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That supposed 'Roman' coin turned out to be a 1960s tourist token
A buddy brought a coin to our local club meeting in Tulsa, swore it was from a Roman fort site. I laughed it off, figured he got scammed at a flea market. Then we took it to the university lab, and the metal composition matched a cheap brass alloy, not ancient bronze. The kicker was the mint mark hidden near the edge, plain as day once you knew to look. How many of you have had a so-called relic fall apart after real testing?
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thomasgonzalez17d ago
That bit about the "mint mark hidden near the edge" got me, because I read a similar story last month about a guy who found a "Viking sword" that ended up being a prop from a local theater production. What really sold it for the guy was the patina, but a quick scrape showed fresh steel underneath. I think the hardest part is admitting you were hyped, but testing is the only way to know. Did your buddy at least keep it as a funny paperweight?
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