Oh my, when I saw this amazingly cool looking fourree I knew that it was comin' home with me!! ... and then when I scored it under its initial estimate, well then, I kinda felt like a god myself!! ... anyway ... => here is my first gold coin .... ooops, ummm ... here is my first fake gold coin!! super fricken cool, yes? (yes) Nicephorus II Phocas, with Basil II. Fourrée Histamenon Nomisma Constantinople mint 963-969 AD Diameter: 20 mm Weight: 2.85 grams Obverse: Facing bust of Christ Pantokrator Reverse: Crowned facing busts of Nicephorus II, wearing loros, and Basil II, wearing chlamys, holding patriarchal cross between them Reference: Cf. DOC 2; cf. Füeg 2; cf. SB 1777 Other: 6h … Fine, plating worn through From the E. E. Clain-Stefanelli Collection
Oh, and I forgot to mention that it's from the illusive 10th century AD (this is only my 2nd coin from this century!!) => it's a total fricken winner ($75) ... are you fricken kiddin' me?!! Yup, I'm happy-happy with this steal
What's the weight of this coin? I'm curious how likely it would've been to fool someone when it was new and the plating was still intact. Gold fourrées, while obviously not unknown, have never been exactly common in any period that I'm familiar with. I assume this reflects the greater care with which a recipient would examine a high-value gold coin compared to silver, maybe combined with greater penalties exacted by the state if the counterfeiter of gold was detected.
Zombie Jesus?? I would totally be posting some Cyanide and Happiness comics now, except I'm sure it would get some of the mods involved... Sweet coin Steve!
I think you just won fourees, but if I recall, I think Doug has a gold fouree that might give yours a run for the money.
oh wow, that's awesome stevex, and a good price i think. dougs had a very cool gold fourree he should post here also...it's a "fourree off"! i don't have any fourrees to pile on .....
Volodya => here is a CNG link that shows my sweet fourree and the real deal ... https://cngcoins.com/Search.aspx?PAGE_NUM=&PAGE=1&TABS_TYPE=2&CONTAINER_TYPE_ID=1&IS_ADVANCED=1&ITEM_DESC=Nicephorus II Phocas&ITEM_IS_SOLD=1&SEARCH_IN_CONTAINER_TYPE_ID_1=1&SEARCH_IN_CONTAINER_TYPE_ID_3=1&SEARCH_IN_CONTAINER_TYPE_ID_2=1 => the real deal seems to be approximately 1.5 times as heavy as my sneaky fourree (4.4 grams compared to my 2.9 grams) ... pretty fricken cool, eh? Sadly, now I need to score myself a "real deal"
no problem, V-bro Hey, do you wanna see my other two cool fourrees? Fourree, Kings of Macedon, Philip III 323-317 BC Fourree, Baktria, Indo-Greek, Hermaios 105-90 BC => Zombie horses, ARISE!!
When I collected RR imitations, I had some plated coins. You can view them here and on the following three pages: http://rrimitations.ancients.info/platedroman.html
I have 2 Fourees that I have received de gratis by good friends in coin transactions. I know it is a collecting area, but I just cannot collect items intended for dishonesty whether ancient or modern. Have to say it: I just can not put myself up to buying Fourees...
I hear what you're saying, Gandalf => but I only like the very obvious fourree examples (I don't think that any of my three examples are gonna fool anybody)
LOL, no, they won't fool folks NOW! Yours IS a great coin! Not really seen many of GOLD ones. I think if you were CAUGHT with AR... ok, you get a BEATING. But with a fake GOLD coin??? "Let's take our TIME slowly ripping this guy apart... HEY it is a Jesus Coin??? Let's make sure he is on a cross when we take him apart..."
I passed on that one because I have the fourrees that I need. I was really into them 25-30 years ago when most people thought they were absolute trash. My best is special to me because of the way the copper highlights the gold. Many of mine came from the collection of Grant Edwards who was by profession a metallurgist and introduced me to the idea of technical collecting. His better coins were sent to some high end auction but I got a chance at some of his Roman and Byzantine junk that they did not want. I wonder what happened to his Greek fourrees. The dealers who would have nothing to do with his Romans were able to take his Greeks. Basil II and Constantine VIII ex. Grant Edwards Of course the gold over silver one is special to me also. It is my only recent purchase and was bought because of the silver. A few others with less appeal: Phocas ex Joel Malter Basil I & Constantine ex. Grant Edwards Basil II and Constantine VIII ex. Grant Edwards - Miliaresion with no silver left or is it just black??? Michael IV ex. Grant Edwards