Coin Talk

With the recent pickup of a Barber Dime, I have completed a subset of my larger Prooflike Typeset - all of the Barber coinage. It is interesting to compare them side-by-side. I'll be honest, I've never been a huge fan of Barbers: the artwork is functional at best, the designs are boring. They replaced the long-running Seated Liberty series which, while not the greatest, at least had more interesting designs. When the Barber coins were finally put to rest, they were replaced with some of the greatest designs in our coinage history.

However, now that I own them, I have come to appreciate the fine details that some of them possess. Barber wasn't an artistic sort of fellow, but at least he was a skilled engraver. The details on the feathers of the Eagle are some of the best around.

What really sets these coins apart is their prooflike quality. Prooflike Barber coinage is very scarce. Just a quick rundown of the numbers: there are only 18 Liberty nickels (and I own the single NGC...

Note: This was created as a super basic informational thread about coins and banknotes resources in Japan.
If you are thinking to travel to Japan you might like to “Watch Thread” for future reference.

Background:
I worked in Japan for three years from 2011 - 2014 and while I was there I tried my best to learn about Japanese coins, meet dealers, attended regular coin shows and add some pieces to my collection. I also was aided by another CoinTalk member whom I knew from this forum before I went to Japan. We met several times at coin shows in Japan and we enjoyed chatting and browsing the bourse floor together. He was instrumental in teaching me the ropes and because he’s fluent, helped my introduction to several dealers. I owe much to him for his mentoring.

Enjoying the hobby IN a foreign place:
Delving into numismatics in a...

This thread should cover basic concepts of grading the Morgan Dollar, from grade Poor 1 to MS69. I will be using the knowledge I have, photos from Heritage, and the grading standards of the ANA to point out what the coins graded and why they graded the way they did. This thread will stick to one grading company, PCGS, to maintain consistency in grading within one company.

In this thread I will try to remain with one date, I will try to get 1893-S for the lower grades, as that is a coin that is available in lower grades. For higher grades, you will start to see a bigger variety of dates.

Well, well, well, what do we have here, another book on tets, from our very own TIF!

So anyhow, TIF was sweet and bought the cute 'widdle YN a book on Alexandrian coins...but on the condition that he do a book review! Yay!

Alexandrian Coins, by Keith Emmett
Originally published 2001

Overall impression: Emmett catalogs (as the name suggests) not merely tetradrachms, but all denominations of Alexandrian coins. This makes it a fascinating read (erm, skim to be more precise) for those not already acquainted with the (slightly) less popular types. Emmett also includes an exciting cataloging system, but I'll build some suspense and save that for later.However, you're out of luck if you're looking for a Milne style history of the mint or something similar.

Specific Points of Awesome (SPA): Type totals by denomination and issuer; cataloging system; rarity ratings; highlights 'o-awesome; Greek to Latin translator; expanded obverse inscriptions.

Specific Points of Fail (SPF):...

Another what I like to call a "VK (ValiantKnight) coin" !
I had been meaning to pick up another Vandal Kingdom coin but had been putting it off as my interest was directed towards other post-Roman Germanic coinage (mainly Ostrogothic - got 9 in the last year!) and more recently, early Italian Byzantine coinage. This is my first Vandal purchase in nearly a year and a half and my first struck in the name of one of their kings (milestone!!!). And of course, I can't say no to a monogram that I like .

Some historical background:

The Vandals were a Germanic tribe originally from Scandinavia, and had, over the first few centuries AD, migrated to Hispania (Spain, where they took on the Alans - another migrating tribe - after the death of the Alan king) and later in the 430s AD had reached Roman North Africa. The Romans, not having the adequate resources or manpower during this time to completely dislodge any of the barbarian tribes encroaching further onto its shrinking territory,...

I've neglected to post several of my new coins for quite some time and will hopefully get into a more regular cadence of uploading.

I bought this coin out of the most recent Gemini sale. After being somewhat underwhelmed by the picture in the catalog, I assumed I wouldn't be bidding on it. However, upon seeing it in hand, I was blown away and knew I would have to chase after it anticipating considerable competition. I'm becoming increasingly surprised by the range in photography quality by auction houses and dealers: the Gemini picture didn't show any of the iridescence in this coin and I think that is a very important aspect of its overall aesthetics. I won it considerably under my max bid, which is always a good feeling.

The sale was on the Sunday after the long NYINC show, so I imagine most dealers were already on their way home: the auction was one of the fastest I've ever witnessed, and I almost missed bidding on it myself but luckily happened to check the progress, assuming...

I acquired this coin a few months ago but haven't posted it yet. I've always admired the staters from Lokris but hadn't found one which "spoke" to me like this one. My pictures capture the details but fail to show how lustrous the surfaces are. One of these days, I'm hoping 3D photography will be more readily available to truly share what coins look like in-hand.

I've posted this coin before, and was hoping to acquire its larger brother at a recent auction but unfortunately was significantly outbid. However, the writeup added some helpful historical context (and I recently took much better pictures of it) so I thought everyone might be interested in it here:

"The coinage of Akragas consistently depicted the crab and eagle since its earliest issue of the sixth century BC, and the best engravers were recruited to render these symbols of the city in the finest possible style. Late in the fifth century the coinage of the city underwent a remarkable transformation; like many of the cities of Sicily such as Messana and Syracuse, a renaissance began that saw numismatic art reach new heights of intricacy and magnificence. The traditional types were transformed, and the metamorphosis could not have been more pronounced - the previously static types are replaced by dynamic scenes full of activity and energy.

This particular design of the two eagles...

Those disgusted or are otherwise offended by broken coins, I recommend you click away now!
Only warning! Last chance!

I try to avoid broken coins like many of you, but I love collecting from this time period and the history of the Dark Ages and I knew this coin had a good chance for selling for much cheaper than unbroken examples would usually fetch. I took a chance and snagged it for IMO was a good price: $21 shipped is bringing me home this rare piece of Dark Ages goodness. Now for the obligatory history lesson


Charles the Bald (b. 823 AD) was the son of Emperor Louis the Pious of the Carolingian Empire, and one of the grandsons of the famous Charlemagne. After Louis died in 840 AD, his empire fell into civil war between his sons, Charles included. After becoming allies with his brother Louis the German, they together defeated the other son the emperor Lothair I a year later. In the Treaty of Verdun drawn up between the brothers, the empire was divided among the kings...

I wasn't satisfied with previous photos of it and I also thought this one was interesting enough for a re-introduction. Its easily in the best condition out of my Ostrogothic coins (along with my second Ravenna monogram coin).

This half-follis was struck during King Theodoric the Great's reign over Italy, which began in 493 AD. The use of an exclusively Roman legend, the wolf and twins (along with other Ostrogothic coinage utilizing Roman themes and imagery), by the new, foreign masters of Italia was part of Theodoric's policy to court the Roman population now under his care after his conquest, most of all the Senate of Rome (still existing at this point), to accept barbarian rule over the heart of the former Western Roman Empire that he now possessed. This would also serve to legitimize and gain for Theodoric continued acceptance of his rule by the Roman emperor in Constantinople, who was technically his (more powerful) boss (Theodoric was ordered to invade Italia by the Eastern...