Estimate: 20.000 EuroBrandenburg.
Friedrich Wilhelm, the Great Elector.
Ducat 1686 LCS, Berlin.
Extremely rare.
Attractive piece.
36
Estimate: 50.000 EuroBavaria.
Maximilian II.
Ducat 1855.
Only a few pieces are known.
Extremely fine-uncirculated.
105
Estimate: 125.000 EuroBrunswick-Bevern.
Ferdinand Albrecht I.
Löser in the weight of 4 Reichstalers 1670, Clausthal.
Extremely rare.
Attractive piece.
135
Estimate: 100.000 EuroLippe.
Friedrich Adolf.
5 Ducats 1711, Detmold.
Only known piece.
Extremely fine-uncirculated.
184
Estimate: 50.000 EuroCity of Nuremberg.
10 Ducats 1630.
Extremely rare.
Extremely fine.
198
Estimate: 40.000 EuroCity of Regensburg.
6 Ducats, n. d. (1765-1790), with the title of Joseph II.
NGC MS 62 PL.
Extremely rare.
Attractive piece from polished dies.
Almost uncirculaed.
251
Estimate: 125.000 EuroHolstein-Gottorp.
Johann Adolf, 1590-1616.
Portugalöser (10 ducats) n.d., Eutin.
Extremely rare and of particular
significance in monetary history.
Attractive piece.
295
Estimate: 200.000 EuroRDR.
Leopold I, 1657-1705.
20 Ducats, n. d. (after 1666), Hall,
by M. König.
Extremely rare.
Almost extremely fine.
376
Estimate: 125.000 EuroArchbishopric of Salzburg.
20 Ducats 1687.
NGC AU 58.
Extremely rare.
Extremely fine.
423
Estimate: 40.000 EuroVienna.
Salvator medal in the weight of 24 Ducats,
n. d. (after 1843), by K. Lange.
NGC PF 61.
Extremely rare.
Proof.
431
Archive: People and Markets

How the Romans Made Counterfeits

Counterfeits have been around in ancient Roman times, too. Romans made counterfeit cast coins from a copper-tin alloy. The alloy imitates the appearance of real silver coins. In an interdisciplinary research project at the University of Tübingen (Germany), the production process of these counterfeits has been successfully reconstructed for the first time.

The steps involved ranged from pressing coins into clay moulds to imprint the shape of the coin, to melting the components of the alloy up to the actual casting process. Thanks to the results of the experimental project, we can now better understand the phenomenon of counterfeit coins in the Roman Empire.

PD Dr. Stefan Krmnicek provides his numismatic perspective to the interdisciplinary project.

PD Dr. Stefan Krmnicek provides his numismatic perspective to the interdisciplinary project.

The interdisciplinary team consists of:

  • Alexander Zimmermann of Schmiede und Schlosserei Zimmermann (a blacksmith’s workshop), Pliezhausen,
  • Annette Flicker and Dr. Christoph Berthold of the Competence Center Archaeometry- Baden-Wuerttemberg CCA-BW, University of Tübingen, and
  • Rebecca Sandbichler, Mona Hähnle and PD Dr. Stefan Krmnicek from the Institute of Classical Archaeology, University of Tübingen

The work was documented on film. The result can be seen on the official YouTube channel of the University of Tübingen. The video is in German, but has professional English subtitles.

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