Joe Geranio
12-06-2008, 09:04 PM
The rather startling photograph of a coin die of Tiberius caught my
attention immediately. This appears to be a specimen from the 1863
Paray-le-Monial find of seven Roman Imperial dies, and is now at the
Musee des Antiquites Nationales (at Saint-Germain-en-Laye).
This particular die is exceptionally well preserved. Other dies
from the same find show differing degrees of corrosion. There is
little doubt (none in my mind) of its authenticity.
There have been five obverse dies of this type discovered in France
(two in this find, and three in the Auxerre find of 1799). One, from
the latter find, was destroyed in testing in 1945.
Roman precious-metal dies of this period appear to have been made
of a very hard alloy (about 25% tin bronze -- a bell-metal alloy).
http://flickr.com/photos/paul_garland/649558629/sizes/o/in/set-72157600535939705/
Paul Garland photo
attention immediately. This appears to be a specimen from the 1863
Paray-le-Monial find of seven Roman Imperial dies, and is now at the
Musee des Antiquites Nationales (at Saint-Germain-en-Laye).
This particular die is exceptionally well preserved. Other dies
from the same find show differing degrees of corrosion. There is
little doubt (none in my mind) of its authenticity.
There have been five obverse dies of this type discovered in France
(two in this find, and three in the Auxerre find of 1799). One, from
the latter find, was destroyed in testing in 1945.
Roman precious-metal dies of this period appear to have been made
of a very hard alloy (about 25% tin bronze -- a bell-metal alloy).
http://flickr.com/photos/paul_garland/649558629/sizes/o/in/set-72157600535939705/
Paul Garland photo