I wonder if more is known about the limes falsa by now. At the beginning of this year I bought a lot of limes falsa through the Numismatic Naumann auction. Bought this lot because it contains very sharp images. So hit with fairly new dies. I am amazed that some coins are as heavy as silver denarius. While there are also some that are much lighter. This makes it clear that these are made of a different type of material. I first post the lightest and then some of the sharpest. With size and weight. weight 1.48 g / size 17 mm RIC 176 Septimius Severus, AR denarius, 211 AD. SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right / PART MAX PM TR P VIIII, trophy between two captives, with their hands supporting their heads
weight 2.4 g / size 18.5 mm RIC 187 Elagabalus Denarius. ANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped bust right / CONCORDIA MILIT, two standards between two legionary eagles
Weight 2.98 g / size 18 mm RIC 16 Maximinus Thrax Denarius. IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, laureate, draped bust right / VICTORIA AVG, Victory running right, holding wreath and palm
Weight 3.2 g / size 18.5 mm RIC 369 Plautilla, Denarius, 202-205 AD. PLAVTILLA AVGVSTA, draped bust right, hair waved and drawn down on neck / VENVS VICTRIX, Venus standing left, bare to waist, holding apple and palm, resting left elbow on shield, Cupid at her foot.
Weight 2.65 g / size 19 mm RIC 242 Septimius Severus Denarius. 210 AD. SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT, laureate head right / P M TR P XVIII COS III P P, Salus seated left, feeding serpent held in her lap
If I recall correctly, the term limes falsa is used for cast copies - either base metal cast copies of denarii or casts of large copper-alloy denominations. If struck, but not official, yours would be more of a unofficial or imitative copy than a limes falsa. SC
Originally, the term limesfalsa refered to cast copies of early imperial bronze (only), finds of which appeared to be concentrated along the imperial borders (limes). In the century since the term was coined, it has become apparent that cast copies of the limesfalsa type are more widely distributed than originally thought and the notion originally postulated of a quasi-official border coinage has been abandoned. They are now classed with other contemporary counterfeits. The term "limes denarius" is thought to have originated on eBay (!) in it's early years, likely as a misunderstanding of limesfalsa. The term has since taken hold in the trade but not in the literature. As noted above, even when the notion of limesfalsa was current, it never included copies of denarii. Debased casts of denarii are found widely in areas where imperial denarii circulated. Due to the debasement of official coins, high-tin bronze must have looked "white" enough, at least when the copies were newly cast. Their production was likely stimulated by the relatively high intrinsic value of the denarius relative to the antoninianus, which was tariffed at 2 denarii but never contained more than the equivalent of 1-1/2 denarii in silver. Odds are, the op coins are very good casts. Struck counterfeits would be unusual for the early to mid 3rd century.
There were also Limes-Asses: PLAVTILLA AVGVSTA - Draped bust of Plautilla right PIETAS AVGG S C - Pietas standing facing, head right, holding scepter in right hand and child in left cast Limes-As, unofficial mint in Gaul, ca. 204 AD Cohen 29
I only have one LIMES: Just posted it in another thread, but I really like it. RI Hadrian, AD 117-138 Æ Limes Denarius 18mm 3.5mm after AD 125 Genius stndg sacrificing altar cornucopia RIC II 173 Had fun using Google Translate:
