Tag Archives: history

Betrayal Coin: Ancient Shekel of Tyre

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There are many betrayals in the Christian bible, but none as dramatic and despised as Judas Iscariot’s bribe–30 pieces of silver–to hand over to authorities Jesus of Nazareth.

The description appears in Matthew 26: 14-16:

14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

New International Bible

Known as the Shekel of Tyre, this ancient coin is believed to have been paid to Judas for his historic treachery, making this one of the most collectible (and faked) ancient coins. They date from 126/5 BC to 65/66 AD and should weigh about 14 and 14.4 grams of silver.

These were the trade dollars of that era, struck under the rule of Macedonian, Ptolemaic and Seleucid kings. Coin World has an informative article about the coin along with his history.

Because of that history and association with Jesus, the shekel is considered one of the most desirable ancient coins. That’s why there are so many fakes on the market, from souvenir copies selling for about $15 to outright base metal fakes being sold on auction sites, including HiBid.com. Here’s an example”

Notice that the description, “ancient silver Greek coin,” carries no identifying characteristics, especially weight. Never ever bid on an ancient coin without knowing the weight. Then check to make sure that it is struck, rather than cast in a mold, which modern counterfeits often are.

Here is a terrific article on how to spot counterfeit ancient coins, published on the site “all your coins.”

Ancient coins from Rome and Greece are among the most faked because it does take skill and experience to identify authentic, souvenir and counterfeit samples. Making matters worse, collectors of such coins often prefer them raw, or un-holdered, so that they can feel history in their hand. This creates an opportunity to scam hobbyists who lack numismatic education.

If you want an ancient coin–the Shekel of Tyre will set you back hundreds or thousands, depending on condition–then purchase or bid on one in an NGC holder. Crack it out, if you wish, but always keep the holder label to prove authenticity.

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Proxiblog also has hundreds of followers on Facebook Coin Groups. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

Visit Numismatic Crime Information Center

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The Numismatic Crime Information Center is one of the most comprehensive and important sites for coin shop dealers, hobbyists and the public at large.

It was founded by Doug Davis, whom I have admired for years and from whom I receive email updates about numismatic theft. His personal story, which you can read by clicking here, showcases his integrity, empathy and police background.

Here’s an excerpt:

In 1985 Doug was the lead investigator in the murder of Robert Rosberg and a close friend, who operated. a coin shop in Pantego, TX. Rosberg was flex cuffed to a table in the rear of his shop and shot three times in the head execution style. The suspects stole over a quarter of a million dollars in coins and currency. For two years, Doug traveled across the country tracking leads, which resulted in the arrest of three suspects who were later convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Based upon the investigation, the ringleader, Forrest Leon Ethington, was later charged with the killing of Dallas coin dealer Dewayne   Frost and responsible for eight-coin shop robberies in southern California. 

Davis soon realized that law enforcement lacked the necessary skills and resources to cover numismatic crimes. He has helped that effort and continues to do so with regular alerts.

Here is a recent report, which I also received via email:

“A dealer traveling home from a coin show in Alexandria, MN stopped to eat and while inside an unknown suspect/suspects entered the victim’s vehicle by punching the driver’s side door lock. The suspect/suspects removed several tubs of coins. Investigators are currently reviewing video for additional information.”

Another highlight is the news tab. You can find an archive of educational and current incidents in addition to news about counterfeits and other threats to the hobby.

My numismatic book, Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding, covers numismatic crimes in online auctions, concerning no-pay bidders who defraud dealers with fraudulent credit cards, gold scams and other deceptions.

Brad Lisembee, owner of Capital Coin Auctions, are among sellers interviewed in that chapter. “Fraud — particularly credit card fraud as well as counterfeit coins — has gotten noticeably worse in recent years, as more people realize there is a lot of interest in coins as well as a lot of money changing hands.”

Those facts–the value and investment of coins–is why we need Doug Davis and the Numismatic Crime Information Center. You can make a donation to the NCIC by clicking here.

If you like posts like this, subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups and across social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

Fake Ancient Drachm

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Ancient coins are copied for a number of reasons, selling as souvenirs in museums and tokens in online venues like Etsy, eBay or Amazon. They are also frequently counterfeit, preying on bidders who lack knowledge of ancient numismatics.

As such, these are among the most risky to bid on in HiBid, Proxibid, LiveAuctions and similar platforms.

I won this fake Aegina drachm with a bid of $35 from a HiBid seller who described it as authentic. The description did not include weight.  These coins typically sell for hundreds of dollars.

When I received the token, I could tell it was cast rather than struck by inspecting the rim and surface. I used my coin microscope to get a closer look at the casting. Notice the fine bubbles rather than struck silver imprints.

Here is an authentic drachm, ca 350-338 BC, 18.5 mm, 5.81 g.

My token was underweight at 17 mm, 5.7 g. Worse, it was base metal. Look at the rim of the token in this photo, and you can see why this is a counterfeit rather than an ancient coin. The rim is smooth rather than rounded.

Granted, my fake drachm had the right inscriptions and devices, a tortoise with a segmented shell on the obverse and an incuse pattern with N-I in the upper sections and a dolphin swimming in the lower left section. But my fake’s devices had the mushy look of the casting.

My advice is to learn all you can about ancient coins by purchasing guidebooks or visiting educational sites like Proxiblog. Better still, even with that knowledge, often it is difficult to detect counterfeit Greek and Roman coins based on seller photos alone. You need a lupe and the coin in your hand to be sure. So go to established auction sites like GreatCollections or Heritage to buy holdered coins.

Here’s a turtle stater, Isle of Aegina c.525-480 B.C., 12.09 g, that I won in a GreatCollections auction for $591 realized price.

It’s in my bank box with a few other ancient coins.

If you like posts like this, subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups and across social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.