This ancient coin slipped its way into a collection of pre1933 US gold I am buying. I dont know much about ancients to start with and I think I have seen similar ones here but not sure. In fact, I am not even sure if it is real. Fyi... sellers pics and I do not know weight.
It's a cast replica of a dekadrachm of Syracuse (it's a modern creation-- a tourist trinket). Here's what it copies (from CNG's archives):
Was the pitting the first red flag? That is what stood out to me but wasnt sure if that was common or not. Thanks for the insight @TIF
Yes. Also, that particular replica is very common and well-known. The rounded lack of details in the hair is a sign of a poor cast replica.
I don't know enough about modern coins but with ancients, there are a few types that are so commonly faked that any time we hear of a coin that just 'slips in' where it is unusual, we know it is a fake. This is a very popular coin but we never hear of one being the only ancient coin in a collection. It would be like having a US type set where the $20 was a 1933. There are probably a hundred recognized fakes of this type of which some are a few hundred years old now and a bit collectable for what they are. This is what we term 'tourist' since the people who toured Greece in the last century rend to return with one whether they knew its status or were fooled by the locals.
