How to identify FAKE Ancient Coins - Cast Fakes?

You can tell if ancient coins are fake by looking at how they feel and look, just like telling a real toy from a cheap copy.

Cast fakes are coins that were made by pouring molten metal into a mold, like making chocolate candies in a candy mold. Real ancient coins were usually hammered or struck, which means they were shaped by hitting them with a special tool, just like pressing a cookie cutter into dough to make cookies.

How They Look and Feel

Real ancient coins have little bumps and marks from being hit, kind of like when you press your thumb on clay. Cast fakes are usually smoother, because they come out of the mold all even, like a perfectly wrapped present with no creases.

Also, look closely at the edges. Real coins often have little ridges or lines from where they were struck. Cast fakes might feel flat or have a waxy finish, as if they were dipped in something after being made.

Try It Out

If you touch a real ancient coin and it feels rough, like it was shaped by hand, that’s good! If it feels smooth all over, like a new toy, then it might be a fake. You can tell if ancient coins are fake by looking at how they feel and look, just like telling a real toy from a cheap copy.

Cast fakes are coins that were made by pouring molten metal into a mold, like making chocolate candies in a candy mold. Real ancient coins were usually hammered or struck, which means they were shaped by hitting them with a special tool, just like pressing a cookie cutter into dough to make cookies.

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Examples

  1. A child notices that a fake coin feels too smooth and shiny compared to real ancient coins.
  2. A student learns how to use light to see if a coin has been cast from a mold.
  3. A young collector compares the weight of a coin to known authentic ones.

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