Combined elemental and microstructural analysis of genuine and fake copper-alloy coins

Journal Article · Sun Jul 31 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1070/QE2011V041N07ABEH014523· OSTI ID:21552650

Bartoli, L; Agresti, J; Mascalchi, M; Mencaglia, A; Cacciari, I; Siano, Salvatore ^[1]

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1. Istituto di Fisica Applicata 'N. Carrara', IFAC-CNR, Sesto Fiorentino (Italy)

Innovative noninvasive material analysis techniques are applied to determine archaeometallurgical characteristics of copper-alloy coins from Florence's National Museum of Archaeology. Three supposedly authentic Roman coins and three hypothetically fraudolent imitations are thoroughly investigated using laser-induced plasma spectroscopy and time of flight neutron diffraction along with 3D videomicroscopy and electron microscopy. Material analyses are aimed at collecting data allowing for objective discrimination between genuine Roman productions and late fakes. The results show the mentioned techniques provide quantitative compositional and textural data, which are strictly related to the manufacturing processes and aging of copper alloys. (laser applications)

• OSTI ID: 21552650
• Journal Information: Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.), Vol. 41, Issue 7; Other Information: DOI: 10.1070/QE2011v041n07ABEH014523; ISSN 1063-7818
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AGING
ARCHAEOLOGY
COPPER ALLOYS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
LASER SPECTROSCOPY
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
MICROSTRUCTURE
NEUTRON DIFFRACTION
TIME-OF-FLIGHT METHOD
ALLOYS
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
MICROSCOPY
PLASMA
SCATTERING
SPECTROSCOPY
TRANSITION ELEMENT ALLOYS