Any Chance On This Greek Tetradrachm Being Real?

diggummup

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Jul 15, 2004
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Friday I found an 18k gold bezel pendant with a Tetradrachm at an estate sale.
I ID'd it as a SYRIA, Seleukid Kings. Demetrios II, Second Reign.
129-125 BC. AR Tetradrachm
IMG_5895 (1280x1121).jpgIMG_5899 (1280x1063).jpg
similar to this one... https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/ar...omplete_legend_scarce_aef/650031/Default.aspx
SNGIs_2162v.jpg









So today I was going through my coins and I ran across a few repros that I've had for some time. Never really giving them much thought. There was one that I picked up by itself this past year somewhere at a sale for some pocket change or whatever. I'm trying to figure out whether it's real because to my unntrained eye it looks legit. My research leads me to believe it's an Aesillas quaestor 95-70 BC. AR Tetradrachm like this one here... https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/ar...omplete_legend_scarce_aef/650031/Default.aspx

Rgp87oAGrc3Ho6JejY5XDnK42yLisM.jpg







Here's mine below. What do you think? Weight 16.48 grams. Maximum width 29mm


IMG_6174.JPGIMG_6176.JPG
IMG_6190 (1280x466).jpgIMG_6195 (1280x422).jpg
that color effect is lighting
 

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Well, I don't collect ancients, but have had some. Yours looks struck, so I'd say yes!
 

Here it is next to the suspected fakes, though they do test positive for silver also.

IMG_6174 (1280x424) (2).jpg
IMG_6176 (1280x432).jpg

and the edge of one of those coins...

IMG_6185 (1280x498).jpg

I don't know anything about ancient coins or how the mints aligned their faces. The reverse on the two "fakes" are inverted or flipped. The suspected real coin is not flipped and neither is the coin in the pendant, though the alignment is slightly off on both.
 

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The suspected fake on the right is a silver tetredrachm from Naxos, Sicily. it's slightly small at 27 mm and weighs 16.95 gms.


The one in the middle, I found a coin with the same reverse but not obverse. Don't know about it yet. same diameter basically but weighs slightly less at 16.85 gms.
 

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If it's set in 18K, I'd have it checked out thoroughly (by a pro) before writing it off as fake. Very nice find!
 

If it's set in 18K, I'd have it checked out thoroughly (by a pro) before writing it off as fake. Very nice find!
I'm not questioning the one set in the 18k bezel. I believe that is real. It is the other 3 that I'm really not sure about.
 

For my own info. the one in the middle is a tetradrachm of Kamarina, 425-405 BC.
Obv. quadriga driven by Athena wearing Phrygian helmet, Nike above; in ex. Ionic column, signature ExE below
Rev. head Herakles in lion's skin; text KAMAPINAION

KamaWJ_143_ha.jpg
 

Update... The Aesillas quaestor Tetradrachm has been verified as authentic. The other two pictured next to it in reply number 4 are fakes, but they are still silver. The bezel set Seleukid Kings Demetrios II Tetradrachm is also authentic. A nice surprise on the one I dismissed as fake months ago.
 

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