Modern counterfeit techniques of Roman coins – with own examples

Abstract

The ever-expanding demand of the collectors society can only partially be satisfied by the old collections and the newly discovered coins, therefore the more and more effort is put into counterfeiting throughout the world. Because the collectors’ skills and qualifications differ greatly, thus the primitive copies can also be sold, as well as the more elaborately produced ones. Often they even appear in the lots of the most renowned auctions houses. They make their way into collections, and later appear again mixed together with original ones on the market. Then either they are considered them as known fakes, or they can also be sold to an enthusiastic noviceat a fair or on the internet. Besides there is also a risk that they end up in public collections as donations, and they are published by passionate students working on their BA or MA thesis. It is also common amongst smugglers, therefore the experts examining these pieces also need to have a knowledge of this field. The crossing of borders with copied coins is not illegal in most European countries, but it is with original ones. I will list some cases from recent years together with the most common production techniques that caught my attention, when hunting for new pieces for my collection. With this paper I only intend to direct the attention to these counterfeiting practices, as I am sure it is not in the interest of the auction houses to sell fake coins, but mistakes can occur, since the auctions are organised by humans.