  In this research, we report on the compositional, microstructural and
crystallographic properties of a lead coin which has been regarded for many
years as a genuine silver coin minted in the Southern Italy in the course of
the 4th century BC. The material characterisation of this object allowed
detecting an ancient forging technology, not previously reported, which was
meant for the silvering of lead substrates The data collected have disclosed a
contemporary counterfeiting procedure based on a metal coating process onto a
Pb substrate. This coating has been identified as a bi-layer with a Cu
innermost and an Ag outermost visible layer. As far as the coating application
technique is concerned, the gathered evidence has clearly indicated that the
original appearance of this artifact cannot be explained in terms of any of the
established methods for the growth of an artificially silvered coating in
classical antiquity. This technology is now being explained in terms of modern,
fully non destructive scientific methods.
