Interesting Ancient Coin I Found

[Stealth Hunter]

Well, I didn't find it. My father did and he gave it to me a long time ago. He found it when we went on vacation and toured Italy. I think it was on the outskirts of Rome. Don't remember, however. He found it and gave it to me as a gift. I just found it when I was rummaging around in the basement this afternoon (also found some old rials I'd brought along here).

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g17/Sgt-Smithy/Family%20Photographs/Objects/ancientcoin1.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g17/Sgt-Smithy/Family%20Photographs/Objects/ancientcoin2.jpg

The eagle bears a startling resemblance to the American eagle seal (although the head is turned to the left in the American seal; however, both the eagle on the coin and on the seal are facing in the direction of the sprig). I can't find out when it was made. Went to a Roman coin historical site and typed in "eagle", but none of the coins showed up with this design format. Tried "falcon", "bird", and "hawk", but those terms didn't find anything. Tried a Greek coin site just to check, but still no results.

If you look below the feet of the eagle, you will notice the word TOYE (or TOYI; can't be sure). The word on the left of the eagle begins with BIP, but I can't make out the rest.

Anybody have an idea on it?

[FIREWALL]

Nice coins SH. :yep: I hope you find out more info on them.

This is the kind of stuff I like to see on GT.

Thx for shareing.

[Raptor1]

Indeed, nice

I would've guessed Roman at first, but it doesn't look like any style of Roman coin I've seen...

Maybe It's an early Roman Republic/late/post Western Empire coin...

[Stealth Hunter]

That's what struck me as curious. Also, the writing on it looked Greek in places. I don't know what to make of it. We found it in Italy, it looks kinda like a Roman coin, but it also has Greek traits. I'm almost certain it's not fake (doesn't respond to magnets and the sides where the upper half and lower half were pushed together look like your average old coin).

If it is fake, then somebody really took a lot of time to work on it.

[SUBMAN1]

Problem is, currency could have been from anywhere, so good luck finding it. I'd suggest heading on over to a coin collector to see what he would have to say about it. There has got to be a coin shop around their somewhere.

-S

[nikimcbee]

Why does it says "made in China" on the side? I didn't know they made pirate money there?:hmm:

[Stealth Hunter]

Why does it says "made in China" on the side? I didn't know they made pirate money there?:hmm:

:rotfl:

Not quite, mate.

[Raptor1]

Can you make out the letters on the side of the Face side? (They look Roman, sort of, also Greek :-?)

[Stealth Hunter]

Yeah, they do look roman; the one after the NEP is a curious symbol. Don't know what to make of it. Kind of a curly shape... like a child trying to draw a fish... I have difficulty making them out.

[Raptor1]

I know that one, It's a Greek letter

Edit: Gamma, γ or Omega, Ω

Could also be this (Most likely, I think): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qoppa

[Stealth Hunter]

Very good. Strange version of it, though. The symbol normally symbolizing OMEGA has a gap leading into the loop. In this case, it doesn't. The two lines cross over one another.

[Raptor1]

Assuming that's a Qoppa or a weird Omega, we can probably narrow it down to either early Roman or Eastern Empire/Byzantine (Assuming the other letters are Latin)

[bigboywooly]

Ancient coin site inc forum
Even has a help section you can post images to find out what it is

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/

[FIREWALL]

I emailed the pics of your coin to a local coin dealer.

He'll get back to me and I'll post his reply.

Until then I guess we can speculate if it's a coin, token, or something planted by the tourism bussiness. ;)

[nikimcbee]

Assuming that's a Qoppa or a weird Omega, we can probably narrow it down to either early Roman or Eastern Empire/Byzantine (Assuming the other letters are Latin)

The bottom one is definately Greek. The others are anybody's guess. If it wasn't for the greek on there, I'd guess a slavic origin.

[Stealth Hunter]

I emailed the pics of your coin to a local coin dealer.

He'll get back to me and I'll post his reply.

Until then I guess we can speculate if it's a coin, token, or something planted by the tourism bussiness. ;)

Thanks.:up:

[mcf1]

Got it, it's an AR Tetradrachm / sela
it's a greek design from emperor Nero
the front side has the head of Nero and is written "ΝΕΡΩΝ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ" in Greek which means Nero Ceasar.
On the other side is written "ΕΤΟΥΣ" which means year.
And that thing written on the left next to the eagle is the date, the coin was probably created.

Here's a link: http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/22304.php

[Raptor1]

I thought about it being a Nero coin, but the Greek letters threw me off (Also other Nero coins have a different-looking portrait of it)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Nero_and_Poppaea_Sabina.jpg

[Randomizer]

Nice catch. Wonder if it could be from Syacuse (now Sicily) since it was a Greek colony before becoming part of the Roman republic. That might explain the eagle and the crown of weaths and the Greek letters. Just a WAG though. Best of luck getting answers.
Good Hunting

[Raptor1]

Nice catch. Wonder if it could be from Syacuse (now Sicily) since it was a Greek colony before becoming part of the Roman republic. That might explain the eagle and the crown of weaths and the Greek letters. Just a WAG though. Best of luck getting answers.
Good Hunting
It could be from Greece itself, Nero improved relations with the Greeks by participating in the Olympic Games (Which were conquered by the Romans in 146 BC)

Wouldn't be uncommon for a coin like that to reach Rome, through trade or whatever

[Sailor Steve]

It's fake - the inscription reads "12 B.C.":rotfl:

Seriously, if it's real it's quite a treasure. Pretty awesome, actually.:rock:

[Platapus]

Well I don't know what that coin is, but I do hope that once you find out that you let us know. :up:

[CptSimFreak]

Magic question "how much"

[mrbeast]

Thats a wonderful little piece of history you have there Stealth Hunter.

I think little objects like this are fascinating, just think of the thousands of pairs of hands that coin has passed through, the thousands of miles it has travelled from when it was minted all those years ago till it came to you.

Keep good care of it and if you learn anything more about it keep us posted. :up:


BTW, I think we need more theads like this, makes a refreshing change from arguing about politics or global warming etc etc. :up:

[OneToughHerring]

If you wanna find out if it's really genuine (and in case it is, very valuable) you might wanna get it carbon dated or something. If it's a fake I doubt the fakers would have gone through the trouble of getting a piece of roman era material and made it of it. I guess the image itself is not necessarily a fool proof indicator of whether or not it's genuine but the age might be.

[Stealth Hunter]

The thing about it is that I've done several basic tests on it. It's too heavy and solid to be aluminum, and the magnet test showed that it wasn't any other regular metal (most other metals are attracted to magnets). I'm pretty sure it is gold, but I'll have to have it looked at.

Here's some of the rials I pulled out:

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g17/Sgt-Smithy/Family%20Photographs/Objects/iranianrials1.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g17/Sgt-Smithy/Family%20Photographs/Objects/iranianrials2.jpg

[Raptor1]

It could be Bronze, is Bronze magnetic?

[mcf1]

It could be Bronze, is Bronze magnetic?
Nope, bronze isn't magnetic

[Stealth Hunter]

Well, I've agreed to meet a local coin dealer and have him validate its authenticity.

[nikimcbee]

It could be Bronze, is Bronze magnetic?
Nope, bronze isn't magnetic

You could send it to me and I could do an EDS on it. That would identify all of the elements in it.:know:

[TDK1044]

I think it's the tip that John Channing left for a pizza delivery guy in 1962. :D

[CptSimFreak]

so what came out of this?

[Vorkapitan]

It's all Greek to me................hahahaha :know:

[McBeck]

I have a ton of old bills in an album...maybe they will be worth something in the future. Got a danish bill with Hans Christian Andersen on it :D
Got bills from most of the Europeans countries - before they changed to Euros

[Stealth Hunter]

so what came out of this?

I'm meeting with him tomorrow.

[Stealth Hunter]

Well, met with him this morning, and he says that it is in fact real... and valuable, which has made me giddy with excitement.:rock:

[Raptor1]

:up:

If I had one I wouldn't have sold it, would keep it all to myself (My Precious!)

[FIREWALL]

It's a genuine oxcart token. Good for one ride.:D

[Platapus]

Upon closer look, it appears to be a token from Ilse's house of whips and chains. Good for one beating.

I would not cash it in if I were you.

[Airmail]

You know some of those coins sell of 1,500 British Pounds :o

Being a student, I'd be jumping with joy if I found one. Ach I really need to become a treasure hunter or something. I'd certainly be richer hehe :D

[mrbeast]

Upon closer look, it appears to be a token from Ilse's house of whips and chains. Good for one beating.

I would not cash it in if I were you.

Actually thats not too far from the truth, apparently the Roman Army had tokens made depicting various 'personal services' so that troops stationed in a part of the empire where they couldn't speak the local lingo could still purchase said 'personal services'. ;)I think the tokens could be redeemed for regular cash later.

[FIREWALL]

[quote=Airmail]You know some of those coins sell of 1,500 British Pounds :o

Or even some real money. :rotfl:

[Airmail]

[quote=Airmail]You know some of those coins sell for 1,500 British Pounds :o

Or even some real money. :rotfl:


At least we're doing better than the Dollar. :down: I'm not complaining though having a few friends in New York I can buy stuff for half price :rock:

That is unless your being pedantic and only recognize "pound sterling" which sounds waiiii cooler than a "dollar" :p

[Stealth Hunter]

:up:

If I had one I wouldn't have sold it, would keep it all to myself (My Precious!)

I didn't sell it, and I don't plan on ever selling it. It will be locked away in the safe I have in my basement, which is built into the basement floor for extra precautions.:up:

[exaber94]

believe it or not but i also have that coin. it was given to me by my grandfather in one of his travel stories. he was scuba diving near rome or something rather and came upon it.:)

[Castout]

Very very cool


I thought my 1855 something coin was ancient enough :DL

[Suh90]

I have the same coin too. Weird thing is mine has the same exact chip on the front side of the coin infront of the face. I sent a picture to a dealer and he emailed me back saying its fake bc it's bronze and not silver. But you say your guy said its real. Anyone else have info on these coins?

[JSLTIGER]

Very very cool
I thought my 1855 something coin was ancient enough :DL

I have an extensive collection of US coins with at least one example of each denomination (excepting the $3 gold and $50 gold [I don't count the $4 Stellas because they were pattern coins]). My oldest is a large cent from 1798.

For the Brits out there, I also have a penny from 1863 with a young Queen Victoria on the front in really good shape. It's pretty cool to see.

[USS Drum]

I have the same coin too. Weird thing is mine has the same exact chip on the front side of the coin infront of the face. I sent a picture to a dealer and he emailed me back saying its fake bc it's bronze and not silver. But you say your guy said its real. Anyone else have info on these coins?

Please don't disturb old threads.