ANCIENT - The Dynamic Duo - Trajan and Hercules - Tyre Phoenicia

This coin I have been also chasing for quite sometime. I had my eye one quite sometime ago, but let it go, the price was good but the condition was less then satisfactory. A few days ago I came across this and simply could not turn it down. The seller had bought a collection 3-4 of this type were for sale. This coin though was conditionally far better than the rest. I got it at a deal so I doubly happy.

I have always been a fan of Hercules and the studded clubs he is so famous for wielding. This coin had everything I was looking for. This coin has the Emperor Trajan at the Helm during the greatest height of the Roman Empire accompanied by the club and an eagle symbolizing power. The reverse featuring The Laureate head of Hercules (Melkart, Herakles) wearing a lion pelts around his neck. The coin is one hulking piece of silver.:thumb:

The coin is from the famous Tyre mint in Phoenicia. If you guys hadn't noticed Phoenicia produced some very awesome ancient coins.


Trajan
AR tetradrachm of Tyre, Phoenicia.
Dated "COS 5" = 103-111 AD. 26mm x 14.0g.
Obverse: AVTOKP KAIC NEP TPAIANOC CEB GERM DAK, laureate head right, club & eagle below.
Reverse - DHMAPC EX IC YPAT e, laureate bust of Melqart right, draped in lion skin knotted at neck.
ref:BMC 14, Sear 1043.

 

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It's a fabulous piece. I've become very interested in these Eastern provincials lately - because of my interest in Arabian coinage. This isn't Arabian of course, but Tyre is close enough for me. There are some very distinctive Trajan provincial designs.

 

Actually dated to TR POT XVI, COS VI. AD 112. Prieur 1516

 

Whoa!! => that's another fantastic winner => you are burnin' like a comet, my friend (you are definitely the lead-dog at the moment!!)

=> well played, Mister Coin-man ...... oh my, very well played!!

:jumping-jack:

 

Yes I am guilty of using the sellers provided information. I did find that entry and you are correct. The style is far more similar. Dead on! Thanks man. :yes:

 

Plus, there's the date Iζ in the reverse legend.

He's a great seller, very fun to deal with and talk to.

 

Maybe you care to take a whack at the date on the Arados tet in the other thread?

 

Oh ya! I was going to do that if no one else had an answer.

 

:thumb: that's fantastic....very cool trajan bust with the club and eagle...very different. :thumb:

 

Anoob, you're getting as bad as Jerry. Extremely nice coin. :thumb:

 

Wow! Nice one Anoob. A sizeable chunk of silver, with Trajan, one of the most studly Roman Emperors, Hercules...the original strong man himself, and a club and an eagle.

That coin can be described in one word...MANLY! :thumb:

In fact I think that coin is so manly...you could probably pick up chicks by just walking around with it in your pocket.

 

Sizeable chunk of silver - great eye appeal

Hello Ancientnoob,
Sorry I missed this thread until now. RaceBannon wrote what I was thinking. (Great minds must think alike). I would add that the coin has great condition and toning that I like.

 

UPDATE:

The seller contacted me and informed me that the coin is misplaced, lost, or stolen, but otherwise unavailable. He offered to look around yesterday and today for the piece and get back to me. He also noted he would offer me a similar deal on another piece, but many of his coins (or the coins I could afford or have interest in) are already sold. Probably close to 80% of his online inventory. I have no gripe about seller, he seems both kind and forthcoming. I was reading another post and one of the "greats" opposed posting "coming attractions" (coins not in hand yet) for fear of jinxing the safe arrival. This I suppose just happened to me. Being a coin I have been chasing, it is a true loss, I would much rather have the coin than the money. Although once its resolved, I don't believe it would be very difficult to spend the refund. (If indeed the coin is not found.)Sad.

 

I feel your pain. The same thing happened to me a month ago, and I'm still smarting.

 

As painful as my interpretation of these events may be, I think that Occam's Razor* applies to this situation and points to a darker conclusion: namely, the seller perpetrated a bait-and-switch on this coin.

Let me preface this by asking (1) have you ever purchased a coin from this seller before? and (2) if so, has the purchased coin suddenly not been available after you've sent the funds? If your answers are (1) Yes and (2) No, then maybe the seller is being honest. But if these aren't your answers, then Occam's Razor pretty much guarantees that the simplest explanation of what happened is a bait-and-switch -- especially after noting your quote above.

First, what's the probability that this dealer really lost or misplaced the coin somehow? I don't mean "What's the probability that in thousands of transactions a dealer has lost a sold coin?" -- I mean, what's the probability that he lost THIS coin that YOU purchased for the first time from him? He can't find it? Seriously?

Second, he already has your money (if I read your post correctly). He knows you want that type of coin, he knows you're reluctant to simply get a refund, and he just "happens to have" two or three similar coins (albeit not of the same quality) on which he's willing to give you a similar "deal." Wow, what a coincidence that is!

As I said in my preface, there may be mitigating circumstances in this situation. But even (or especially) if a seller has an apparently high level of customer satisfaction (not including yours), that may only mean he's a true expert at the bait-and-switch technique, and manages to keep his scammed customers in the dark about what really happened.

Personally, I would request a refund immediately and simply not deal with this seller again. The whole thing smells fishy.


*Succinctly put, Occam's Razor states "All things being equal, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one."

 

I "liked" this not because I like it, but I can commisurate. I had similar recently with the coin I have been chasing so long being a fake, and a few months before that getting one in the mail I was looking forward broken. All three scenarios suck man, I know how you feel. Right now I am feeling bad about the three world coins I posted earlier, but the dealer is good and I just got an email they are shipped so hopefully everything it good.

I know it hurts man, just repeat after me, "there is always another coin, there is always another coin". That is what I tell myself, and you know what? Its true.

 

lost what would have been my first elagabalus that way not long ago....did get a refund. sorry AN, hope it turns up.:headbang:[h=1][/h]

 

Noob we call those guys "Indian givers" , I would never do business with him again.:rollling:

 

I understand your concern sir, but I disagree. Coins simply get lost. They are tiny little things, easy to misplace. I have had coins lost with several major sellers, including companies who have employees who post here, and I never doubted them. Its how a seller responds to such a situation that counts. If the seller just says "sorry its lost, I can refund the money", that is an ok answer. If he says, "I am truly sorry but the coin is lost. I can refund your money, or offer you a deal on a similar coin, or refund your money and try to locate another example of this coin for you, or substitute a slightly more expensive coin for you instead" then that is showing you its a good seller.

Accidents happen in life. Those sellers who respond well to them not only don't lose my business, but gain my confidence they will do right by me and gain more of my business.

Just my opinion.

 

Tough break, A-Dawg ... that sucks!!

Yah, the Club & Eagle were definitely very cool details on the OP-coin ... and unless the dude has an "equal or better" version of the coin, then if you're anything like me, you won't be satisfied with a lousier version ...

=> yup, there's nuthin' worse than "the one that got away" syndrome

Cheers brother (to all the good ones that got away!!)

:cheers: