What do you think of this Sestertius of Antoninus Pius?

You're not the only one that "overpays" for coins, Steve. Every time I've posted a coin and divulged what I paid for it, a dozen guys come along and say, "...I could have gotten that for less than half!" I don't know where these guys are shopping - does Goodwill have a coin department?

 

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Some of us are just old, crusty, and have more sources.

My opinion on the original sestertius would be $40-50, but i wouldn't get mad at you if you really liked it and spent a touch more. I think i am soft because i like the green patina.

 

If I lose out on another piece I'm more interested in, I'll offer the seller $40, and if he's willing to barter down to $60, I'll take it. I basically agree with you guys on the price range though, now that I've done some market research.

 

I know how that feels. It's definitely a great feeling to finally get a coin after a long time searching and waiting.

 

I have a very low budget and so I often wait until some coin comes along. I also ask dealers about a price and some reasons why. Best deal I got by asking was a $60 coin, asked for $30 and got it. It's fun looking for lower prices but I'm sure if I had a higher budget I would be getting way better coins and not waiting as long.

 

You've got a lot of really great coins though, Gil-Galad. I've looked through your collections and you've got nothing to be ashamed of. I can relate to being on a budget - I've got four kids to feed and house and clothe. Talk about a money pit!

 

Thanks, I do appreciate that. Well, I certainly ain't ashamed because I do like my coins. The longer I collect, I always see more and higher grade coins that I would like but there is no way.

Yeah, a family is really expensive. Sometimes they don't appreciate it either. lol

 

Here are a couple I got both at a great price.

 

Heres one I paid the most on

 

Off topic.

stevex6, I see you have a avatar of Daenerys Targaryen. Evidently, you must like the Game of Thrones TV series? I think it's awesome so far.

End off-topic.

 

=> Yes, I love the Game of Thrones (we just bought the 2nd season ... yup, apparently I can find more ways than one to blow my hard-earned cash, eh?!)

... sadly we don't have kids, but there is always a silver-lining => I have a "bit" of extra cash to spend on my wife and coins!!

 

Again I suffer in timeliness by having a life away from the Internet butI'd like to offer an opinion regarding Steve's two sestertii. At $100 each they seem a bit high but I might have considered the second one because of the reverse type showing Tiber, the personification of Rome's river. Pius has a lot of bronzes. Some are really, really cool. Since we can't own them all (can we???), I tend to be willing to pay more for a coin that has something different, interesting or beautiful and less for just another standing goddess/nobody. Being very low priced or very high grade certainly can qualify a coin for special status. I really want the big pig reverse. I like action scenes or things related to history. I like coins with nice smooth surfaces even if that comes with some wear as long as the price is right. Was buying the Tiber sestertius a mistake? Not to me. It is a coin that may be replaced someday by a nicer one but it is not something to shun like we are too good to have a coin like that in our collections. Unlike Steve, I rarely spend enough taking my wife out to dinner to buy a coin but we tend to dine at Taco Bell or Wendy's (dollar menu) and get the senior discount.

 

This is a major point for me. Yes, I love some of my coins that happen to be in high grade. However, for the right price, any coin is welcome into my little hoarder arms. I just don't get the snobbery of some, "only allowing" the most pristine coins into their collection. The OP's coin was struck for commerce, it did its job admirably, passing through probably thousands of hands in ancient times. For that we kick it to the curb? Why don't we embrace this valued and well used artifact of ancient commerce, and celebrate its success?

Like I said, for the right price of acquisition, (so I could afford to buy more, not from any profit concern), I would love to have a whole collection of such coins.

 

I bought this one in 2007 for $16.



Antoninus Pius Sestertius Dacia
Obverse: Laureate head right / ANTONINVS AVG PIUS
Reverse: Dacia standing left, holding crown and sickle / DACIA round edge, S.C. in field
COS II in exergue
Specifications:
Size: 32mm, thickness: 4mm
Weight: 23.58gm
Struck: AD 139 Rome mint
Catalog: Strack 786 (Not in RIC or Cohen)

Identifying it was fun as it was not in RIC (Roman Imperial Coins),
somebody pointed me to Strack, a 1937 German catalog.