# Classical antiquities on ebay:  Fake?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-antiquities-on-ebay-fake/285120>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 17, 2005, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-antiquities-on-ebay-fake/285120 "2005-01-17T01:29:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-antiquities-on-ebay-fake/285120/1 "2005-01-17T01:29:30Z")

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On 60 minutes the other night I saw a story about artifact smuggling out of the middle east. I decided to look to see if anything was sold on Ebay and I was surprised, not at the amount of stuff sold, but the price at which it was selling. Ancient Roman bronze rings going for $10?

[http://search.ebay.com/roman-bronze-rings\_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8](http://search.ebay.com/roman-bronze-rings_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8)

Roman perfume bottles going for 40ish?

[http://search.stores.ebay.com/search/search.dll?query=roman+bottle&srchdesc=y&sid=16055350&store=OrientalEmpire&colorid=15&fp=0&st=2&submit=Search](http://search.stores.ebay.com/search/search.dll?query=roman+bottle&srchdesc=y&sid=16055350&store=OrientalEmpire&colorid=15&fp=0&st=2&submit=Search)  
I thought this stuff was much rarer than these prices seem to indicate. I do know that some of the coins are fake, but these sellers of other objects seem pretty legitimate, as do the pieces themselves. Please don’t reply with “they are probably fake” unless you have some knowledge about this stuff. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-antiquities-on-ebay-fake/285120/2 "2005-01-17T01:38:11Z")

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I have knowledge of the coins. I have 1700 year old bronze coins for sale. All genuine. $10 each.

The links you provided showed that the perfume bottle had not closed on eBay as yet. It might bring more.

Age has nothing to do with value. Roman artifacts are incredible in abundant supply.

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-antiquities-on-ebay-fake/285120/3 "2005-01-17T03:08:49Z")

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Second **samclem** on the coins. You can buy Roman coins by the 5-lb bag on ebay, all authentic, most of which are worthless.