Roman coins » Copies » Contemporary copies
Imitation Copper-Alloy denominations
Some copper alloy coins (sestertii, dupondii and asses) of the 1st to 3rd centuries AD can be identified as contemporary copies. These coins are often smaller and lighter than the official coinage and sometimes show signs of being made by casting. The evidence of casting is fairly easy to spot: A ridge running around the edge of the coin where the two moulds met, a pitted surface created by air bubbles in the mould and a lack of definition between the raised design and the background. Some imitations are given away by crudely copied portraits, inscriptions and designs.
 |
 |
|---|---|
| Figure 1: Genuine copper-alloy as of Claudius I (AD 41-54) | |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Figure 2: Good (top row) and bad (bottom row) imitation asses of Claudius I. The good copy is comparable in size, weight and style to the genuine coin. The bad copy is given away by its crude style. | |
 |
|
| Figure 3: Genuine copper-alloy as of Lucius Verus (AD 161-169) weighing 11.11g and 25mm in diameter and lightweight copy weighing 3.28g and 22mm in diameter | |
