Collection NORMATENSYL

[redwine]

These pieces have caused chaos over the years 
Apparently they were part of an advertising campaign in 1971-1972 by the Theraplix Laboratory.
As a treatment for, wait for it, hypertension!
Yes, I'm missing one 
I've had to bodge the reverse as the support gets in the way of the text

From left to right:
SICLE DE TYR, BESANT D'ARGENT DE BOHEMOND VII, REAL D'ESPAGNE, MONNAIE D'ATHENES

TETRADRACHME DE NERON, DIRHAM D'ARGENT DE BAGDAD, PENNY DE LA PAIX, DRACHME D'ALEXANDRE LE GRAND

[malj1]

Rogers lists an English language version of these stating they were made for an advertising campaign about 1965. They were produced for Nicholas laboratories and were sent to GP's as part of a promotion for a new antacid called Polycrol.

He only illustrates two pieces the BESANT D'ARGENT DE BOHEMOND VII and DIRHAM D'ARGENT DE BAGDAD

He also mentions there was a report of one of these replicas exhibited as a genuine example in a local museum: Daily Telegraph 2nd Nov. 1971

[redwine]

Many thanks Malcolm!
Another thing to look out for 

[malj1]

Alfred Nicholas, the owner of Nicholas laboratories had a little place just a mile or so from me here. He made a fortune in WW1 when the supply of aspirin from Germany dried up;  he began producing aspirin under the trade name Aspro. 

[redwine]

The boy done good
The Rogers collection is here
http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/opac/search/cataloguesummary.html?_searchstring_=%28maker=%27Nicholas%20Laboratories%27%29&_limit_=50&_function_=xslt&_resultstylesheet_=imagecs

[redwine]

Look what I found!
http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350872724176

[malj1]

Presumably the same as your PENNY DE LA PAIX reproduction. I can't view your images in the card well enough to compare while the eBay image is bad enough to sell as a genuine coin as the two bidders [so far] will be expecting.

From the Fitzwilliam Museum coll.
William II (1087-1100) struck in the name of (ruler) Nicholas Laboratories (issuer) modern reproduction. given: Withers, Paul 2003-11-25 From the estate of Dr David J. de Sola Rogers (1946-99).

[redwine]

I believe it is a Normatensyl piece but I would prefer a hammered expert took a gander.

[Arminius]

This one looks like the Nero tetradrachm:



Antiochia in Syria, Nero, modern imitation,
"Tetradrachm" (22-23 mm / 8,54 g),
Obv.: ΝΕΡΩM ΚΑΙΣΑΡ - [ΣΕ]ΒΑΣ[ΤΟΣ] , laureate bust of Nero right, wearing aegis.
Rev.: ΕΤΟΥΣ - BIP•I (dated Caesarean era year 112 - and regnal year 10 ) , eagle standing r. on thunderbolt, wings spread, to r., dot and palm branch.
cf. RPC 4189 ; cf. Wruck 47 .

casting seam on the edge, casting bubbles, wrong letter ( M in NEPΩN ), fake patina, wrong weight

 

[malj1]

The Nero tetradrachm is listed in Rogers # 1320 but unfortunately no further details given there, nor image. However It does appear most likely to be from the Nicholas Products set.

[Arminius]

Thanks for the confirmation Malcolm, so my old eyes are to a certain extend still reliable.

These casts may differ slightly (as all experts know).

[redwine]

I've prized them all out of the holder 

BESANT D'ARGENT DE BOHEMOND VII 4.01g / 24.5mm
(I have two of these  , the other one weighs the same)

[redwine]

REAL D'ESPAGNE 4.36g / 25mm

[redwine]

MONNAIE D'ATHENES 9.49g / 19-23mm
Coin No.5 in the Nicholas Laboratories set.

[redwine]

TETRADRACHME DE NERON 6.88g / 23mm
With definite seam.  But no playboy bunny on the neck like Arminius'
And lighter, perhaps to save postage