# Identify these ancient coins

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-these-ancient-coins/137878>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 21, 2002, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-these-ancient-coins/137878 "2002-11-21T05:01:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-these-ancient-coins/137878/1 "2002-11-21T05:01:44Z")

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I recently threw away my ancient coin catalog because I never needed it. Well guess what? Now I need it! 🙂

Coin #1 - front is a left-facing bust of a bearded man wearing an Imperial style helmet with visor and cheek plates. No plume is visible. no visible inscriptions [coin #1 - front](http://stealth.kirenet.com/~suprdave/sa/coinfrontbig.jpg)

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-these-ancient-coins/137878/2 "2002-11-21T05:04:20Z")

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What does the back look like?

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**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-these-ancient-coins/137878/3 "2002-11-21T05:04:50Z")

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(hit enter by mistake)

Coin #1 back is a pentalpha with various smaller mask-like images [coin #1 - back](http://stealth.kirenet.com/~suprdave/sa/coinbackbig.jpg)

Coin #2 front only (obverse is obscured) another helmeted bust [photo](http://stealth.kirenet.com/~suprdave/sa/coin2big.jpg)

They appear to be Greek 0 - 100 AD, but I dont know for sure. Any insight is appreciated.

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**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-these-ancient-coins/137878/4 "2002-11-21T20:00:17Z")

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bump

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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:** [November 22, 2002, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-these-ancient-coins/137878/5 "2002-11-22T03:50:41Z")

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They both appear fake to me. The first is almost certainly so. The second probably.

I’d be able to tell if they were in my hands, but of course that isn’t possible.

I’m 90% confident they aren’t real.