Maybe someone can clarify for me this massive price tag for Saloninus

Hello team,

Maybe you can clarify for me as to why there is such a huge price tag on this Saloninus on Leu Numismatics auction..

Below you will find a much nicer quality sample that I purchased a few years back

 

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Probably because the walking spes is a bit scarcer? But that doesn't justify the high cost.

I like my ant. better, mainly for the toning.


Saloninus (258 - 260 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: SALON VALERIANVS CAES, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: PIETAS AVG, priestly implements - littus, knife, jug, simpulum, and sprinkler.
Rome
4.3g
21.1mm
RIC V 9, RSC IV 4

Tets of his are pretty scarce too.


Saloninus (258 - 260 A.D.)
Egypt, Alexandria
Billion Tetradrachm
O: PO LI KORCA VALERIANOC K CEB, Bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
R: Eagle standing left, head turned, holding wreath, L Z (?) in fields.
23.3mm
7.38g
Köln 3005; Dattari (Savio) 5377; K&G 93.8; Emmett 3776.7.

 

Agreed Mat, but my example is exactly the same, no?

1000 CHF vs 40 USD, am I going crazy???
are there any hidden gems that I don't see?

 

Where your coin is Saloninus as caesar, the Leu coin was issued with him as augustus, which is what makes all the difference. The accompanying blurb elaborates on the rarity of those issues.

 

Thanks Zubly, can you pinpoint to me exactly what indicates the difference in two coins on coin surface?- Nevermind, I see IMP designation, if I am not mistaken.. Someone probably a huge fan of Saloninus to pay 1200 USD for this, if not more....

 

AVG on the Leu coin and CAES on yours.

 

Thank you Zumbly, I also saw you commented on IBelgia auction, have you received you invoice yet?

 

I didn't win anything... the lots I thought I might bid on went way past my limit before I could even click the button.

 

did you try placing a bid on their internal website? I was not able to participate in their live auction, but on the internal website it still shows that I am winning bidder, do you know if live bidding feeds into their internal system?

 

Sorry, I've no idea, I didn't try bidding on their website.

 

thanks

 

Ah, didn't notice the AVG, makes sense now. Owell.

 

another factor can to be that sometimes collectors lose their heads with "pedigree" coins: "Ex-coll factor"...

 

For those who feel like a research project:
As an exercise, see if you can name the other rulers where there is a significant difference in price for a CAESAR and an AVGVSTVS coin of the same person. There are several with minor differences like Constantius I but Saloninus is not the only one with a larger difference.

 

I've always thought this coin was of him although it is debatable.

 

You would have an easier time convincing people that this was Saloninus if he were known to have issued coins with the Abundentia reverse with B in left field.

In the majority of cases it is good to look at the reverse of a coin before trying to ID it. Coins, for example, of rulers who share a name like Constantius but did not use the same reverses benefit greatly from this. There are quite a few types that were only used by one ruler. I believe Warren has a page on this. Positive ID's are not as frequent as negative. If a reverse was not used by someone, it would be very unlikely that you found the first one. There are mules, often barbarous, combining inappropriate types so we can not be absolutely certain here but reverses still help a lot when doing ID's.

 

Indeed sir, it is an Gallenius. That B and you have now convinced me. thanx

 

I believe Gordian III is much rarer and slightly more valuable as Caesar...

And Vabalathus much more valuable as Augustus than as ... whatever he was when he was an associate ruler with Aurelian.

 

I doubt the buyer is a particular admirer of Saloninus at all. This is a genuine rarity--recognized as such by at least two bidders in this case--that always brings a strong price. This example for instance realized $1500 +commission--double the $750 estimate--in a CNG MB 16 years ago: