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Message:: [QUOTE="Ken Dorney, post: 3213553, member: 76086"]This has been an interesting discussion.  Some things I have observed: Considering the obverse:  What we can only clearly see is "SEPT SEV PERT".  I think it can be agreed upon that anything else is just supposition or even perhaps wishful thinking.  Any other letters cannot be deduced.  Yes, I know it is usual to compare this example to known inscriptions and attempt to deduce what the rest of the lettering might have been but that is impossible (and should be for obvious reasons, since we do not know what the intent was of the celator). The Portrait:  I still hold to the idea that this portrait is not typical of the Rome style.  If I were to hazard a guess I would say that it was provincial in style. The reverse: As obvious it is not a known type for Severus but common for some period before him (and in a 'recent' period, well within the realm of perhaps an old celator knowing of or even carving such a die for a prior emperor). The date:  COS III for Severus began about 198 but continued on types dated in many references to roughly ten years after that.  If falls within the realm of possibility that this inscription could happen. Similar types:  Severus issued VOTIS DECCENALBIVS in wreath types which are attributed to 'eastern' mints in gold and silver, but not in base metal, though Pertinax did issue a Dupondius of this exact type with COS II as the date. So, how to proceed from here?  I would imagine that one could spend a lot of time attempting to find die links to known coins, both obverse and reverse (reverse of prior emperors).  It is certainly possible it is a real and previously unknown coin.  But it is equally possible that it is a very clever forgery.  It is well known that fakes can be made by pressing new dies onto genuine coins thus duplicating weight, patina, fabric, etc.  But in those instances they are made in quantity.  I mentioned before that it might be quite telling if another example ever comes to market or not.  As a collector and dealer, if I were the potential buyer:  I would be interested and purchase the coin but only at a low price (or perhaps whatever price one considers to be acceptable when at risk of buying a fake).  I would watch the market closely to see if any other examples ever come up. I do think it is entirely within the realm of possibility that this coin is entirely genuine, but from just a poor photo one can never tell.  And with such coins one will always encounter various experts who condemn or verify authenticity.[/QUOTE]

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