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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Insider, post: 2440915, member: 24314&quot;][USER=79368]@Barry Murphy[/USER] Wrote this:</p><p><br /></p><p>Concerning the die match, I said possibly a die match. When looking at photos you have to look what&#039;s the same more than what&#039;s different. <span style="color: #a64dff">This is true as we are making a comparison. For two coin dies to MATCH (accounting for wear, corrosion, debris, etc. that may be present) they should MATCH at the least 95%.&nbsp; Actually I&#039;m being stupid here while trying to be charitable.&nbsp; Actually, THEY SHOULD MATCH 100%!</span>The tilt of the coin, angle of the light and other factors all effect the photo. <span style="color: rgb(179, 0, 0)">True </span>I&#039;ve seen two photos of the same coin that don&#039;t look like the same coin due to lighting differences. <span style="color: rgb(179, 0, 0)">True </span>Doug can attest to that. Other factors like wear, strike, corrosion can also make two coins struck from the same die appear different. <span style="color: rgb(179, 0, 0)">Absolutely true. </span></p><p>Concerning these two coins, the hairs are all in the same positions, and most suggestive to me of a die sharing is the small lump on the bottom of the single hair strand that crosses the diadem. This is not a standard feature and suggests to me these coins may be the same dies. There are some differences which most can be attributed to lighting and tilt. If I have time I&#039;ll get the spaer coin and reshoot the photo at an angle similar to the slab photo. <span style="color: #b30000"><span style="color: #a64dff">I&#039;m truly sorry to say this as there is no nice way to do it: You need glasses. These coins are so different that if you trained a monkey, rat, or pigeon (100 times) to get a reward by viewing the OP&#039;s coin, and then showed the animal both coins it would choose the OP&#039;s coin - GUARANTEED</span>! </span>I&#039;m moving in 2 weeks so I may not get to it before I move. I&#039;m not 100% convinced of a die match but I think it&#039;s a possibility. <span style="color: #b30000">Thank God, you may have redeemed yourself. </span>The reverse die is not a match so that&#039;s not an issue. <span style="color: #b30000">Yeah! I apologize, I take back everything I wrote about monkeys, rats, pigeons, and glasses. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie45" alt=":eggface:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie46" alt=":facepalm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> </span>Even if not a die match, the style is the same which eliminates the style argument for this coin being a forgery. <span style="color: #b30000"><span style="color: #a64dff">That&#039;s nuts!&nbsp; The style of the OP&#039;s coin is a crude, juvenile attempt at artistry.&nbsp; If this coin is genuine, perhaps the die is tribal/barbaric or done by an apprentice.</span> </span></p><p>Concerning blob or whatever, I have no idea what the poster who said this is referring to. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie46" alt=":facepalm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> <span style="color: #b30000"><span style="color: #a64dff">Let&#039;s start with the SECOND COIN used for comparison.&nbsp; Note how the engraver carved the design.&nbsp; The hair, eyes, relief detail is smoothly defined on the struck coin in spite of some circulation.&nbsp; Examine the deep recesses (smooth) of the design. Additionally, its surface shows old crystallization (a good sign) even though it is slightly corroded.</span>&nbsp; </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #a64dff">Now, let&#039;s examine the OP&#039;s coin.&nbsp; Some here including me (with less knowledge and experience than the three experts) regard the coin as a QUESTIONABLE specimen and would not touch it.&nbsp; That&#039;s OK, it&#039;s a personal thing; however, I should like to get educated with a better answer than &quot;<span style="color: #00b359">I&#039;ve EXAMINED THE COIN AND IT IS GENUINE AND NOT CAST.&quot;</span> </span></p><p><span style="color: #b30000"><span style="color: #a64dff">In post#42, I asked a simple question? <span style="color: #ff00ff">What do the &quot;blobs&quot; of &quot;extra metal&quot; stuck in all the crevices of the coin look like.&nbsp; Are they smooth or rough?&nbsp; This has not been answered. </span> Let me explain THIS PARTICULAR characteristic often found on genuine ancients so you&#039;ll understand what I&#039;m asking.&nbsp; After a collector examines enough ancients they will notice places on the die that broke away in a fashion that causes the struck coin to have raised, pitted, rough lumps (blobs) in the deep recesses of the design such as the eye</span> <span style="color: #a64dff">(common).&nbsp; In cases of counterfeit coins, when this characteristic is present, the &quot;blob&quot; is usually smooth due to casting or the manufacture of transfer dies.&nbsp; Let&#039;s look at the questionable specimen above.&nbsp; It&#039;s surface is COVERED w/little whitish &quot;blobs&quot; trapped in the recesses of its design.&nbsp; Do you see what I asked about now?&nbsp; Are they smooth or rough?&nbsp; If they are smooth, the coin is probably a fake and should be sent out to another expert for verification.&nbsp; If I don&#039;t get a reply, perhaps one of the members here can try to find&nbsp; a pedigreed coin the actually HAS THE IDENTICAL STYLE of the OP&#039;s specimen.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p>The original complaints about this coin were related to style. <span style="color: #b30000">Not mine. That was only one problem. </span>Now that the style is shown to be consistent with coins of this issue, <span style="color: #b30000"><span style="color: #a64dff">Absolutely not true.&nbsp; There is ONE coin shown here that is an artistic, stylish example that is in NO WAY EVEN CLOSE in style to the questionable specimen.</span>&nbsp; </span>I&#039;m not sure how anyone can say for sure if the coin is fake or not from a rather average photo shot through plastic. <span style="color: #b30000">IMO, the photo through the plastic is EXCELLENT - good work. </span>Unless of course you&#039;ve seen the coin in hand like David Vagi or myself have.&nbsp; <span style="color: #a64dff">I&#039;ll bet neither you nor any other expert who authenticated this piece as genuine bothered to look at it using a stereo microscope.&nbsp; FOR SHAME! Get that puppy to England so we can all learn something. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie80" alt=":shame:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></span></p><p>Barry Murphy[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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