br /></p><p>It is a fascinating book full of images showing what has to be done to know &#039;definitely&#039; what is beneath the surface of a coin.&nbsp; In short, the coin is embedded in a block and sawed in half with the surface polished and examined under a microscope.&nbsp; I love this book and the information I gained from it but I will not be examining my coins this way.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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