So, it may be that I have one of the coins recently discussed. The photo is below. I was advised by another dealer he felt it was another of the series. The photo will be below. When I compare this one to those published here: https://numismaticfakes.wordpress.c...ecently-listed-on-auction-griechische-munzen/ I see some similarities but also some differences. On the reverse, the tail of triton has a different shape and distance to the pellet (and the pellet is a different shape as well). Anyway, I wont say much as I would like opinions. Published example:
The big differences I see are in the legends but these would be easily done in touching up so the style match makes me not like the coin. The fabric is very different. That makes me like it better. Not enough better. I don't know.
I don't know enough about transfer dies to pretend any expertise, but as I understand the situation with these particular coins, the supposed tell-tale sign is the defect in Triton's body. It is present on both of the pictured coins.
Generally speaking, I see so many similarities in the devices that they appear virtually identical yet the 'fabric' is so different that I don't know what to think. Perhaps the legends or the defect in Triton's body as Doug and TIF mention are the determining factor?? Obviously, I know far less than virtually anyone else about 'transfer dies'.
I am certainly no expert as you know, however, even to me the 2 dies look extremely similar. However, I think I have mentioned before, what I am is a computer guy. With a ton of tools at my disposal. So I took the 2 pictures you posed and overlayed them. First the Obverse. I look at it, you can see the coin your looking at to the fake below it. Everythign in red is a prefect match, right down to every detail in every feather. The blue too muddy to tell, the green is different. Now the beak is different but that just might be because it is cut off on the known fake coin not giving me a full image. Then the legend is different as you can see the letters kind of garbled through. Though this could be done tooling. Just looking at this, too close to say positively. However when you look at the reverse, I would say this is the exact same coin, or die at least used to make the fake. Everything is red is a an exact perfect match, you are actually seeing in the picture an overlay composite of both coins. Every tooth in the claws, every single ridge on the legs, her hair detail is perfect match, including the minor flaws in her tail. The one round thing on the left, both have exact identical raised center crimp like. Had to see on the picture you posed but magnified, and overlaid perfect match. The one in blue, that claw is too aged, worn, what ever you want to call it to see exact details that match between them. The claw shape and size match perfectly just not the inner details and flaws. Then the green areas are different. This difference is odd, if you look at the first coin to the fake coin, the fake is missing that bottom part of her tail, where the first has it, then the body on left of the crab portion just a glob broken out of the die maybe, however entire right portion of the head perfect match. Hope that helps. Again, like I said I am no expert in this whole finding a fake thing. But to me these are pretty much same dies, the legend though on the obverse doesn't match up.
Hello all. After everything considered here and talking it over with a number of other dealers and experts I am certain this coin is fake. The differences we are all seeing are likely due to tooling and smoothing to make them look different. I do think though that this example is struck on an actual ancient flan, as others have been. Thanks to all, and I will see if I can forward this to the various databases.
