My First Fake Greek Coin Experience
So, I got super excited finding this old-looking Greek coin at a flea market last weekend. Looked proper ancient, right? Carved guy on one side, some weird horse thing on the other. Vendor swore it was real, “pulled from an old collection.” My gut kinda twitched though. Price felt too good, and honestly, he seemed a bit too eager.
Got home all pumped, but then doubt kicked in. Started Googling frantically like, “how can I even tell if this thing isn’t just fancy junk?” Turns out, it’s not rocket science to spot some obvious fakes.
What I Actually Did Step-by-Step
First thing, I just looked really closely. Like, super close. Used my kid’s magnifying glass even.
- Ridges & Edges: Real old coins? They weren’t made perfect. Their edges are often rough, uneven, like someone whacked a lump of metal. Mine? Edges were smooth as butter, super even all around. Huge red flag. Fake makers love clean cuts.
- Dirt & Wear: Dug around online for pics of real dug-up coins. They got this crusty layer – called patina – looks naturally old, stuck on good. My coin? The “dirt” was painted on. Seriously! I scratched lightly with a toothpick near the edge? Flaked right off like cheap paint. Proper patina feels baked in, fused. Mine was just fancy dirt makeup.
Next step, the weight test. Just put it on my kitchen scale (the one for baking cookies). Real Greek silver coins? Should feel heavy for their size, like solid metal. Mine? Felt weirdly light, like cheap pot metal or even plastic pretending to be heavy. That weight feeling? Way off.
Then, the sound test. Sounds silly but bear with me. Gave it a gentle tap against another metal coin I knew was modern silver. A real ancient silver coin? Should give a clear, nice “ping” that rings for a bit. My flea market find? Clunk. A dead, flat, dull thud. No ring, no music. Just… thud. Big difference, easy to hear.
Lastly, checked the details super hard under bright light. Real ancient coin makers? Even the good ones, their carvings look a bit… soft? Worn? Or maybe the tool slipped? My coin? Details looked too perfect, too sharp, like fresh out of a laser printer. Especially in areas that should be worn smooth after centuries? They were crisp. Felt manufactured, not hand-struck.
What I Learned – Easy Spotting Tips
- Touch the Edges: If smooth & perfect like a new coin? Be very suspicious.
- Scratch the Gunk (carefully!): See if it flakes like paint? Fake dirt alert.
- Feel the Weight: Too light for its size? Probably fake metal.
- Listen: Does it “clunk” instead of “ring”? Bad sign.
- Examine Details: Looks super sharp and fresh where it shouldn’t? Like a new stamp? Likely fake.
End result? Pretty sure my flea market “treasure” is a tourist trinket. Annoying? Yeah. But hey, learning to spot it myself without fancy machines? That feels way cooler. Saved myself cash next time. Don’t trust the flea market guy’s “ancient” story. Check it yourself!
