Chapter 624 - 10: Ivan_2
The more he looked, the deeper Feng Tan’s brow furrowed, until it eventually twisted into a knot.
Judging from the material, color, weight of the gold, and craftsmanship, all of these Gold Coins could be described as "authentic" beyond any doubt.
But antiques are antiques; having an ancient character implies they must go through the temper of time, the sedimentation of years.
In this respect, these Gold Coins fall short.
The 17th century to the 21st century spans a full four hundred years, and even stable gold would undergo corresponding changes over such a long period.
However, these changes are nowhere to be found on the Gold Coins that Chen Zhou brought.
It would be unreasonable to say they are high-quality modern imitations because some of these coins show traces of surface attachments, oxidation, and environmental pollution formed over hundreds of years.
Although pure gold itself hardly oxidizes, with time, its surface can absorb metallic impurities and oxidize into red spots.
If dust and grease are absorbed, the coin surface appears dull.
Slight oxidation patina forms a thin layer of oxide film on the gold surface, showing dark yellow or brown and might even turn black if severely oxidized; stored in humid regions for too long, black and white spots might form.
Feng Tan found himself undecided because—
The coins Chen Zhou brought were so pristine; there wasn’t a trace of improper preservation or environmental damage visible.
If it were porcelain, it would be said in the antique trade to have a "thief-like brightness."
Being too much like the real thing paradoxically means it isn’t genuine.
...
"Hiss~"
Taking a deep breath, Feng Tan rearranged the Gold Coins and shook his head.
"Honestly, after nearly thirty years of studying currency, these are the first batch I can’t decipher.
All I can say is at first glance, the appraisal result leans towards authenticity.
If you could tell me in detail how these coins were preserved, inherited, and their origins, I might provide more judgments.
Of course, you don’t have to share that; seeing such well-preserved, high restoration level European currency, even if it’s imitation, is quite enlightening."
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhou did not respond, but Harrison, sitting on the side, opened his mouth with clumsy Chinese.
Despite his speech mixing Chinese and English, Chen Zhou could still understand.
This renowned collector frequently attends auctions and has many currencies in his collection; he observed during Feng Tan’s appraisal.
By comparing with his collection, Harrison believed Chen Zhou’s currency was indeed genuine and was willing to pay to acquire them.
As a member of the British Royal Family, Harrison oversees so many enterprises that even he can’t remember them all; for someone like him, spending the interest daily is a difficult task.
Therefore, he was quite generous.
In terms of auction prices, a single Noble Gold Coin of the second edition issued in 1605 under James I could sell for £84,000.
The Sovereign Gold Coin of the first edition issued the same year could sell for £60,000.
Though Harrison was wealthy, he couldn’t offer Chen Zhou the auction prices.
Based on issue year, appearance, and rarity, Harrison provided quotes ranging from a minimum of £20,000 to a maximum of £70,000 for Chen Zhou’s coins.
Chen Zhou had brought a total of 14 coins, meaning that based on Harrison’s quotes, the transaction could amount to nearly a million pounds.
However, trading with someone like Harrison from the British Royal Family is quite troublesome; Chen Zhou, not currently lacking money, sought appraisal merely to resolve his inner doubts—
Whether the currency and artifacts from the 17th century are considered antiques, and whether the appraisal result is true or false.
Although Harrison wanted to purchase them, Chen Zhou declined.
He didn’t express displeasure with this outcome; being a Royal Family member, raised with noble education, well-versed in etiquette and cultivation, and hailing from the famously gentlemanly United Kingdom.
...
Seeing that merely producing the Gold Coins stirred quite a commotion among those present, Chen Zhou intended to have his Inca Empire’s gold jewelry appraised but ultimately chose not to.
Back then, Europeans plundered numerous treasures from the Inca Empire, most of which were safely housed in Europe’s Louvre Museum, British Museum, and Vatican Museum.
Should he produce one identical to a piece from the British Museum, it would be hard to explain.
Especially when his collection lacks provenance; even claiming them to be imitations lacks any trace of forgery tools or artisans, and if this matter were to escalate, it would bring him endless troubles.
Thanks to Manager Sun’s connections, he managed to sell so much gold and silver without drawing bank investigations, nor was he called in for questioning, which he considered very fortunate; he wanted to avoid trouble from high-profile actions or showing off.
Moreover, he had long passed the age of youthful arrogance and bravado.
After all, considering the years he actually experienced, he was already an old man.
...
As a guest, he couldn’t leave immediately after the Gold Coins’ appraisal; those present were superior to Chen Zhou in terms of age, social status, and even wealth.
He was indeed the junior among them, and since Feng Tan appraised his collection for free and introduced him to two major figures from the collection world, it was only polite for him to stay at the teahouse; even if he couldn’t join the conversation, listening to the stories about the wonders and oddities in the cultural relics realm could be enlightening.
Professional tea masters brewed tea for the four by the table, Feng Tan, Harrison, and Ivan casually conversed.
Chen Zhou occasionally added a few words, which wasn’t considered inappropriate, as he got along with these elders.
After noon, the teahouse’s light dimmed a bit, and guests by the street gradually left one by one.
Feeling he had grown familiar with the three elders, Chen Zhou couldn’t resist asking a question he was very curious about.
"Mr. Ivan, may I boldly ask, how old are you?"
Chen Zhou asked this in Chinese, and Ivan’s comprehension level in Chinese was only moderate, only understanding after Feng Tan’s explanation.
Seeing Chen Zhou stare at his white beard, Ivan burst into hearty laughter, telling Chen Zhou he’s only 65 years old.
Upon learning his age, Chen Zhou immediately calculated in his mind, according to traditional Chinese age reckoning, Ivan should be either born in 1959 or 1960, which definitely couldn’t be Ivan himself; it might be Ivan’s son or grandson.
As far as Chen Zhou knew, Soviets had a tradition of using their father’s or grandfather’s names, though it was seldom practiced.
If Ivan managed to clear his name back then and escaped death, and his descendants received his buried treasure, rising to become oligarchs, carrying forward his name wouldn’t be surprising.
Yet, keenly observing Ivan’s face, recalling those blurred image files, Chen Zhou felt this Ivan was deceiving him.
...
They say curiosity killed the cat; knowing too much might not be beneficial, but to pursue the truth behind the mystery, Chen Zhou purposefully concentrated his senses, relaxed the restrictions on his hearing.
His incredibly powerful senses acted like a strong vacuum, capturing any subtle changes around the table, bringing him more information.
Ivan was seated opposite the table, and once focused, Chen Zhou could even hear the sound of his stomach bouts, not to mention the distinct heartbeat and breathing sounds.
Chen Zhou initially wanted to determine Ivan’s truthfulness from the variations in his breathing and heart rate, yet after concentrating on his heartbeat for a while, he found Ivan’s heart rate very odd—
For regular aging individuals, their resting heart rate drops from 60–100 beats per minute to 50–70 beats per minute.
Whereas Ivan’s heart rate was even lower, roughly 30–50 beats per minute.
If he were as ordinary as anyone else, having a heart rate this low would make normal life impossible; he’d either suffer from coronary artery disease or myocarditis, long plagued by dizziness, weariness, and staying bedridden.
But observing Ivan’s energetic demeanor, there was no sign of the impacts of heart rate, which clearly defied logic.