Hi, this is my first post on this forum! I collect coins, but my collection has so far focused on currencies collected during my travels. I am now interested in expanding my collection to include ancient coins. Like most newbies, I am more interested in interesting looking coins than in particular periods. And I am not yet ready to spend a lot of money until I learn how to spot fakes. In my search, I've come across Alibaba Coins, a dealer who sells on VCoins. Has anyone had any experiences with this dealer? I am interested in buying a coin like this: https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/al..._638_konya_30_gr__2142_mm/900211/Default.aspx But have no way of telling if this is 'too good to be true' or not. Any advice/tips welcome!
I've gotten a few coins from them with no issues. If that's the coin you are interested in, one of our own collectors, @Sallent has one in better shape and is extremely trustworthy. The coin is below: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/seljuq-turks-medieval-silver-dirham-price-reduced.303218/
Wow that coin could have been handled by Mevlana Jelladin Rumi or Shams y Tabrizi themselves. The timing is right and so is the place-Konya. the word "SHAMS" means sun. This is the place to double check coins like these. these regulars are experts. No doubt this is very genuine. I believe most fakes are the more famous and classic issues related to mainstream famous Greeks and Romans etc. Asaalam Aleikum!
I've heard of vcoins before and I've never heard anything bad about them. With that said, I would change the Alibaba name. Only because of the below Alibaba who sells fake anything from China or as Trump on SNL would say, Ghina. https://www.alibaba.com/
Id say OP's linked coin is genuine. However, this is the type of coin where condition is everything. No point owning one if it doesn't have good details on the sun's face. Not that I'd peddle mine. Feel free to get one from anyone else if it pleases you. They are great coins, but I'm getting out of medievals so I can focus more on my 3rd century Roman Imperial coins addiction. Not an easy decision to make as it is a pretty coin.
You may also search your prospective coins out on these sites to see if if there are any common fakes of the types out there. http://forgerynetwork.com/ http://www.forumancientcoins.com/fakes/index.php?cat=6 for Islamic: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/fakes/thumbnails.php?album=32
The lack of the face on the sun on the linked coin would be a deal-killer for me. If I didn't already have one of my own, I'd buy the one sallent is selling.
That must have been a really tough call to make. You have some great medieval pieces already in your collection.
Thanks again to everyone for their feedback! In the end, I decided to go for these two: https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/al..._641_konya_30_gr__2264_mm/900209/Default.aspx https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/al...m_levon_ii_28_gr__2124_mm/848018/Default.aspx I'm only starting my collection now, but I am happy with these additions!
