Alexander III drachm - real or fake?

Hi guys,

I need your opinion about my recent purchase - an Alexander III AR drachm.

The seller claims he baught it as an authentic coin but I'm not sure about its authenticity

D 17-18mm
W 3.87g

What do you think?

Thanks!

 

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Looks real...... I will leave this to the experts though. Maybe Roman Collector, David Atherton , or Mat can help.

 

Hi guys??? Don't you dare leave @TIF out of this...

 

I think it is going to be very difficult or impossible to say if it is authentic based on photos alone. It is sometimes possible to definitively state that a given coin is inauthentic based on photos, if it matches a known fake or if certain other specific signs of falseness are seen. I have not searched the fakes databases for a match.

Here are cropped and joined images from your selection, but it might be helpful to reshoot it with the coin in higher resolution and with better lighting.

That said, there are some things that make me uneasy about the coin (overall texture of the surfaces, uniformity of the flan) . Please note that I am not an expert and my opinion is worth what you're paying for it .

If your coin is authentic, it was not issued by Alexander III but by Antigonos I Monophthalmos a decade or two after ATG's death, struck in Lampsakos.

 

Thanks a lot for your prompt response! I will try to upload a higher res photos tomorrow

 

..from what i see, it looks worn, but it also looks soapy...from available data i'd say legit (till proven otherwise0..

 

Looks like there is no need. Your coin is underweight for the type and it matches a known cast fake... flan shape, centering, and all. Verdict: unquestionably a modern cast fake.

From Forum Ancient Coin's Fakes Gallery:



Hopefully the seller will refund your money.

If you bought this on eBay, you might also want to check the Notorious Fake Sellers List on FAC to see if the seller's name is listed.

If you're buying on eBay, checking that list is always a good idea... or just stay away from eBay and instead buy from known sellers who are experienced with ancient coins and who offer refunds for the occasional fake that slips through.

 

...o....well , (ahem)..i have to concede my belief for the noble @TIF has convinced me otherwise..

 

Wow
Yes, the seller is listed on the Notorious Fake Sellers List.
I learned a lot from this experience, I didn't know about that list and for sure will check it before placing new bids...
Thanks again.

 

BTW, how come these sellers have such a high feedback? I'm talking about a seller with 100% positive feedback on eBay, based on hundrands of feedbacks.

 

High feedback scores are meaningless. Sometimes people don't realize they've bought fakes, sometimes the seller fights the negative feedback, and probably many other reasons. Low feedback scores are a big red flag but high feedback, even with hundreds of sales, doesn't mean much.

There's a saying: know the seller or know the coin.

 

It's good to check the list before buying; however, be aware that the list is not always up to date and that sellers will oft times change their Ebay names. Be sure you add the seller to the list and to the FAC Fake Ancient coin report. We all have to do our part to police the hobby.

 

..check their name changes...you can get ebay to give your money back based on what TIF has put forward, i.e. wrong weight, pic of a known counterfeit.. and such...

 

I already sent a message to the seller and hope to get a refund. What bothers me more is other purchases I've done in the past few years... some of the sellers are on that list as well
I was under the impression that feedback is the right metric but I guess I was wrong. I still can't get it - how come a seller with more than 10k of positive feedbacks can be on that list???

 

Because just like you were, most people are blissfully unaware they bought fakes, and don't know there are other, better places to buy ancient coins...

 

Well, I learned a few things today... for sure I will use this forum to learn some more.

 

If you hadn't come here and asked us first you'd have probably bought the coin and then happily left positive feedback once you received it. It's extremely unlikely that a new collector who buys a fake will realize it's a fake once they get it in hand because they don't have the experience necessary to recognize that. That's exactly how they have such good feedback.

I'd recommend sticking to Vcoins or some of the big auction sites that guarantee authenticity over eBay. Those fakeseller lists can feel like a good safety measure but they're not exhaustive as they require someone actually report the sellers which often doesn't happen until they've been selling for a bit. They also rarely include the name of the sellers who sell mostly good coins but still sell far too many tooled or fake coins here and there(sellers like Lanz). The sellers can also change their names at any time so they may not match what's on the list.

 

we all learn something new everyday.....continue on.....i thought i was wrong, but i was mistaken..

 

i really don't know... do the homework on the seller and the coin.. free returns is a good thing, you need to contact ebay and tell them what's up...

 

Hmm. This post is making me nervous. I have the OP - bought it from a reputable dealer, illustrated mail-order catalogue, a long time ago - 1987. Same control symbols, but doesn't appear to be a die-match to the fake, I hope:



Macedonia Kingdom Drachm
Antigonus I Monophthalmus
(c. 320-306 B.C.)
Lampsakos Mint
Head of Herakles in lion skin / AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus seated left on throne, eagle & sceptre. Controls: obv. forepart Pegasos left; rev. AI below throne.
Price 1385; S-6731.
(4.22 grams / 17 mm)