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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;gsimonel, post: 3006547, member: 82549&quot;]There never were any silver antoninianii of Philip I. They were all billon--that is, a mix of silver and bronze. Both the ratio and the quality of the mix fluctuated over time and from mint to mint. Most of Philip&#039;s antoninainii, however, appear to be solid silver/billon, (as opposed to, say, the antoninianii of Probus or Aurelain, many of which look like bronze coins with just a thin silver wash).</p><p><br /></p><p>But the point is that because these are uneven and inconsistent mixtures, the appearance of Philip&#039;s antoninianii 1,600 years later can vary a lot. The fact that it looks like bronze or is underweight is not enough to condemn the coin outright. By the time you consider the possibility of the silver oxidizing, the buildup of deposits, and the leaching out of different metals due to the environment, be glad that you can recognize it as an antoninianus! </p><p><br /></p><p>Which is not to say that your coins are official. I can&#039;t say one way or the other. But I would caution you against jumping to any particular conclusion based solely on the appearance of the metal.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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