The Callataÿ’ file of counterfeit Greek coins
The file of counterfeit Greek coins transmitted in 2023 to the center established in Sofia was created in the 1990s by François de Callataÿ, after his arrival at the Coin Cabinet of the Royal Library of Belgium (Brussels).
With 1,242 counterfeit Greek coins, the Coin Cabinet in Brussels may possess the largest collection of its kind among museum institutions worldwide. This collection is mainly the result of two massive donations generously made by professional numismatists: Paul Tinchant, through regular shipments between 1935 and 1952, and Druso Franceschi on January 30, 1992 (Inv. II 80.482: 101 counterfeit Greek coins).
Convinced of the importance of studying counterfeits and aware of the significant resources of the Brussels coin cabinet in this regard, François de Callataÿ undertook in the early 1990s to create a comprehensive file that gathers specimens from various backgrounds. Targeted photographic campaigns focused on Greek counterfeits were conducted in a series of major coin cabinets: London and Oxford in the summer of 1992, Paris in March 1993, Vienna in October 1994, Cambridge in January 1995, and New York in the summer of 1995.
To this rich material, the analysis of literature was naturally added. The works of famous forgers such as Becker, Caprara, and Christodoulos contributed to the database. Other publications were also utilized. Unsurprisingly, the richest source proved to be the Bulletin on Counterfeits. The Callataÿ’s file also includes, albeit in a limited and non-systematic manner, counterfeits published in sales catalogues or personal communications. In total, the file of counterfeit Greek coins contains 2,496 entries.
For more information, see Fr. de Callataÿ, “The Cabinet of Medals in Brussels and the Counterfeit Greek Coins,” Schweizerisches Numismatische Rundschau, 88, 2009, pp. 289-297.
Abakainon – 2 cards open
Abbaeti – 1 card open
Abdera – 7 cards open
Abydos – 1 card open
Acanthos – 3 cards open
Acarnania – 2 cards open
Achaean League – 1 card open
Achaios – 2 card open
Aegina – 9 cards open
Aenianes – 4 cards open
Aesillas – 6 cards open
Aetna – 2 cards open
Agai – 1 card open
Agathocles – 6 cards open
Agrigentum – 6 cards open
Ainos – 25 cards open
Akragas – 5 cards open
Alabanda – 2 cards open
Alaisa – 2 cards open
Alexander and Cleopatra – 3 cards open
Alexander Chios – 1 card open
Alexander I – 12 cards open
Alexander I or Antiochos VI – 2 cards open
Alexander II – 1 card open
Alexander III – 123 cards open
Alexander III Abydos – 1 card open
Alexander III Babas Hybrid not sure – 1 card open
Alexander III Babylon – 2 cards open
Alexander III Lampsacos – 1 card open
Alexander III Pella – 1 card open
Alexander III Sardes – 1 card open
Alexander III Sidon – 2 cards open
Alexander Mesambria – 3 cards open
Alexander Odessos – 1 card open
Alexander the Molosian – 5 cards open
Alexandria, Troas – 9 cards open
Amastris – 3 cards open
Amathonte – 1 card open
Ambrakia – 6 cards open
Ami – 2 cards open
Amisos – 1 card open
Amphipolis – 16 cards open
Amyntas – 12 cards open
Amyntas III – 3 cards open
Anaktorion – 6 cards open
Andragorus – 2 cards open
Andros – 1 card open
Antialkidas – 1 card open
Antigonus Gonatas – 20 cards open
Antigonus Gonatas or Doson – 1 card open
Antimachos – 1 card open
Antiochia – 1 card open
Antiochos I – 20 cards open
Antiochos II – 12 cards open
Antiochos III – 7 cards open
Antiochos IX – 2 cards open
Antiochos V – 4 cards open
Antiochos VI – 8 cards open
Antiochos VII – 13 cards open
Antiochos VIII – 12 cards open
Antiochos VIII and Cleopatra – 7 cards open
Antiochos X – 3 cards open
Antipater – 1 card open
Apollonia – 2 cards open
Apollonia Pontica – 3 cards open
Apri – 1 card open
Aptera – 1 card open
Arados – 13 cards open
Arcadia – 2 cards open
Arcadius – 1 card open
Archaic Athens – 2 cards open
Archelaus – 2 cards open
Areos – 1 card open
Argos – 10 cards open
Argos Amphilochicum – 1 card open
Ariarath – 1 card open
Ariarath IV – 5 cards open
Ariarath VI – 1 card open
Ariarath IX – 1 card open
Ariobarzanes – 2 cards open
Ariobarzanes III Cappadocia – 1 card open
Arsinoe – 5 cards open
Arsinoe III – 1 card open
Artaban IV – 6 cards open
Artemidorus – 1 card open
Artemisia – 3 cards open
Asandre – 1 card open
Aspurgus – 1 card open
Athens – 111 cards open
Athens-Neapolis – 2 cards open
Atrax – 1 card open
Attalos I – 2 cards open
Audoleon – 2 cards open
Aulus Gabinius – 3 cards open
Azes – 1 card open
Beotia – 1 card open
Beotian league – 10 cards open
Berenike II – 1 card open
Bretii – 1 card open
Bruttium – 1 card open
Byblos – 7 cards open
Byzantion – 1 card open
Callatis – 1 card open
Calymna – 12 cards open
Camiros – 2 cards open
Carthage – 17 cards open
Carthaginian of Sicily – 4 cards open
Carystos – 22 cards open
Cassope – 2 cards open
Catana – 3 cards open
Celenderis – 3 cards open
Ceos – Carthago – 2 cards open
Cestros – 1 card open
Chalcidian league – 3 cards open
Chalcis – 22 cards open
Chersonese – 2 cards open
Chios – 9 cards open
Cibyra – 3 cards open
Clazomene – 13 cards open
Cleopatra – 1 card open
Cnide – 4 cards open
Cnossos – 16 cards open
Corcyra – 6 cards open
Corinth – 46 cards open
Corinthe or Leucas – 19 cards open
Corinthia – 27 cards open
Cos – 8 cards open
Cotys I – 1 card open
Cotys II – 1 card open
Crete – 3 cards open
Croesus – 6 cards open
Ctemene – 1 card open
Cumae – 10 cards open
Cydonia – 7 cards open
Cyrenaica – 1 card open
Cyrene – 10 cards open
Cyzicus – 18 cards open
Dacia – 19 cards open
Dascylium – 1 card open
Dekaeterides (K) – 6 cards open
Delos – 1 card open
Delphi – 13 cards open
Delphic Amphictyony – 2 cards open
Demetrian league – 1 card open
Demetrios I Poliorcetes – 39 cards open
Demetrios II – 12 cards open
Demetrios III – 1 card open
Derieis – 1 card open
Dia – 1 card open
Dia or Dium – 1 card open
Dido Carthage – 2 cards open
Dikaia – 2 cards open
Diodotus – 4 cards open
Dionisos Demophon – 1 card open
Dyrrhachion – 1 card open
Edones – 1 card open
Egypt – 3 cards open
Elefterios Venizelos – 2 cards open
Eleutherna – 1card open
Elis – 4 cards open
Elis-Lysimachos – 1 card open
Elis-Olympia – 28 cards open
Elyros – 1 card open
Emporion – 1 card open
Ephesos – 7 cards open
Epidauros – 4 cards open
Epirus – 2 cards open
Epirus Koinon – 12 cards open
Eretria – 8 cards open
Erythrea – 3 cards open
Etruria – 1 card open
Eucratides – 3 cards open
Eumenes – 1 card open
Euthydemus – 6 cards open
Evagoras – 6 cards open
Federal coins – 12 cards open
Gassoros – 1 card open
Gela – 11 cards open
Germa – 1 card open
Gomphi – 1 card open
Gonni – 2 cards open
Gorgone Taureane – 1 card open
Gortyna – 4 cards open
Gupta – 1 card open
Gyrton – 8 cards open
Halaisa – 1 card open
Halicarnassos – 1 card open
Heliocles – 2 cards open
Heraclea – 10 cards open
Heraclius – 1 card open
Heraia – 2 cards open
Hermione – 2 cards open
Hidrieus (Caria) – 2 cards open
Hierapytna – 1 card open
Hiketas – 1 card open
Hiliartus – 1 card open
Himera – 4 cards open
Hismene – 1 card open
Histiaea – 24 cards open
Homolion – 2 cards open
Hydisus – 2 cards open
Ialysos – 2 cards open
Iasos – 4 cards open
Iberian – 1 card open
Ilion – 2 cards open
In genere Christodoulos – 30 cards open
Ionian revolt Dardanos – 1 card open
Ionian revolt Methymna – 1 card open
Island Kephallenia – 2 cards open
Ismene – 1 card open
Istros – 23 cards open
Itanos – 8 cards open
Judaea – 1 card open
Kamnaskires and Anzaze – 5 cards open
Kamnaskires and Anzaze – Mythradates I – 1 card open
Karpathos – 1 card open
Kaulonia – 2 cards open
Kerkine – 1 card open
Ketriporis – 1 card open
Kierion – 2 cards open
Kleitor – 3 cards open
Kolophon – 1 card open
Kopas – 2 cards open
Krannon – 2 cards open
Kroton – 4 cards open
Kushan – 3 cards open
Kynegeros – 1 card open
Lacedaemon – 2 cards open
Lamia – 11 cards open
Lampsakos – 13 cards open
Laodicea – 1 card open
Lapithos – 4 cards open
Lappa – 1 card open
Larissa – 60 cards open
Larissa-Pharsalos Hybrid – 2 cards open
Lebedos – 6 cards open
Leontinoi – 4 cards open
Lesbos – 4 cards open
Lete – 3 cards open
Leucas – 14 cards open
Locris – 21 cards open
Lycceios – 2 cards open
Lycia – 4 cards open
Lycia, Erbbena – 3 cards open
Lycia, Mithrapatha – 7 cards open
Lycia, Pericles – 9 cards open
Lydia – 3 cards open
Lysimachos – 82 cards open
Lyson – 1 card open
Lyttus – 5 cards open
Macedones – 2 cards open
Macedonia – 4 cards open
Macedonia Prima – 11 cards open
Macedonia Uncertain – 1 card open
Magnesia – 12 cards open
Magnetes – 2 cards open
Mallos – 2 cards open
Mantineia (Arcadia) – 3 cards open
Marathos – 2 cards open
Maronea – 13 cards open
Massalia – 3 cards open
Maussollus of Caria – 12 cards open
Mazaios – 1 card open
Megara – 6 cards open
Melos – 4 cards open
Menander – 7 cards open
Mende – 5 cards open
Mesembria – 3 cards open
Mesma – 1 card open
Messana – 6 card open
Mithridates VI – 40 cards open
Mithridates VI – 40 cards open
Monn. federal – 1 card open
Monn. federal – 1 card open
Nicomedes I – 9 cards open
Nicomedes II – 18 cards open
Nicomedes III – 24 cards open
Olympia – 5 cards open
Prusias I – 14 cards open
Prusias II – 2 cards open
Pylaemenes – 1 card open
Sinope – 3 cards open
Zakynthos – 1 card open
Citation: Name-CardNo. The Callataÿ’ file of counterfeit Greek coins
For processing the counterfeit info cards and creating the online collection and datasets, a special thank you to Lily Grozdanova, Margareth Warburton, Claus Franke, and Tim Westphal.