They Get Better Each Year

Not to be one to cry 'The Sky is Falling', but I came across this today that made me think about how fakes and altering coins has advanced over the years. The Agrippa As below I think is a genuine host coin. However, I cant decide if the "F" is just tooled or applied completely. Look at the image and let us know your opinions. Honestly, this is a pretty good 'work', and will certainly fool many people (even some who are experienced).

 

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Looks applied, but hard to tell..

Mine:


AGRIPPA (Died 12 B.C.)
Æ As
O: M. AGRIPPA. F. COS. III, head left, wearing rostral crown.
R: Neptune standing left, holding small dolphin and trident; S-C across field.
Rome mint. Struck under Gaius (Caligula)
27mm
9.72g
RIC I 58 (Gaius); MIR 3, 24-6; BMCRE 161 (Tiberius); Cohen 3

 

I'm thinking applied, and it looks too modern - it stands out like a sore thumb.

 

I know most posts turn into 'this is my example', so maybe I'll post mine. I bought this about 1988 for about 70 cents:

 

I'll give you a dollar. A nice 30% profit for you.

 

I some issues with it. Ken do you think it is pressed with modern dies?

 

The "F" looks out of place when comparing to other copies of this coin.

 

Mine looks like it has been in a fire...

 

Mine looks like a P

 

Yeah, I was thinking the same. The whole coin looks weird. My eyes don't like it, but my mind is not specialized enough on Romans to say why.

 

I do not like that coin one bit. The hair looks tooled at best, at worst it is a fake.

 

When I get home I can check some archives, it just reminds me of a slavey or other Bulgarians that appear every now and then.

 

Here is mine. A bit of the "F" is off the flan.

 

The OP definitely looks 'off'...perhaps tooled and that 'F' is out of place---not to mention a bit too modern looking. If it was a tad more worn, especially with the crack etc., I think it could fool more than a few.

Here's mine....

 

Actually, its a 43% profit of 70 cents. a 30% profit of 70 cents is only 21 cents.

 

Ah, nice... Someone who understands gm calculations...

 

I always struggled in math throughout high school and college. I was a C student in math, but had an A average on just about everything else (may have gotten a B in Chemistry...can't remember now), which is why I graduated High School with a 3.989 GPA instead of a 4.0

 

Didn't mean anything by it, just trying to be a smartypants.

 

The F looks odd, and so does all the hair below the rostral crown. Of course it's much more easy when your attention is attracted. Would be more difficult when pressed at a coin show


Agrippa, As Posthumous issue of Caligula, in honour of his grandfather
Rome mint, ca AD 37/41
M AGRIPPA L F COS III, head of Agrippa left with rostral crown
Neptun standing left, holding trident and dolphin. Large S C in fields
10.9 gr
Ref : RCV #1812, Cohen #3

Q

 

I just checked, and saw your school used a 12.0 grading scale. Yes, sounds like math was tough for you...