I found this small silver ancient coin in a box and would appreciate somebody indentifying it for me. It's about 16mm in diameter and weighs 2.7 grams. Thanks, Mike
It is a drachm from Alexander the great, but it is disturbingly light, especially in this condition it should be atleast 4+ grams. Looks like it is a fake, sorry.
100% fake. Exact match to this reported fake on Forum's Fake Ancient Coin Reports What it's trying to be: Alexander III the Great, 336-323 BC Silver Drachm of Lampsakos, circa 323-317 BC. Struck under Philip III Arrhidaios Obverse: Head of Hercules right, Wearing lion-skin headdress. Reverse: Zeus Aëtophoros seated left holding eagle and scepter, buckle and delta in left field, AΛEΞANΔΡOΥ on right and AI below throne.
For those who might ask how we know. This coin violates several rules. We heard about weight and finding two with exactly the same centering would require a very rare circumstance. This one has another, less obvious 'problem'. Notice the edge of the coin from which the fake was copied is reproduced quite a bit inside the edge of the fake with no detail between the two. This is most clear on the reverse at the upper right but circles much of the reverse and to a lesser degree on the obverse. When a copy is made, it is better to follow the original edges than to 'improve' the centering.
