HOW MANY ANCIENT COINS ARE FAKES?

Your article about the looting of ancient coins reminds me of the time I spent three years living in Tunisia in the mid-1970s. I was not an avid collector of ancient coins in those days, but I did like to pick up a couple from the local markets now and then. One time, I was looking through a bowl of ancient coins, all Roman, in a shop and noticed a fairly nice bronze coin. Setting it aside, I kept looking. Soon I discovered about ten coins, just like the first one, but maybe slightly less nice. Comparing them, it became obvious ALL had exactly the same hand-struck flaws. They were modern fakes, but well done. Separately, I would never have known the difference.

Second story: In 1976, I had the fortune to have spent a week working with Dr. Ya'akov Meshorer (on something that had nothing to do with coins). Dr. Meshorer was an archaeologist and a world-recognized expert on ancient coins, both subjects of interest to me. He told me a large percentage of ancient coins on the market were fakes. I asked him how to tell the difference. His main advice was to spend as much time as possible visiting the great museums of Europe and study their coins. After a time, he said, you will learn to see the difference -- it's an acquired art.

Nowadays, with the internet, many of the great collections are available for viewing without going to Europe. I suggest anyone wanting to collect ancients study them first. You will be surprised at what you see. For example, does that sharply-struck ancient coin really resemble any of the coins found in the great museum collections? By that, I am referring to metal wear and flow, rims, sharpness or lack thereof of design, not the designs themselves. I see a lot of material offered by reputable auction houses that I question. On the other hand, I am nowhere near having the expertise of Dr. Meshorer. I just don't buy those items.

This brings up the question the expertise of the U.S. Customs Service in differentiating coins, or even their origin. Could, or has someone gone to jail over a handful of fakes?

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: ONGOING DEBATE ON LOOTING AND COLLECTING (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n27a20.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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