silver (not silvered) VRBS ROMA

[Nikko]

This coin is completely wrong...

Descrived as: Constantine I, Contemporary Imitation, Commemorative AR Follis. Siscia, AD 334-335. Helmeted and mantled bust of Roma left / She-wolf standing left, suckling the twins Romulus and Remus; two stars above; ΓSIS. Unpublished and Unique. Cf. RIC 240; LRBC 750. 2.86g, 17mm, 12h. Attractively toned, edge slightly filed (silver test on 6h), Good Very Fine. In ancient times, it was customary to replace real coins with contemporary imitations or pseudo-coins to leave with the dead during burial so that the deceased could pay (or trick) the boatman Charon to ferry them across the river Styx. Perhaps a regular follis would not have been enough and was replaced with our Urbs Roma Follis in silver. Acquired from Umberto Moruzzi by previous owner. (Including ticket; there as Æ Follis = RIC 240).

[Victor]

Over the years I have seen several LRB's that looked silver. I believe that what is probably going on is that these coins have a higher lead and/or tin concentration than normal. It might also be the effect of some process occurring over the years that allowed white metals like tin or lead to leech to the surface giving the coin a silvery appearance.

Whatever the case, I don't believe this coin is made of silver. From the picture, the flan appears to have the sort of preservation one would expect from an LRB not a siver coin.

I have had a few LRB's over the years which looked silvery to some degree, but only one that might have passed as silver. It was a FEL TEMP from Constantius II, but it was definitely not silver. I wish that I had done an alloy analysis on it before I sold it.

I have also noticed that some methods of cleaning can make bronze coins look silver.

below is another example of an LRB that looks silver.

[Nikko]

I suppose that what the call "silver test on 6h" is a shot of file to delete the fusion channel.