First, if posting a link to an eBay item that isn't my own is a problem, MODs, I apologize, kill the thread. Second, to the possible owner of this listing/coin, I want to bid on the coin, I just have a slight stomach gurgle looking at one aspect of the coin. If someone explains away this problem, I am putting a strong bid in. One other thing that tickles my fertilizer cutter is some verbiage at the bottom about not being certified or graded. Obviously it isn't certified or graded, it isn't slabbed. It sounds like you're dancing around the words "not genuine". Maybe that's just me. With that, if you wouldn't mind taking a quick peak at this 10gram silver Alexander III coin, and telling me what your position on it is, I would appreciate it. To save you time, look at pictures, 2, 7 & 8. I am sure if there is a problem with the coin, it will be obvious to more experienced members, so please point that out if you don't mind. And if you look at the named pictures, am I right in thinking something looks off there? http://www.ebay.com/itm/25189634478...l?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=251896344780&_rdc=1 ebay item #251896344780
Crap. Thats what I thought. I wrote this whole letter out to the guy, stating how I am not an expert, just a little bit of chemistry and metal working background, like, very minor in both. And new to ancients. And I just couldn't send it to him. I kept thinking "who am I to tell this company/person/dealer/whoever that I think something looks off, what do I know." I can't believe I caught my first turkey.
I just started to check the fake databases, but there are page after page of Alexander III fake coins. The seller doesn't list the weight or dimensions so it's even harder to narrow down to denomination. And the price seems rather low for such a high quality genuine coin. Steve likes to quote a line from the movie Ronin: Whenever there is doubt, there is no doubt
It is a modern cast fake of a Lysimachos tetradrachm. http://www.forumancientcoins.com/fakes/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pos=26 et al
In fact, it's so fake that I don't think it was meant to deceive. It's a tourist token - you find these things all over Europe, anywhere you can visit Roman or Greek ruins, etc. All the gift shops have them, churned out by Chinese children in sweat shops so you can pay an exorbitant mark-up to say you were there.
I was about to say the same thing. The seller showed the seam, showed the grossly light weight, etc. In case the eBay listing goes away, here's a composite of some of the shots:
Did anyone notice, out of pages and pages and pages of listings, this is the ONLY coin?? Bad karma! I did not look at all the listings. His primary product is live rose bushes, which, of course, we're in prime season for; he has hundreds. Also a few small electronics, mostly cables and connectors. NOT a coin guy.