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Message:: [QUOTE="Carthago, post: 2399915, member: 76111"]I posted a coin in a thread a few months back that Doug Smith astutely asked if it was a fourree.  I didn't have access to the coin until today to weigh and look it over, and I'm still puzzled.  It's weight and axis are right in the sweet spot: 1.78g, 4h. There are these areas on the lion, around the facing rim, on Fulvia's ear and other areas that look in this picture like the silver coating of a fourree that has worn through.  I'm not positive (are any of us positive of anything with ancients?), but I don't think it's a fourree.  It does look like a layer of metal has been worn through and exposing a secondary layer which is now covered with a black toning or something but it doesn't look like copper/bronze.  It's not happening haphazardly; it's on high points where there would be the most wear. [ATTACH=full]494351[/ATTACH] So this is where it gets even more weird.   I did a bit of research across some of the major European museums and I see this is not unique.  Here are some examples: American Numismatic Society.  Check out the lion's mane, front paw, front of the exergue line, maybe even the rim. [ATTACH=full]494353[/ATTACH] Berlin: The body of the lion, feet and IMP. [ATTACH=full]494354[/ATTACH] Anyone have any ideas what this is?  Looking CoinArchives, there are other examples but I'm assuming Berlin and the ANS know their way around fourrees better than the average auction house.[/QUOTE]