Opinion on the coins - Real vs Fake

Hello team,

Need your expert opinion on both coins below:
Caracalla Denarius
Diocletian Follis

Your opinion is much appreciated

thank you

 

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Do you have the ability to upload the full images to the thread? For whatever reason I have trouble viewing photos that are posted as attachments.

Also a picture of the side would help if you have it.
Weights?
Diameters?

 

Hi Curtisimo, dont have this info on hand... but from the first glance, whats your opinion?

 

From first glance I think the Caracalla looks okay but I can't zoom in on my phone. Looks like a Hercules reverse holding club and lion skin.

On the second one I can't tell if that is a seam at 10 o'clock?

Will have to wait till I can get to a laptop to look at the photos better.

 

Based on looks alone, and without much more research, Caracalla might be OK. I'd like to see edges though, and weight and diameter.

 

thanks Curtisimo

 

Hi Sallent, i didnt see any ridges on the side of both coins. Here are two pics of Diocletian from the side

 

Diocletian looks OK, but I'm far from knowledgeable on LRBs. Caracalla looks like it could be OK (that one is the one I wanted to see the edges for though) and weight if you have it.

Where did you get these?

 

I like the Diocletian and think it is genuine. I have doubts about the Caracalla. As you know, most ancient coins are slightly concave on the reverse. Sometimes it is only very slight. That slight concavity is usually visible in pictures. Many of the best modern fakes fail to reproduce the concavity of genuine coins. Some even bow outwards (which would be a very bad sign). To me, the Caracalla reverse is too flat. I am not claiming that is proof, but it is a worry.

 

Good old Ebay

 

hmm, as far as Caracalla - I didnt see any bubbles or ridges on the side of the coin, but on the side, it seems that it was smoothed, reverse looks a bit too picture perfect, that is why i am asking for your guys opinion

 

I downloaded the photos and I still am not prepared to call the Caracalla bad. Not having any edge cracks is somewhat concerning if you already have reason to suspect it. It is also concerning that you said the edge looked smoothed. By that do you mean you see a bunch of parallel marks like it's been filed?

Also when you look at the coin along the edge see if you can tell if there is a slight change in thickness. A lot of times struck coins will not be of uniform thickness. Pictures of the side and weight would be very useful

 

Thank you Curtisimo, I will take a picture from the side and post it here. Thank you for your help.

 

Many fakes are casts, for which an edge seam can be a diagnostic. But not all fakes are casts. Some are struck and some are pressed. For those, do not expect to find an edge-seam diagnostic.

 

I see, i will double-check at home and will take more pictures to share

 

Well, I just got in and took a look at the two coins. IMHO, they are both authentic based solely on the images which is dicey at best. I have my fingers crossed they are okay.

 

Hi team, here are additional pictures of Caracalla from the side, what do you think>??

 

Thank you, Bing I just posted a side view of Caracalla coin, any change in your opinion??

 

I have to say that image does make me wonder, but that alone doesn't make me think much less of the coin. But, like Steve has said before, "where there is doubt, there is no doubt"

 

H

Hi Curtisimo, here is a side view of Caracalla