New Sabina Denarius (and a Vcoins Dealer Review)

This week has been a great one for ancients. On Wednesday I received two coins in the mail and won a portrait Denarius of Mark Antony on CNG. Then today I bought a small collection of ancients at the shop and got another coin in the mail. That last coin, the one that came in the mail today is going to be the subject of this thread.

On 27 Jan. I ordered a Silver Denarius of Sabina, the wife of Hadrian from Vcoins dealer and CoinTalk member Ken Dorney. I want to state at the outset the Ken has not asked me to post this, I am not receiving anything for posting this and I have no interest or stake of any kind in his business nor he in mine. I am posting what I am posting here only for informational purposes and for love of the hobby.

As stated above I ordered the coin on 27 Jan. 2017 and the coin was shipped the same day, I was also provided with a tracking number and Vcoins was updated to show that the coin had shipped. It arrived today at my PO Box and was professionally packaged in a manner that ensured the coin would be protected.

This is the sellers photo and description:


Sabina, 134 - 136 AD
Silver Denarius, Rome Mint, 18mm, 3.24 grams
Obverse: SABINA AVGVSTA, Diademed and draped bust of Sabina right.
Reverse: VENVS GENETRICI, Venus standing right drawing fold of drapery from shoulder and holding apple.
RIC396
Old collection toning, the type of which comes after a couple of hundred years.

The coin is accurately described (with the exception a misspelling of the reverse legend which is actually VERERI GENETRICI). Dorney describes the toning as "old collection toning" and I agree, it is not the kind of toning that develops except with the passage of many years. In my opinion, while the photo is an accurate depiction of what the coin looks like, it looks much nicer in person and the photo fails to do it full justice.

To summarize:

The coin was well packaged and promptly shipped
It was accurately described
The price represented a good value for the money spent
I would buy from this dealer again without reservation

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Nice coin, Aethelred ... congrats

I've never ordered anything from Dorney (glad to hear that you're satisfied)

Hmmm, Sabina, eh?

=> I only have one example of this fine gal ...

 

Nice OP coin. Here is my only Sabina

 

I eyed that myself, I liked the toning.

My only Sabina


Sabina (128-136 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: SABINA AVGVSTA, diademed and draped bust of Sabina right.
R: CONCOR-DIA AVG, Concordia seated left, holding patera and scepter.
Rome
18mm
3.33g
RIC 391; RSC 24
Ex A. Lynn Collection (Freeman & Sear E16), 89.

 

Nice capture @Aethelred ! Great coin - neat tone on that AR. I have captured a few from Ken, and I agree he is a great source.

I have Sabina to offer up also:


RI Sabina 117-137 Denarius 3-18g Venus standing right holding an apple RSC73

 

@Bing the old gal is showing her age a bit.

 

Some nice examples in this thread, thank you for sharing. Hope to see mor eand maybe a few bronzes.

 

Ken is for sure one of the good Vcoins dealers. His prices are always very fair and his service outstanding.

 

My Sabina VENERI GENETRICI is a little off-center:

 

nice! i don't have one of her either. i do have a coin i purchased from KD, i claudius ii tet....

 

The only coin that has gotten to me so far this year is from Ken Dorney.

 

Nice denarius Aethelred,yes I should also mention I bought a coin from Ken three weeks ago and got it inside two weeks, although a cheap coin he did not charge for delivery and I was very pleased with the service. Claudius 11 Gothicus, issued by Quintillus, circa 270 AD, Rome 19mm,2.69gm.

 

nice coins all, she is on my list.

 

Nice coin, and from what I have read you received the excellent service one can expect from K. Dorney.

His willingness to share his knowledge of ancient coinage is another major point speaking for him as a dealer, in my opinion.

 

I see an opening for a high grade Sabina here... I don't have one but now I am tempted.

 

A very nice Sabina

 

Love the posts and especially the OP portrait!!

It's interesting to note that only Steve's example has a drastically different hair-style.

Here's one example I picked up along the way---not nearly as nice as Mat's example:



And a possible 'limes denarius' that I grabbed on FAC:

 

Very nice Michael , congrats. I think its VENERI not VERERI .

2 Sabina's CONCORDIA

 

That's her early hair-style:

 

Proving just how easy it is to misspell a Roman coin reverse.