Fake Coins Good Feelings

It’s Saturday morning, and I am climbing up the hill toward the imposing gates of an old castle in Tübingen, Germany. Passing through the grand entrance, I go to the MUT—Museum of Tübingen University, eager to explore its treasures.

?I met Noha, an M.A. in Archaeology, guiding a three-generation family. I enjoy watching her engage the granddaughter with scientific challenges while capturing the grandmother’s heart with her deep knowledge.

“My Latin teacher in high school was a storyteller,” Noha shares. “We learned not just the language, but the history behind it. I love art and drawing, so archaeology felt like the perfect combination of history and creativity.”

We sit in a small alcove of the museum, surrounded by a fascinating collection of ancient coins.

“I took a numismatic course and found it fascinating,” Noha says with enthusiasm. “Unlike many other archaeological artifacts, coins can be touched—you can feel the technology behind them.”

“I became an expert in detecting fake Roman coins from the empire’s provinces—Britain, France, and Germany,” she explains. “Pure metal was expensive, so citizens in the provinces often had layers of cheaper metals hidden beneath the surface.”

I ask how visitors reacted when they discovered their coins were counterfeit.

“That’s an interesting question,” Noha reflects. “One visitor once told me that her most precious coin was a Roman piece from a provincial mint in the third century CE. She was initially worried but thrilled to learn more.”

“Every coin carried more than monetary value—it delivered messages from the emperor to the provinces.”

“They weren’t just currency,” Noha explains. “They announced important events: the birth of an imperial heir, the end of a war, or the emperor’s victories.”

Her favorite coin?

“The one with a crocodile! It symbolizes Egypt and commemorates the end of Rome’s war with Egypt.”

I smile as I ask, “Can I summarize our talk as ‘Fake Coins, Good Feelings’?”

She laughs. “Absolutely! That’s what I love about my research—uncovering forgotten technologies and hidden stories behind ancient coins.”