EDIT: Never mind, saw your post on FaceBook, I agree with the assumption on it being a fake. Since you bought it from a reputable dealer you should have no problem getting your money back. Also, might I suggest taking a look at Vcoins.com they have all the authentic coins you can dream of.
Have a picture of the obverse? I'm not familiar with any Alexander or Diadochi issued drachms with an "x" control mark in left field. The style seems off; specifically the eagle and the fields seem way too smooth.
Edge looks OK. A double struck fake is kind of strange to me. I don't know if I've seen one before. What's the weight? Where did you get it?
I thought it was a little iffy, but it was presented along with a bunch of others which I was told came from the same collection. The others didn’t have such a high relief, so I went for this one instead. Damn. Hopefully I can exchange it for one of the good ones.
I got it from Coincraft in London. I’ve not weighed it yet (I actually need a new balance!) It’s fine in terms of dimensions, at least against one of my other Drachms.
They seem to be a reputable dealer. All of their other ancients listed on their website appear to be genuine. Does it appear to have a light purple tone, in hand, like in the images? Old cabinet tone like that is hard to fake. It could just be the coin is in about uncirculated condition so the condition is deceiving. Maybe call in to talk to the guy that handles their ancients and see If he can get you a Price reference. (he created the most complete reference for Alexander coinage.) The double struck obverse and where it came from is making me lean genuine now. But, hard to tell without better images and holding it. I'll keep looking.
The inscription looks blundered & the portrait is a rough style. I wonder if it is an early Celtic copy. The weight would be helpful.
Those pictures are much better! Now it's 50/50, I have no clue, wait for more opinions... this one's tricky.
Okay, I’ll get the weight tonight when my new balance arrives. In its favour: Good patina (which is, indeed, purple in hand) Edge seems fine Reputable dealer Against it: Dodgy inscription Dodgy mint mark Hmmm... Some more photos, if they are of any help:
A better picture would help... To make a simple photo, don't balance the coin in your hand, because it moves, and the camera moves too. You might use the old whisky glass method: put an empty glass upside down on a neutral surface, rest your iphone on it, camera down, and put the coin at the foot of the glass. Play with light and shadow by shielding the coin with your hand. Make the coin almost as big as the screen of your phone, and gently make the photos with the lightest touch of your finger. Afterwards I'm using a photo editing programme to match the colors of the picture to those of the coin. Sometimes I make the contrast stronger to show details better.
Thanks so much for the tip on the whisky glass method. I don’t normally photograph my collection for these purposes (dealing mostly with Roman Republican stuff, which I can be a bit more sure of). I’ll attach a bunch of new photos and hopefully these are better (I’m sorry for being that guy who posts bad pictures and asks for expert information) As soon as my new balance arrives (hopefully later today), I’ll be able to find out the weight, which should be very helpful.
Weight is approx 4.07-4.08g. A teeny tiny bit lighter than most (about 0.2g less than many others), but with the double strike, the patina, and the context, I think I’m safe.
Hi, willkerrs. I found, searching, a very similar coin, but less the X. On Ebay. "Uncertain Mint. Alexander the Great Silver drachm. £89.99." Somewhere else online it said "The listing you're looking for has ended", and that was for a picture of the same coin. BTW, that coin, allegedly, is from 336 - 322 BC.
