Fake? Most of these coins are very rare and never come to market often. Forgery network A database for forged items including coins. It's a bit like 'common sense', most people think they have it, even those that have none at all. Forgers somtimes cut dies of incorrect size while occasionally using the same dies for more than one denomination so some of them is wrong. But others were overstruck on worn ancient coins of low value, so the metal is actually authentic. All News, Articles, Commentary and Opinions are contributed by the author(s), with or without compensation, who are solely responsible for the content, and do not represent CoinWeek Management. A good rule to remember is that if a deal seems too good to be true, it is very probably neither good nor true. C $1.26. group, now at https://groups.io/g/CFDL/messages). I think the better advice, rather than targeting sellers from specific (or not so specific) countries, is to not buy off eBay unless you can spot a fake. I thought Id share this info with anyone who browses there. 1. The altering of a Roman coin by a countermark, sometimes referred to as a counterstamp, was usually done to change its legal status, its area of circulation or its value. Rosa insisted that his reproductions were never intended to deceive collectors, and freely donated specimens from his dies for use by certification services. Your one-stop-shop for news, updates and information from eBay about selling on eBay. Even major museums sell packets of imitation ancient "coins" in their gift shops. How do you know a dealer is “reputable”? This frauds must be exposed and the unsuspecting buyers warned! I've also bought coins that are absolutely genuine from many countries that you and others would associate with fakes. Most of the time, you probably can’t. **PLEASE HELP US HELP YOU BY POSTING PHOTOS OF BOTH SIDES OF EACH COIN** and preferably photos of its edge as well. London (1924), Innes, Brian. Sofia (2004), Sayles, Wayne G. Classical Deception: Counterfeits, Forgeries and Reproductions of Ancient Coins. Any serious collector of Byzantine coins probably already owns David Sears’ indispensible handbook Byzantine Coins and Their Values (1987), but would be well advised to consult the 33-page appendix on “Forgeries of Byzantine Coins from the ‘Beirut’ and Other ‘Schools.’”. 310 pages, including 24 plates, reproducing 352 coins, in Italian with extensive English summary, ISBN 88-87235-29-5 - The first systematic … … The most famous ancient coin forger of the early modern era was Karl Wilhelm Becker (1772-1830), who produced high-quality, hand-struck struck fakes of some 300 different Greek, Roman and Medieval coins. Learn how your comment data is processed. This coin, from the photo, appears to be a white-metal cast from a wax mold made from a mid-grade solidus. From United States . These roman coins come in various denominations, from the small as to the major denarius many of which feature the bust of the ruling emperor when the coin was first struck in history. Another benefit of Roman provincial coins is that they feature portraits of the imperial family which are otherwise not present on Roman Imperial coins. If you buy a cheap Roman coin (for less than 100 US dollars) there is a smaller chance that it is a fake. New York (2005), Hill, George F. Becker the Counterfeiter. The rediscovery of classical antiquity during the Italian Renaissance (circa 1300 – 1500 CE) created a market for ancient artifacts. Welcome. Top 50 Counterfeit US Coins . see all. Fakes and Forgeries: The True Crime Stories of History’s Greatest Deceptions. eBay sellers who sell too many fake ancient coins to trust, in the opinions of members of the Coin Forgery Discussion List (formerly a Yahoo! Modern Counterfeits and Replicas of Ancient Greek and Roman Coins from Bulgaria. Some coins even include detailed pamphlets, offering snippets of information not only about the coin but about the Roman activities at the time of the coins creation. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Many “ancient” coins offered for sale on eBay are deceptive fakes, particularly Roman denarii. Sellers from these countries have consistantly been churning out fakes. He simulated wear on his coins by packing them in a box of iron filings attached to the axle of his carriage. Unlike most modern coins, Roman coins had intrinsic value. 106 Posts. Collectible coins of Imperial Rome tell us about the emperors and the economic conditions of their times. And just because something is normally low value, does not mean its safe on ebay. Ebay is flooded with fakes lately. Sellers from these countries have consistantly been churning out fakes. There is no short cut and no substitute. In the eternal war between forger and authenticator, the good guys still hold the advantage. Sellers will also put “Europe”, “Evrope”, or “Evropa” as there location. “Some people differentiate between the terms “counterfeit” and “forgery”, using “counterfeit” to refer to fakes created to circulate and “forgery” to refer to fakes created to deceive collectors.”. Dealers who are members of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) and the International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN) are carefully screened and must comply with a rigorous code of ethics. From Russian Federation. Has a sign in page but you can use it without an account. In 1955 doing business as the “Becker Manufacturing Company” he began selling reproductions of ancient coins and Becker’s fakes. (1967-1990). I bought from a seller who exactly had his location set as "Europe" but when the package arrived, I could see the return address was in Serbia. The Art of Deception. He worked briefly for a metal stamping and casting firm, but he was mainly self-taught, learning die making and metallurgy from books and through trial and error (Sayles, 5). I’m just pointing out a trend I have noticed and personally will not be buying from sellers with said locations listed. Becker fakes frequently appear (correctly attributed as fakes) in European auctions. He served in the Coast Guard during World War II. Unfortunately, thousands of fake coins are sold every month on eBay. TENSOR LIGHT - used by many numismatists to examine and grade coins. These are easily distinguished from the originals. Cookies help us deliver our Services. These are the kind of PSAs that the internet runs on. That is a fair point. _______________________________________________________________________, Counterfeits are almost as old as coinage, International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN), https://coinreplicas.com/about/peter-rosa-biography/, https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/rules/rulemaking-regulatory-reform-proceedings/hobby-protection-act, https://www.coinweek.com/coin-clubs/legislation-icta/collectible-coin-protection-act-unanimously-passed/, PCGS Grades Fantastic Gold 5 Rubles Russian Coin, Pease Collection Paper Money, Colonial Copper at Heritage Auctions, Heritage Offers Cid-Pulido Collection of Spanish Banknotes in FUN Auction, Classic US Gold Coins: What’s Hot and What’s Not – 2021 Edition, CoinWeek Podcast #146: Harriet Tubman Considered, Perth Mint Offers 2021 Year of the Ox Antiqued 2oz Silver Coin, ANA College Scholarships Available to Young Collectors, Zoom Video Presentation: Travels in Judea and Samaria: Coins & Etc. Ebay is only "safe" if you know what you're doing. At the end of the day you either know enough to pass judgement on the coins themselves or you don't and if you don't you're probably gonna get burned shopping on eBay. The amount of modern replica antiquities passed off as authentic is even more disgusting. I have eBay searches running on late west roman coins. Some old Roman coins have the emperor on one side and his family on the other side. or Best Offer. Cast Forgeries of Classical Coins from Bulgaria. Must Read: Collecting Fake Coins Mostfakes are those of Constantine I and II, Licinius I and II, Constans, Constantius I and II, Valens, Jovian, Septimius Severus. But unfortunately most people can't tell they don't know enough. A fake coin often looks too clean to be 2,000 years old. An odd choice from which to make an off-metal fake! Top Rated Seller Top Rated Seller. Online resources. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. CoinVac A database of several thousand fakes, mostly sold on eBay over the years. If you can't spot a fake, avoiding Serbian sellers on eBay will only do you so much good. Set of 16 coins Ancient Roman Spintria (also a brothel mark) sex. Agreed. Later, cheap cast copies known as “Paduans” (and often catalogued as “after Cavino”) were produced. The Roman currency during most of the Roman Republic and the western half of the Roman Empire consisted of coins including the aureus, the denarius, the sestertius, the dupondius, and the as. **, Press J to jump to the feed. Collectors worry that the prevalence of fakes could depress the value of their coins. Not Kosher: Forgeries of Ancient Jewish and Biblical Coins. These fakers only list a dubiously listed continent so you cant tell where its coming from. actually I decided to not sell on eBay but on other reputed websites as with lot of real coins sellers, some fake coin sellers decide coin price on eBay and thus average price for good coins on eBay is lot less when compared to other sites like HA.com . Just about every type of common-ish bronze coin is now in circulation as a fake. CoinWeek Supplies Highlights _______________________________________________________________________. eBay is one of the largest platforms for online sales of coins. So just to clarify, we should never buy from any seller from this half of the world? The size of the coins vary considerable due to imperfect Roman flan production methods, but Roman die cutting was more careful with the beaded border of the aureus dies 19 to 19.5 mm across and denarii dies 18. eBay; Coins; Coins; Ancient; Roman; Silver Ancient Roman Coins; Skip to page navigation. Revised Dec. 27, 2020. Sofia (2015), Prokopov, Ilya S., Kissyov, K. and E. Paunov. Cavino’s coins were struck from finely engraved dies, some of which still survive in a Paris museum. When the demand exceeded the supply, fakers were quick to exploit the opportunity. I know dealers who have purchased genuine ancient coins for remarkably low prices on eBay, but they knew exactly what they were doing. I cannot believe with their large network of employees that they do not police the activity. Im not saying dont but from Europe, Im saying dont buy from a seller who only lists Europe as their location, New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the AncientCoins community, A place to show off and discuss ancient and medieval coins from around the world, as well as to post links to articles and other references about them. Fake Roman Coins has 560 members. Sofia (2003), Prokopov, Ilya S. Modern Forgeries of Greek and Roman Coins. 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