Just got this coin. Pretty sure it is authentic, but I have decided to call on you experts!
26.8 Grams
38.7 mm
edge is alternating circles and rectangles
Any opinions?
Thanks
It's very difficult to be 100% sure about an authenticity of a coin so often counterfeited without having it in your hands. Having said that, I'd incline to consider this a fake countermarked with Chinese chop marks to give it an authentic look.
The reasons are several. To name the main ones: the letters are thicker than on authentic samples; the central diamond on the rim of the crown should be worn flat for this condition, while it stands out almost intact, which is hardly possible on an authentic coin.
I attach two pictures of genuine coins for comparison: the first one from Wikipedia and the second graded by PCGS as VF35
I collect coins and tokens which circulated in Africa from 18th century to 2000. I sell about 7000 illustrated world coins from http://www.avscoins.com.
Where the very good copies of these coins use to fail is in the pattern of the edge. There must be an overlap of the circles and rectangles in two opposite sides of the edge. Counterfeit many times have none, only one, or two no opposite.
Referee for Spain, Iberia (ancient), Suebi Kingdom and Visigothic Kingdom