Christodoulos Forgery – Ex Pozzi Collection

451, Lot: 611. Estimate $150. Sold for $240. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CHRISTODOULOS FORGERY, THESSALY. Lamia. AR Hemidrachm Forgery (16mm, 2.81 g, 12h). Dies by Constantine Christodoulos, circa 1900-1914. Head of young Dionysos right, wearing ivy wreath / Pozzi (Boutin) 2742 = Pozzi, lot 1203 (this coin); Svoronos, Christodoulos 143. Toned. As made. An example that even seasoned numismatic experts fail to catch.

Ex Classical Numismatic Group 57 (4 April 2001), lot 287.

(From BCD Thessaly (Triton XV), lot 121):

The early, compact style, Lamia hemidrachms (as well as the corresponding obols) are distinguished from the later, much commoner ones, by the direction of the head of Dionysos on the obverse. They apparently continued to circulate along with the later coins and were not withdrawn, hence their comparatively higher wear when they turn up in hoards. See also Pozzi (Boutin) 2742 for the Christodoulos forgery of this type that has successfully deceived several dealers during the last century and until quite recently (see, for instance, CNG MBS 57 [4 April 2001] 287). Interestingly, Ernest Babelon refers to the Pozzi forgery as genuine (see Traité 2, IV, 455 and footnote 7).