Books On Modern Fakes of Ancient Coins

Many printed books list a selection of known modern forgeries of ancient coins. The following are a few I am aware of that it may be possible to locate. I would be happy to hear about any others that I may have missed.

"CLASSICAL DECEPTIONS" - by Wayne Sayles. An excellent introduction to the subject with illustrations of many types of fake ancient coins commonly encountered. This book should be in the library of every collector of ancient coins.

"NOT KOSHER: Forgeries of Ancient Jewish and Biblical Coins" - by David Hendin. Listing 125 fakes of ancient Jewish coins.

A series of books by - by I.Prokopov and/or E.Paunov and/or K. Kissyov listing various types of fakes made in Bulgaria, with some information on their diagnostics although sometimes a little vague to be informative. Still, a very good series of books to include in your library.A series of books by - by I.Prokopov and/or E.Paunov and/or K. Kissyov listing various types of fakes made in Bulgaria, with some information on their diagnostics although sometimes a little vague to be informative. A very good series of books to include in your library and still available from the publishers website SP-P Publishing House.

"BECKER THE COUNTERFEITER" by Sir George F. Hill, originally published in 1924 but reprinted in 1979 by Obol International. A comprehensive work on the die-struck fakes made by Carl Wilhem Becker in the 1820's. He is considered by many to be the most talented forger of classical Greek and Roman coins that ever lived and his forgeries are collected and have considerable value in their own right. All the 360 types he is known to have forged are illustrated clearly enough for die.

"THE CAPRARA FORGERIES" by Philip Kinns. 1984 Royal Numismatic Society Special Publication #16, International Association of Professional Numismatists Special Publication #10. Caprara worked in the 1820's specializing ancient Greek coins. Ninety-one types are illustrated, although a few only by drawings.

"IMITATIONS AND INVENTIONS OF ROMAN COINS" by Zander H. Klawans,1977, published by the Society for International Numismatics. About 16th century forgeries from Padua in Italy it focuses on fakes by Giovanni da Cavino, illustrating many of his die varieties. Most Paduan forgeries are obvious, some are fantasies of coins that never existed, but a few are deceptive enough that they are occasionally offered as genuine. Paduan forgeries are collected in their own right and because they can have significant value one sees 18th, 19th and 20th century fakes of Paduan fakes (usually castings, while originals are die struck).

"CHRISTODOULOS THE COUNTERFEITER" by J. Svornonos. Originally published in 1922, this was reprinted in 1974 by Ares Publishers Inc.. Constantine Christodoulos worked around the 1900, and was a prolific forger specializing in ancient Greek coins. His is known to have produced over 500 types, all of which are illustrated in this book. They were good fakes for their day, but seldom really captured the correct artistic style.

"BYZANTINE COINS AND THEIR VALUES" by David Sear. Originally published by B.A. Seaby Ltd., but now by Spink and Son. The newest edition is the 1987 second edition which is still in print. Mostly about genuine Byzantine coins, pages 487 to 519 illustrate and discuss 93 known fakes of Byzantine coins, some of which are very deceptive. Many of the fakes illustrated in this book are the work of Lebanese forgers who worked in the 1950's and 60's, and recently we have seen a significant number of these coins appearing on the market, the dies still exist and are again being used.

"THE GENEVA FORGERIES" by R. A. G. Carson. Originally published by the Royal Numismatic Society in the Numismatic Chronicle, it was reprinted in 1977 by Attic Books, Ltd. A 16 page pamphlet with 24 illustrations on 2 plates about fake rare Roman coins of Nigrinian, Julian of Pannonia, Domitius Alexander, Valerius Valens and Martinian. The average collector will seldom encounter these coins but some are fairly deceptive and one should be aware of them.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of the books on this subject, and we would appreciate hearing from anyone that can recommend others I have overlooked.

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