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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 2732667, member: 19463&quot;]Every so often we discuss coins here that were struck from &#039;billon&#039;.&nbsp; This term is applied to an alloy of silver with too little silver to be silver looking but having too much silver to look really copper.&nbsp; Billon varies to things that could be called silver or copper if we pushed the point.&nbsp; In general we think that less silver was used as time went on but the fact remains that we see coins from the same mint (Alexandria is common) and ruler that simply do not match in color.&nbsp; I got a new billon tetradrachm of Elagabalus (reverse Dikaiosyne year 4) that bears a red and green patina that completely hides the fact that there is any silver inside (probably 15%???).&nbsp; </p><p>[ATTACH=full]621884[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>More &#039;normal&#039; is this toned billon year five with Serapis.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]621885[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Much more silver is this Gordian III which is about as late as I have seen in an Alexandrian tetradrachm that could be called silver without pushing the point. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]621886[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The question is how much of these differences are from the original alloy and how much is due to what has happened to the coins in the time of burial and recovery/cleaning?&nbsp; Has anyone seen an extensive study of the metal used in Alexandrian tetradrachms? </p><p><br /></p><p>Pile on your Alexandrian tets that are either late and silver or early and not at all silver in appearance.&nbsp; I&#039;m sure some will want to show their coins that are normal looking for their date like the ones below.&nbsp; It is little surprise when beginners are confused by terms like billon.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Gordian III year 6 with normal darker tone:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]621889[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Julia Domna cleaned to reveal the gray billon:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]621892[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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