Hello everybody! It is my first time posting on this forum.
I recently picked up 4 very small italian coins and have absolutely no idea what they are. I'm not a collector so I don't really know where to search. They are about 10mm in diameter and weight less than 1 gram (I dont have a precise enough scale). I have found the normal versions on internet of 35mm and 40mm but not this very small version (fake?). If anybody could tell me more about them I would appreciate that very much.
The only thing I can say about them is that they look like copper coins which were coated in zinc and heat treated to form a brass surface, badly done by the way. If they are out of pure copper and the thickness is about 1mm they should way ca. 0,8g.
it's the same method I used on the coin on the left
They could simply be model-coins for the sake of the art or at worst deceptions for very gullible gold buyers
maybe somebody else knows more about them or has time to do a more thorough search on the internet
My statement doesn't have to be the truth, I simply stated what I saw on the pictures and I don't have much experience with gold coins other than plated ones. So there is still a possibility that they are authentic, you just have to measure and weigh them accurately somehow to be sure.
Also you should search for more information now that you now what they are. The information on the coinsheet seems to be incomplete and might not be fully accurate at least in the token section.
Thank for the information Fabio! I don't speak a single word Italian and Google translate isn't really helping me. Could you maybe help me by telling me what I should search for to find out more about them?
These are novelty pieces and are worth almost zero. It is 99 percent sure that they are made of non-precious metal. To check the 1 percent chance that they are made of gold, take them to a jeweler for testing. If they are made of gold, they are worth their weight in gold. -- Tiny coins like these are manufactured for sale to tourists and gift givers. Sometimes they are used for advertising promotions. -- Paul Richards, CoinQuest.
A little update: I have weighed the coins on a bit of a crap scale but precise enough to say they are around 0.2 grams. The size of the coins is 10mm and about 0.4mm/0.5mm thick. a quick calculation shows that they do kinda match the volume it would have if it was indeed gold. Interesting... I might take it to a jeweler in the coming weeks.