Blew $140 on a fake Roman denarius at a flea market in Springfield
Saw a guy with a folding table of old coins at the Springfield flea market 3 weeks ago. He had a Marcus Aurelius denarius in a flip marked $140. I got excited and handed over cash without a loupe. Got it home, weighed it at 2.1 grams instead of the 3.4 it should be, and the edge had that soapy cast look. Took it to a shop in town and the guy laughed, said it was a Bulgarian cast copy worth maybe $3. Now I carry a 10x loupe and a small scale in my jacket pocket every time. How do you all test silver coins in the field before handing over money?