Fourrés are ancient counterfeits of silver coins (or gold coins) made by wrapping a thin silver (gold) foil around a base metal (usually copper) core and striking it with dies in order to pass it for a genuine silver coin. Silver was 80-100 times as valuable as copper, so there was a large profit to be made replacing good silver with copper. (There are other types of ancient counterfeits, but they are not called fourrés unless they use this foil technique and are struck.) The trick was, of course, passing the coin and not getting caught. Often the dies are far from official style and it seems the coin would only pass to drunks in a dark tavern. However, sometimes the style is close to official. Before the silver broke off at the rim, this counterfeit looked pretty good. Septimius Severus obverse combined with a Caracalla reverse. 18-17 mm. 2.61 grams (light, but not too obvious). SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right PART MAX PONT TRP IIII, trophy with two captives The obverse legend of Severus belongs to 201-210, but without this reverse type, and the TRP IIII belongs to this reverse for Caracalla in year 201 (RIC 54, BMC page 45 double dagger footnote). The combination of two sides that do not belong together is called a hybrid (or a mule). Fourrés are often hybrids. Counterfeiters had little incentive to make sure the sides were paired in the official manner. This example makes the copper underneath very clear. For a website with much more about ancient (not modern) counterfeits, see here: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/imit/ Show us some ancient counterfeits!
Great page with excellent information = thank you @Valentinian .. Here is my only fouree .. shown it before but I am very fond of it:
This Septimius Severus fouree was gifted to FFIVN and I when we started getting interested in ancients almost 2 years go. The only other fouree in our collection is this Maximinus Thrax that has the obverse of Maximinus with the reverse of Severus Alexander
I put a coin on a bid board and labeled it as a fourre. The shop told the guy who won it what a fourre was and he wouldn't buy it. I put it back up as an ancient copy and it sold the next week!
Thanks for the link to your very informative webpage, @Valentinian! This fourrée siglos might still fool somebody at first sight. Yet, its low weight as well as two small spots on the rim where the silver plating has broken give it away. Also, it lacks the characteristic heavy wear and punchmarks seen on most sigloi. Maybe it was discovered to be a forgery early in its circulation life and thus discarded? "Artaxerxes II – Darius III, Achaemenid Empire" (probably a regional type of Lydia), fourrée siglos, ca. 375–336 BC. Obv: Great King kneeling left, holding dagger and bow, three pellets on chest. Rev: irregular punch. 14.4mm, 4.92g. Ref: Carradice 1987, type IV C (prototype). Serrated edges on Republican denarii are often explained as an anti-forgery measure. Yet, if that was the case, it obviously didn't work so well. Here are a serrated fourrée as well as a corresponding official coin. I wonder how the former was produced. Also, note the difference in weight. Roman Republic, moneyer C. Naevius Balbus, fourrée denarius serratus, 79 BC, Rome mint (prototype). Obv: Diademed head of Venus right, SC behind. Rev: Victory in triga right, C NAE BALB in exergue. 16mm, 3.11g. Ref: RRC 382/1 (prototype). Roman Republic, moneyer C. Naevius Balbus, denarius serratus, 79 BC, Rome mint. Obv: diademed head of Venus right, SC behind. Rev: Victory in triga right, C NAE BALB in exergue; above, CLXXXX. 17mm, 3.72g. Ref: Crawford 382/1b. Ex Artemide, e-Live Auktion 10, lot 256. The Republican "denarius" below has a relatively thick silver plating. I can see it withstanding some wear and scratching or even light probing with a punchmark. The silver on the Septimius Severus, on the other hand, is much thinner than tin foil. I assume that these where produced using different techniques, as @Valentinian elaborates on on his website. Roman Republic, moneyer: Marcus Cipius M. f., fourrée denarius, 115–114 BC, Rome mint (prototype). Obv: Helmeted head of Roma r.; before, M CIPI M F upwards; behind, X. Rev: Victory in biga r., holding reins in l. hand and palm-branch tied with fillet in r. hand; below, rudder; in exergue, ROMA. 17mm, 2.95g. Ref: RRC 289/1 (prototype). Septimius Severus, Roman Empire, fourrée denarius, 198–202 AD, Rome mint (prototype). Obv: L SEPT SEV AVG IMP XI PART MAX, head of Septimius Severus, laureate, r. Rev: VICTORIAE AVGG FEL, Victory flying l., holding wreath, shield to l. 17mm, 2.2g. Ref: RIC IV.1 144b (prototype).
Those are all really neat, and a great glimpse into ancient counterfeiting techniques. I noticed that the 7Severus and MaxThrax coins near the top of the thread have mismatched reverses. Was this a common occurrence? Sort of reminds me of how many modern counterfeits of Morgan dollars look great until one notices that the reverse does not match the obverse.
My favorite Septimius fourree also has a Caracalla reverse. I suspect the maker intentionally mismatched dies to insure he did not receive one of his fakes back in commerce.
I posted these before, but I found it fun to find familiar fourees of coins that I already had (or parts of the coins I had!) FOUREES: ACHAEMENID EMPIRE: Persia Achaemenid Empire 4th C BCE FOUREE 15mm Siglos Persian hero-king in running incuse Official Version: REPUBLIC PRE-DENARIUS REFORM: RR Anon AE Victoriatus after 218 BCE Rome mint Ex RBW Anon Jupiter Victory crowning trophy Craw 44-1 Syd 83 Sear 49 Fouree Official Version: REPUBLIC: RR fourée mule anon Q Fabius Labeo denarius 18mm 2.9g after 124 BC Roma X Jupiter Quadriga tbolt scepter Cr 159 obv Cr 273-1 rev Official Version: EMPIRE: RI Fouree Denarius Severus Alexander with Annona Avg reverse Official Version: RI Julia Domna 194-217 Fouree AR Plated Den Isis Horus Official Version:
@Alegandron that Severus Alexander with the Victory reverse is beautiful. I haven’t ever seen Victory like that before.
Absolutely excellent post trolling through eBay I have often wondered when I see coins which look like if you remove the patina the underneath will come off with it in fact I may have bought some. Great what you learn.
I'm not sure this is technically a fourree, but it is a Julia Domna "unofficial" issue with muled reverse of Caracalla: Julia Domna Æ (?) Denarius (c. 196-211 A.D.) Unknown / Unofficial Mint IVLIA D AVGVSTA draped bust right / FIDES PVBLICA, Fides standing right, holding corn-ears and basket of fruit. RIC IV -; BMCRE -; RSC III - (Unofficial issue; see notes) (2.46 grams / 16 mm) "This coin combines the obverse of a Julia Domna denarius with reverse of a Caracalla denarius. The style is not official. It is an ancient counterfeit. The core is probably base metal." http://www.forumancientcoins.com/catalog/roman-and-greek-coins.asp?zpg=8921 Note: Per OCRE, there are eight FIDES PVBLICA types for Caracalla: RIC 8, 19, 24Aa, 24Ab, 24a, 24b, 330A and 334.
Thank you. I got this from @Mat , and he probably has even a better version as he is a master at upgrading for a great price. I have to agree, it is a very cool Victory scene. Little more detail... Roman Empire Severus Alexander 222-235 CE 18mm, 2.10g, 1h Rome mint Obv: Laureate Head of Severus Alexander r Rev: Victory standing r, inscribing shield supported on knee (VOT X?) Ex: @Mat
There are many coins of the Severan period with unofficial style but solid alloy metal usually baser than the official. They are not fourrees. Some of us like them a lot. Here are ten.
Doug, that's a wonderful group! The second last looks a bit like Pescennius Niger. I wonder if it was found near Antioch.
