Can someone explain "AE Tin" please?

I've seen a few coins described as AE Tin - and they look like solid tin for that matter. Are the sellers misinformed, or do they in fact contain a small amount of copper?

 

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I think it has to do with size but I don't know anything past that. Someone else will chime in.

 

It's not size - the coin I saw was described as AE Tin Follis, and it didn't look like it had a shred of copper to it, so I'm wondering why the "AE"... I'll see if I can find the auction.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/290777871905?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

AE means bronze...
Tin means tin...

Is it just silvering?

 

That's a nice looking Constantine, but I think "tin" is a mis-identification. I've never noticed anyone describe one of these as "tin".

 

That's what I'm wondering. But bronze is an alloy of mostly copper and a bit of tin. So maybe this one is reversed? Mostly tin with a bit of copper?

 

I believe it is Copper, little bit of tin, with a great amount of silvering left.

 

I think maybe the seller meant it was silvered.

Btw AE means copper based, not bronze, (or brass for that matter). It just means its a predominantly copper alloy.

 

It's sweet huh? I've got my finger on the trigger, but the tin thing is confusing me. Maybe Windchild is right - it's silvering...

 

Nice coin with a better reverse. Not a bad coin at all JA. I am too cheap to go that for a Constantine, but that is one of the nicer ones you will ever see.

 

I'm not suggesting you pull the trigger, but if I were in the market for another Constantine and I had the money, this would be very tempting.

 

...Interesting.... it does have a kind of pewter tinge about it. The ancients have used tin/copper alloys since around 3000 BC.

 

Whew! For a second there I thought you guys was talkin' ASE's.........

 

Have never seen a description as AE Tin. The coin loos like silver.

 

This particular seller (who is a long time UK dealer not primarily focussed on e**y) has described silvered bronze ancients as AE Tin for many years. I do not know why he uses the term and I have never seen it used by anyone else as far as I can remember.
Martin

 

I also have seen silvered coins called 'tinned' and am not aware of studies that establish that some of the silver plating was actually another metal (tin or other). It may be. The coin strikes me as a normal type with remaining silvering but we need someone into metals to chime in on whether it could be tested for tin versus silver in the thin surface wash.

Looking at the seller's other offerings I see he considers all late Roman silvered coins to be tinned. I can not prove him wrong. Almost without exception the coins he offers are things I would love to add to my collection at the right price but, also almost without exception, I would not pay anything close to his prices. That is why I don't have thousands of super coins. If you are fabulously wealthy and really don't care what you pay, you could do worse than buying every coin he offers. If I were wanting to spend money on one of his sales, I saw others I liked better than this but that is opinion and there is nothing wrong with the Constantine.

 

I appreciate what you're saying Doug, but as far as online shopping goes, where exactly do you go for cheaper coins in that grade? I've checked eBay, the major auction houses, vcoins, etc., and all the pieces I want start around $100 - the pieces with minimal wear, good centering, strong strikes, and smooth surfaces.

I'm not a hoarder, so it doesn't bother me to collect a choice coin every few months as opposed to a handful in fine - in fact, I prefer that kind of collecting. The few LRBs I have now certainly appeal to me on a variety of levels, but I would prefer higher grades. It seems every time you post a coin on this board, regardless of the forum, somebody comes along and says, "I'd never pay that kind of money for it..."

So what kind of money would you pay for it, and where would you get it? (Online that is...I know you can get much better deals at shows.)

 

Best I could offer would be to look at some group lots of better sellers, (not ebay). Some regular dealers have auctions, and sometimes group lots look like this, and on a per coin basis its much cheaper.

I understand what you are saying JA, a lot of us "old timers" simply chafe at current prices, and truth be told many of us could not buy online today for a lower price. But, we shop around, go to shows, know other collectors, and simply wait around for better deals in our opinion.

Its tough, everyone is talking about increased prices nowadays and what is to blame for them. Honestly, I kind of place the blame on internet forums and making these coins more popular.

 

I'm one of those who like to refer to themselves as "bottom feeders". You know, the kind that always tries to find a deal. And, being patient, I have been lucky and found a lot of good deals on well struck coins. Some I have posted here. But, once in a while, I see a coin I like/want at regular prices and just go for it. I was at the Orlando FUN Show last month and bought a few coins, but to be honest I didn't think buying at this show was a bargain. I've done much better on line, even at Vcoins. If I see a coin at Vcoins or Numismall I want, I will make an offer to the dealer. A reasonable offer. Perhaps 10-20% off the asking price. We generally meet in the middle somewhere. A lot of people say they don't like buying on Ebay, but if you find some sellers that stand behind their offerings, I don't see why not Ebay. I have a list of about 25 sellers I have bought from in the past with good results, so I always look at their offerings. Also, many of the dealers on Vcoins sell on Ebay at reduced prices.

I think the key, however, is patience. Don't feel rushed into buying something. It will come along again soon enough.