Some Roman Republican silver denarii are actually ancient counterfeits. I just added one at the very top of my educational site: http://esty.ancients.info/imit/ I found that ancient imitations made an interesting collecting theme.
Interesting Warren, but I still don't care for fourees. I can't exactly say why, but perhaps it has something to do with not liking the idea of someone taking advantage of the system, then or now.
Recently, there was a thread about these types of coins---Fourrees.....and the debate over they were official misconduct, authorized officially or the usual 'criminal' type of counterfeiting we think of today.... and most of us have at least one. My sole example follows :
Thanks for the link, Warren. I like Fourees, but I found a few tend to get bronze disease pretty easily and since I detest BD, I dont play bother with Fourees. I just have 1 and it's never gotten BD thank goodness.
Those who like unofficial and do not like fourrees can collect solid imitations. Some are lower grade silver but some were made to fill a need for circulating coinage rather than to cheat people. My samples are silver, not plated. Tiberius (from India) Commodus Septimius Severus Julia Domna There are also good weight and metal bronzes. Domitian I once collected fourrees but stopped when too many of you started paying solid prices for them. A few of mine are on my pages. http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/fourree.html Warren mentioned fourrees started with the beginning of coins. I always wanted a bull/lion Croesid fourree but never got one. These are oldies (before 500 BC). Macedon Persian Empire
Nice site Valentinian. I do like unofficial and fourée coins but I never thought of putting together a 12 Caesar set. I think that would be rather fun. Here's one of my favorites. One of the more interesting types as it is found more often as a fourée than solid silver. FWIW that's not BD, just patina.
Here's one of mine, It's a Commodus obverse dated 183-84 AD and a RiC 206 Marcus Aurelius reverse dated 168-169 AD
Nerva Coin: Silver Fouree Denarius Ancient Fake IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR PII COS III PP - Nerva laureatte right PONT MAX????? COS II - Pax standing left with branch and cornucopia Wt./Size/Axis: 2.57g / 19mm / - Acquisition/Sale: $0.00 Notes: Jan 14, 15 - Obverse used in RIC 25 and others, reverse used for Trajan. Obverse has COS III and reverse is COS II I don't seek out fourees, but I don't mind them. I had huge fun with this one. The dies had to be smuggled out of the mint. Paired up with something that looked OK. Your imagination can run riot.
