I would like to share some of my recent observations of modern steel die production for striking ancient coin forgeries.  Recently, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study and document about 200 steel matrixes, confiscated from "Dimitrovgrad Studio."  The photo at the top of the page is an Otho denarius produced by the "Dimitrovgrad Studio."  In the past, I have identified the products of this studio but I have only just started to recognize their characteristics and separate them from the many other recent forgeries.  Even today I am not certain this studio has its own categorical style.  It is rather influenced by the neighboring studio of Slavey and his brother, located in Haskovo.  Here I will present some matrixes and details from this studio for easier recognition of its products. On all the photos I have marked in red some places showing typical features of the matrixes produced by this studio. A complete publishing of the steel matrixes in a separate booklet is forthcoming.

For the examples below I will use photos from FORVM ANCIENT COINS ' Fake Coin Reports and combined them with photos of the Dimitrovgrad Studio dies. 

A forgery of a Vitellius (69) denarius from the fake coin reports is shown here with the exact dies used to strike it. The coin is in as struck condition and stamped "Copy."  On all the steel matrixes you can see marks for orientation of the coin die. In this case these marks are oriented at 12 o 'clock. Also you can see machine traces on the steel. Click on the thumbnail below to see a very large image.

The next example uses the same obverse die as the coin above combined with an obverse die of Otho (69).  The photos include the reverse die expected for the Otho obverse.  According to the Fake Coin Reports, this coin was sold as a replica.  It does not exist as a genuine coin.  When you have the matrixes, you can of course create many various combinations. As a whole, the matrixes have not been used much. Nevertheless, as the production technology uses a powerful press that works on a cold coin core, we see damage in the steel of the Otho obverse die below and the Vitellius reverse die above. Also, the Otho obverse die has been put into a steel wring (marked in blue) to prevent the existing crack from growing.

Below is a Domitian denarius, also from the Fake Coin Reports and shown with the exact dies used to strike it.  The surfaces of the coin are aged and it is not identified as a copy.  Click on the thumbnails below to see very large images.

Below is a Galla Placidia (mother of Valentinian III (425-455) solidus, also from the Fake Coin Reports and shown with the exact dies used to strike it.  The coin has been banged up to make it less suspicious.  Click on the thumbnail below to see a very large image.

The matrix below is for a semisis or tremisis of Marcianus (450 - 457).  Click on the thumbnail below to see a very large image.  If you see an example of this type, please add it to the fake coin reports.

To see thousands of examples of ancient coin forgeries visit FORVM ANCIENT COINS ' Fake Ancient Coin Reports.

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