The mailman struggled to my door today to deliver two 'massive' new coins. First at 3.33g and 16mm is an Elymais drachm from Frank Robinson (my only win but he sent two runner up lots that I am returning). This Phraates eagle is one you won't get in the bulk lots of common Elymais drachms. It may not be mint state but it compares reasonably with the eagle reverse coins I have seen. I am calling in van't Haaf 14.2, 1-2A but the eagle's feet almost are starting to go forward which would change that ID. The book says there is a large variation in the eagle styles. Looking at all his images and my coin, I'd say that is very true. The second was from an eBay seller I had never used before. At 10mm and .42g it is a silver of Persis. I am uncertain of the ruler shown but am tending toward Pakor. The denomination is given often as an obol but I really doubt that the people in Persis would recognize that name. I bid on this one because the reverse legend seems like it might yield to being read by someone who knows these. Now all I have to do and find that someone. Any help here would be appreciated. If you know a good online site on these, please share the URL.
i got an elymais coin today as well, and have been "vant haafing" as well...with some uncertainty. i'll try to post it tomorrow, please take a look. the eagle reverse is cool...i was gunning for one with something other than the dashes. two cool coins.
Ah, so that's standard practice for him. I had wondered. My recent sole experience with his auctions led to me unexpectedly receiving a coin I didn't bid on-- no notice, no invoice sent first, no "hey do you want this example instead". I did not want the coin but driving to the post office, standing in line, etc cost more in time than the coin was worth. I kept the coin and paid for it-- even though I had not bid on that exact coin and there was no fine print indicating that alternative "consolation" lots might be sent sight unseen-- because I didn't want to end up on his public (and lengthy) deadbeat list. The experience did not give me the warm and fuzzies.
In most cases he only substitutes exact duplicates of things he has in quantity but his Elymais stock is huge and he does not use van't Haff so he did not appreciate why I was bidding on those coins. If you bid again, specify that you do not want substitutes. This was the first time I have had to send one back since I'm usually happy to have the type. Since I have a dozen Elymais and the book, I'll not be OK with the practice.
But there's really no such thing as an "exact duplicate" when it comes to ancient coins. I can see how this business practice might be appreciated by many people but I was taken aback. The coin I'd bid on was just an "oh why not" but it was a nice enough example of the type (unlike the unexpected and unphotographed coin received). My real targets were several lots of books, which I thought I'd won. That was another source of disappointment-- based on communication immediately prior to closing and the posted closing price, I thought I'd won all those lots. Nope.
Both coins are cool (I really like the first coin with the semi-primitive eagle) ... but wow, I certainly don't want to bid in that dude's auctions if he's playing the ol' here is some extra-stuff, mail it back to me if you don't want it, game!!
