Can anyone help me determine if this is authentic?

Lovely coin and welcome to the best collecting hobby ever! (I’m a relative newbie also)
I just did an ebay and google search on the username you gave, apollo_archiology, and it drew a blank. Is it correct?
Also, here is the fake sellers link for future reference.
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/fakesellers.html

 

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I agree that the coin looks good. The only red flag for me was that the seller claimed the coins were found in Turkey. It is illegal to export ancient coins from Turkey. Period. So I went to toolhaus.org and searched for negative or neutral feedback received by the seller apollo_archiology. Nothing came up. So far, so good. Then I searched for apollo_archeology and found this:

https://toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs?User=apollo_archeology&Dirn=Received+by&ref=home

Notice all the private sales? Not a good sign. Is it the same seller? I don't know. But if you purchased your coin in a private sale, you might consider returning it.

 

After looking at the sellers sold list on his eBay I would return it, everything he's sold looks off, especially that 500bc Thrace pottery that looks like it was made yesterday sold for £2

 

I'm not qualified to judge authenticity from the photos. But in general I would urge caution with any eBay seller who provides a "story" of where the coins came from. Most of the time this is a ploy to try to convince inexperienced buyers that their business is legitimate or that they are getting in on the ground floor of some "treasure" hoard. Almost always this is a red flag.

 

@AdamB, told you this would be good...we have some great sleuths on this site!

 

Thank you, and it certainly did haha! I appreciate the opinion. I will post better images upon arrival. From then I have two weeks to decide.

 

Thanks! I believe I spelled his seller name wrong (should be archeology) but regardless I don't think his name is on the list. Other people have pointed out sketchy reviews and coins that appear fake in his profile so I'm not confident.

 

Yes, that is my bad for spelling it incorrectly, that is the seller. I should've checked those reviews before purchasing. The seller seems sketchy and I don't have high hopes. I'm still going to examine the coin once I receive it and make a decision whether or not to return it then.

 

Yeah those are certainly questionable. Whether or not the price is a reflection, I'm not sure. Most of his sales are auctions starting at a very low price.

 

Yes I agree. And the fact that it is illegal to export ancient coins from Turkey as @gsimonel pointed out does not lend itself favorably to a legitimate story...

 

Hey, @AdamB , like your Carthage avatar that you have. Is it yours?

 

No, but I wish! It's my favorite coin of all time, currently.

 

It is one of my favorites in my collection...


Africa, Zeugutana, Carthage
Anonymous BCE 310-290
EL Dekadrachm - Stater
18.5mm, 7.27g
Obverse: Wreathed head of Tanit left, eleven pendants on necklace; pellet before neck
Reverse: Horse standing right; three pellets below exergue line
Ref: MAA 12; SNG Copenhagen 136

 

Absolutely beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

 

@panzerman: when I grew up in northern Minnesota we had a beekeeper named Irvin Gunter. Is there a possibility the Gunter on your honey label is a relative?

Steve

 

This seller has been nominated on the infamous list of Forum 2 weeks ago.
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=120690.0

 

Yikes, do you think all of his stuff is fake?

 

No. Many of his (?) coins, particularly the bronzes, appear to be legitimate, but they are grossly overpriced. Most of the ones that seem like bargains look suspicious to me, but I'm no expert. Still, I would avoid this seller.

 

I certainly will in the future. Even if my coin turns out to be authentic.