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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dltsrq, post: 4630578, member: 75482&quot;]The academic literature recognizes two sorts of counterfeiting at work in the Roman Imperial period: &quot;endemic<i>&quot; </i>counterfeiting and &quot;epidemic&quot; counterfeiting. Endemic counterfeiting is the normal background-level counterfeiting that we all recognize. Endemic counterfeits in the imperial era are typified by fourrées and casts. Epidemic counterfeiting, on the other hand, is foreign to our modern experience. The epidemics were stimulated by shortages of small change through demonetization, debasement and monetary reform. Examples of the epidemics include copies of Claudian aes in the 1st century, the so-called &#039;barbarous radiates&#039; in the 3rd century and imitations of the &#039;fallen horseman&#039; type in the 4th century. Like endemic counterfeiting, the motive for the epidemics is profit. The first round of counterfeits are often very good copies of the originals but as the epidemic unfolds, bad coins drive out the good and then worse coins drive out the bad. As copies are copied, the types deteriorate. At the same time, the module decreases, often down to 1/4 or less of the original. Archaeological evidence of illicit minting shows the melting of larger coins to produce smaller versions. This represents the counterfeiter&#039;s profit margin. In each case, the epidemics were ended rather suddenly with the minting of new official coins of decent quality.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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