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Silver Plated ½ Unit Three Crescents Contemporary Counterfeit
| Issuer | |
|---|---|
| Year | 5-10 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 0.6 g |
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| Obverse description | Crude, heavily worn design struck on an irregular flan with a silver-plated bronze core, displaying what appears to be a schematically rendered motif in low relief, possibly a degraded imitation of a bust or abstract figure occupying the central field. The die work is rudimentary and imprecise, consistent with a contemporary counterfeit produced by an unofficial issuer. Surface shows characteristic pitting and patchy silver plating with areas of bronze core exposed. No legend or inscription is present. The overall rendering is characteristic of late Iron Age or early Roman provincial unofficial issues. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Mintage | ND (5-10) - Bronze core ND (5-10) - Silver plated |
| Additional information |
Contemporary counterfeits of Herodian small bronzes are well documented but rarely cataloged with precision. This piece — silver-plated to pass at face value — dates to the reign of Herod Archelaus or the early Roman prefect period, when the Jewish economy ran on fractional bronzes and profit margins on counterfeiting even the smallest denominations were viable. The plating technique, applying a thin silver wash over a bronze core, was practiced across the eastern Mediterranean and required no sophisticated equipment.