Auc. 112 Lot 73Syria.
Seleucus I Nicator (312–280 BC),
AR tetradrachm, Susa.
Condition: beautiful patina, near ef.
Video highlight: Watch now!
Estimate: 1.900 EUR

Auc. 112 Lot 1472Norway.
Christian IV (1588–1648),
Speciedaler 1635, Christiana (Oslo).
Condition: rare, vf+ .
Estimate: 1.600 EUR

Auc. 112 Lot 1881Teutonic Order.
Johann Kaspar (1664–1684),
double ducat 1666.
Condition: rare, ef.
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Estimate: 6.200 EUR

Auc. 112 Lot 1913City of Hildesheim.
5 gold guilders, 1528 (minted 1614–1620),
bearing the title of Charles V.
Condition: slightly worked, ef.
Estimate: 16.500 EUR

Auc. 112 Lot 2025Baden.
Carl Friedrich (1806–1811),
Rhine gold ducat 1807.
Condition: rare, near ef/ef.
Estimate: 11.000 EUR

Auc. 112 Lot 2759Württemberg.
Wilhelm II. (1891-1918),
3 Mark 1916 F.
Condition: first strike
Video highlight: Watch now!
Estimate: 5.600 EUR

Auc. 112 Lot 3154German Democratic Republic.
Collection from the estate of
Willi Stoph (SED official).
Set of decorations, including a certificate and
a charcoal drawing.
Condition: very rare, ef.
Estimate: 50.000 EUR

Auc. 113 Lot 171German Reich.
50 Marks,
January 5, 1899.
Condition: very rare, III-/IV+.
Estimate: 7.000 EUR

Auc. 113 Lot 358Federal Republic of Germany.
20 Deutsche Mark,
January 2, 1980, ZE/B.
Condition: I.
Estimate: 7.000 EUR

Auc. 113 Lot 901Silesia, Trebnitz.
10 Pfennig, n.d. (August 1914).
Municipal Main Treasury (Stadthauptkasse).
Condition: extremely rare, I-.
Estimate: 350 EUR
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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