Comments for collectors.

Be aware that many coins of Byzantine Cherson are smoothed or tooled. I am not aware that modern fakes are a problem and some of the commoner types (for example, the "B" of Basil I, E14) are easily available without smoothing, but a substantial fraction (half?) of all coins of Cherson are skillfully smoothed with letters and figures very carefully outlined and the fields made smoother. Some coins have surfaces that look pristine but are far from it. One of the Theodosius II AE2's on this site has been smoothed to the point that key features of the design have been obliterated (completely smoothed off!), but the work is so well done that it is hard to notice.  Many coins of Cherson have corrosion pits. In such cases the corrosion has usually been skillfully removed mechanically, the coin's surface smoothed, and possibly the edges of the letters and figures have been outlined.

I think it is very hard to assemble a collection that avoids smoothed coins. The problem needs to be recognized, but I do not think it can be avoided.

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