I was thinking about buying this coin. Any ideas? GERMANICUS, father of Caligula, †AD 19. As, posthumous, struck by his brother Claudius, about 42-43. AE28mm 10.14 g.
If you're asking about authenticity, the coin itself looks probably ancient to me. (Always hard to know from photos & coin description, since good fakes look real in photos, but knowing the seller and/or where they got it can remove concerns.) I would say the coin was darkened after cleaning/stripping. Either by "reverse electrolysis" or with liver of sulfur or similar. Sulfur can have "spotty" results like this depending on circumstances, as can reverse electro, especially if one isn't investing a lot of time & care into it (which wouldn't be surprising for an ordinary ancient coin that isn't headed to a big coin firm in Zurich or London).
its from Vcoins Variana Coins 98 dollars us not an expensive one. I like to check to make sure as anyone can be fooled. But the inexpensive coins are usually not worth the trouble.
In that case I would really have no concerns about fakery at all. As a general rule, though, being an affordable coin really doesn't offer much protection from fakery. In fact, I suspect the vast majority of fakes are of sub-$100 coins. Forum's Fake Reports are packed with fake $30 denarii and Antoniniani and even fake Constantine AE3s. (I have some of each in my collection of forgeries/reproductions; they even used to be found in uncleaned coins lots.) Cheap coins are where most sales are and the least scrutiny. (People make their living producing all kinds of consumer goods that sell for a few dollars per sale or less, so it's well worth it to manufacture "ancient coins" that sell for $20 each.)
