Coin Talk

As of today, the old VAMWorld, hosted by Wikispaces since 2006, is no longer accessible. It's replacement, VAMWorld 2.0, has been live for a couple months, and the vamworld.com domain has also already been moved, such that casual users might have only noticed a slightly different look when going to the VAMWorld home page.

VAMWorld was started in mid-2006 by Rob Joyce, now Senior Advisor to the Director NSA for Cyber Security Strategy. He thought it would be easier to have a wiki for the growing VAM catalog that it would be for him to release another print edition of "Fun in 1921," which was guide to neat die breaks on 1921-D Morgan dollars. His first post to the message board was short and sweet, "Just wanted to see if anyone ever looked in the message boards. Not sure if they are something we should use for VAM discussions or not." Twelve years of activity and counting have answered that question.

The transition to the new VAMWorld was made challenging in part by Wikispaces,...

Longtime regulars here might remember the ruler/coin I've been wanting the most, practically since I've started collecting ancient coins. Proud to say that I finally managed to acquire him for my collection after all these years, and after much saliva lost drooling over the examples that a couple of members here (@Brian Bucklan , @Valentinianvs ) have and other examples elsewhere on the internet. First king of Italy Odoacer is now a part of my collection.

Odoacer, Kingdom of Italy
AE nummus
Obv: OD[O-VAC], bare-headed, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev: Odoacer's monogram (letters ODOVA) within wreath
Mint: Ravenna
Date: 476-493 AD
Ref: RIC X 3502
Provenance: Ex Classical Numismatics Group (CNG) 81, 20 May 2009, lot 1157; Ex Gemini, XIII, 6 April 2017, lot 265; Ex Harlan J. Berk (HJB), 2018 September





As a late Roman/early medieval...

Every so often I wonder if all our newest collectors are aware of all that exists in the way of options for their hobby. This post is to remind of a fact that I suspect we all know but rarely consider fully. Before there were 'coins' mankind carried on trade using a variety of found objects. A bit later, it was decided to modify some of these objects to certify or standardize them with regard to value or acceptability as money. Finally it was found convenient to produce objects that would be recognized as money and accepted at a 'face' value. These last objects are what I would term 'coins'.

Some will argue as to the number of separate inventions of 'coins' and whether we can prove that this was an original invention or a modification on a theme seen elsewhere. I will discuss three traditions that I consider inventive enough to be considered original. Your job is to correct where I err and support others that you find worthy of a top level separation.

#1 China
Coins as we...

It's rare that thinking about an upcoming auction keeps me up at night for multiple days due to the excitement.

This type has always been at the top of my wantlist but I never thought I'd manage to acquire one due to its absolute rarity. It's necessary to be patient and opportunistic when you want a coin of which only two are available to private collectors (especially when one of those two is owned by a friend who won't ever sell).

If this coin were sold in a better publicized auction, I likely would have never been able to buy it. It went for roughly half of my max bid and I felt I only had a weak chance of buying it even at that level.

Needless to say, I'm thrilled. And, without further ado:



ATTICA. Athens. AV Diobol (1.43 gms), ca. 407/6 B.C.
Svoronos-pl. 15#7. Head of Athena facing right wearing crested Attic helmet adorned with palmette and olive leaves; Reverse: Two owls standing confronted, olive branch between, ethnic in exergue. Minor...

The Yan state was the originator of the knife coin, basing their currency off of the tool commonly used by the populace. The knife was an important and widely-used tool, so the shape had familiarity and value. The Chinese place much value on objects and ideas important to the function and prosperity of society, so the early currencies were based off of tools that contributed to the prosperity of China: knives and spades. It is estimated that knife currency was introduced around 600 BC, though it could be earlier or later. The State of Yan produced these knife coins until it fell to the Qin state in 222 BC.


(Image from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yan_(state))

The earliest knife coins had broad, rimless blades that came to a pointed tip (so they are fittingly called pointed-tip knives). The “cutting edge” of the blade is unobstructed as on actual knives. The back of the blade has a relatively tall ridge, which represents the reinforcing...

That’s right… the Kingdom of Castile & Leon. I hadn’t heard of this kingdom before two weeks ago when I saw what I thought was an interesting looking English medieval coin, like a John or Henry*. After reaching out to (and the gracious help from) CTer @TheRed , he shared with me that it was in fact from medieval Spain, the Kingdom of Castile and Leon.

Here is that coin that sparked this conversation, searching, and studying.

Kingdom of Castile & Leon
Enrique IV, 1454-1474 AD
BL Medio Cuartillo, Burgos Mint
Obverse: + ENRICVS : CARTVS : DEI : G, around a bust crowned frontally inside a circular border.
Reverse: + ENRICVS : REX : CASTELLE, around a castle with B (mint) below, inside a circular border.
References: (Does anyone have MEC vol. 6 The Iberian Peninsula???)

Ok, so I decided I'd spend the last $4.50 I had left on my paypal on an uncleaned, constantinian bronze coin lot. I recieved four coins, Two of which I am treating for bronze disease. I was able to get the dirt off with a needle, and had no idea what I even had. One of the coins I am yet to identify, but the other had decent detail; yet was completely unidentifiable as a roman bronze due to not having a profile.

So I decided I'd research bronzes from other ancient regions. Finally I got to Judean coins; and the first thing I see is the coin that I have.



As it turns out, this is not a "4th century AD Constantinian Bronze",
but a 37-44 AD bronze prutah of Agrippa I.
And I see they are selling for much more than I got it for, so its always nice to get a 1st century coin in a constantinian lot.


So now that I know that this lot consists of more than just roman coinage, what could this bronze coin be? It has a strange shape....

Hi Everyone

It's been a long time since I posted on here, but I need the community's help.

My currency collection was stolen in St George, UT not far from Las Vegas NV. My entire life's savings tied into the collection.

Can y'all please keep a lookout for the following notes on auction sites? Besides a police report, what other things can I do? Can I notify PMG/PCGS in case a dealer buys it and submits it for grading?

Also, if anyone can post a link to this thread on the PCGS forums, it would be greatly appreciated.

I'll post other notes in this thread as I'm able to recover some photos. Unfortunately, my laptop was taken with the list of serial numbers.

The 1928 $1 Red Seal is no longer in its holder. I cut it out when I received it.

Marie de' Medici

Work of Guillaume Dupré, 1624.


Bronze, 106.0 mm Ø, 101.8 g (Uniface)

Obverse: Bust of Marie de' Medici facing right, wearing a widow's cap, a string of pearls, and a dress with open standing collar at the front of which hangs a cross. Around, in retrograde, MARIA AVGVSTA GALLIÆ ET NAVARÆ REGINA (Maria Augusta, Queen of France and Navarre). Beneath the truncation, G DVPRE F 1624 .

Marie de' Medici was born on April 26, 1575, in Florence to Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. In October of 1600, she married Henri IV of France, and was crowned Queen of France on May 13, 1610, one day before her husband's assassination. Although her son, Louis XIII, come of age on his thirteenth birthday in 1614, thus ending the regency of Marie, she still remained the de facto ruler of France until Louis exiled her in 1617. In 1621, with assistance her confidant and adviser,...

I have just put the 'phone down from speaking with the 'Australian Taxation Office'.
As of 1st July, 2018, ALL eBay transactions (except exempt items) will have the additional tax applied, (whereas previously it only applied to items with a value/sale price of A$1,000 or more). This is in addition to any 'Buyer's Premium', 'Commission', 'Postage & Handling', 'Currency Conversion', 'Paypal Fees', and 'Credit Card' charges that might already be applied to any purchase.
I queried my G.S.T. charge on my recent coin purchases as it was my understanding that as the coins are (obviously) 'second hand' then the G.S.T. did not apply to them, and also as the seller was an overseas business and not 'registered' with the Australian Taxation Office, they would not be able to collect/remit Australian taxes.
I was informed that any business within Austrlaia that transacts sales of A$75,000, (or more annually in Australia) must charge the G.S.T. (Now it gets interesting.)
Paypal has (now) registered...