193-211 AD., Nikopolis ad Istrum in Moesia Inferior, ancient cast fake, Septimius Severus, Assarion, cf. Pick 1417. - uncleaned

Nikopolis ad Istrum in Moesia Inferior, Septimius Severus, ancient cast fake, 193-211 AD.,
ancient cast Assarion / Æ 18 (17-18 mm / 4,08 g),
Obv.: AV Λ C CEVHPOC , laureate head of Septimius Severus facing right.
Rev.: NIKOΠOΛ - IT ΠΡO - C ICT , coiled snake, head erect facing left.
for prototype cf. Pick (AMNG) I, 1, 384, 1417 (1 specimen listed, Mionnet 2, 132, 446) ; - Hristova/Jekov (bulg. ed.) 100, 8.14.22.10 .

Evidence for a fake:
(pressing or casting?) seam on mor than 80% of the edge
irregular obverse ridge at 4 o´clock (and others)
surfave tooling to hide casting evidence
too high weight

Curtis Clay 22(08/2010:
"The coin looks authentic to me, though possibly an ancient cast counterfeit.
Harlan Berk bought a small group of ancient casts of small Danubian imperial bronze coins about ten years ago, and I remember getting a reference to an article about that class of coins, I think in a Romanian or Bulgarian periodical."