FAKE Totila from Ticinum

[Victor]

I believe that this is an Ostrogoth coin, as it looks like an example in the reference book by Metlich, The Coinage of Ostrogothic Italy – no 96 issued by Totila Baduila from Ticinum. The only difference is that the example illustrated has a six point star, while this one has an eight point star. The left side of the obverse legend is off the flan, but it was probably issued in the name of Anastasius I.

Totila
A.D. 541- 552
10mm   0.7gm
[…] P F AVG; pearl- diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
REV: wreath surround eight pointed star.
cf. Metlich 96 Ticinum mint

[Genio popvli romani]

Couldn't it be a Vandal kings' coin. The Catalogue Of The Coins Of The Vandals, Ostrogoths And Lombards In the British Museum lists such a type of coins #165-172 (p. 38 / pl. IV-31).
The coins in the catalogue are probably unofficial with degenerated obverse legends (dots, see note 1 p.38). Maybe your coin could be an official one ?

[Victor]

Couldn't it be a Vandal kings' coin. The Catalogue Of The Coins Of The Vandals, Ostrogoths And Lombards In the British Museum lists such a type of coins #165-172 (p. 38 / pl. IV-31).

I have Wroth's book, but it is very much outdated and I prefer to use more recent works (but I have used it when nothing else fit), but I am not certain about the identification of this coin by any means. In Medieval European Coinage, Grierson shows some examples attributed to the Vandals that are similar, but with Christogram instead of star. The closest match with the star reverse that I found was Ostrogothic, at least according to Metlich.

[Nikko]

According with the opinions of some italian experts in vandal and barbaric coinages, you bought a  forgery.

[Victor]

According with the opinions of some italian experts in vandal and barbaric coinages, you bought a  forgery.

It's possible, I will look at it closely when it arrives

I should have done just a little homework, I looked at some of his other listing and most are fine, but these two below are not authentic- one claims to be Galla Placidia and the other Leo

[Victor]

I just got a similar example...except this one is genuine. I am still not sure of the attribution, but I am calling it Vandals. This one even has the legend made of dots like Wroth described. The problem with Wroth, like I mentioned earlier, is that it is outdated. Here is a quote from Medieval European Coinage by Grierson and Blackburn-- "The majority of small bronze coins tentatively attributed by Wroth to the Vandals (BMC Vand 17-42) are either not African or post-date Justinian's re-establishment of Imperial rule in 534. The Vandals did, however, produce unofficial tiny bronze coins in large quantity..." (pg 420) So, perhaps this one is an unofficial Vandals issue.


Vandals
5th century A.D.
8x9mm    0.5gm
Obverse: diademed and draped bust right with dots for legend.
Reverse: eight-pointed star within wreath.
Carthage mint
BMC Vandals 165 - 172