Some coins that I thought lost finally arrived!

Today I received a small group of coins that made quite an odyssee. I won them at a Tauler y Fau (Madrid) auction in early March, when I was still living in the US. The auction house, which has been a pleasure to deal with, shipped them in early April, after the Spanish postal service had resumed accepting international mail after the initial COVID wave. Yet, the coins stayed in US customs for more than three months, while I made the spontaneous decision to move to Germany in mid-June. Fortunately, I was able to forward my mail to a friend in California, who received the package in September. Thus, the coins started their journey back to Europe... Today, after about seven months, I finally have them in hand!

Here are some quick pictures (better ones will follow eventually):



(Top row: Magnentius AE; two dineros of Jaime II of Aragon; 2 maravedis of Felipe II of Spain; bottom row: Gordian III sestertius, two dineros of Jaime I of Aragon, sol parisis of Charles IX of France).

Please post your own coins that spent a long time in the mail or made their way into your collection in a similarly tumultous fahion!

 

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Nice lot, @Orielensis! I'm glad it finally arrived!

I had a similar COVID-19 affecting mail delivery from Spain problem. This one arrived nearly four months after the Jesus Vico auction closed. I was very worried about it because if it had been lost, I knew I would never have the opportunity to acquire another one. This may be only the sixth recorded specimen.


Faustina I, AD 138-141.
Roman AR denarius.
Rome, AD 143-145.
Obv: DIVA AVG FAVSTINA, bust of Faustina I, veiled and draped, right.
Rev: PIETAS AVG, Pietas, veiled and draped, standing facing, head right, by lighted altar, raising both hands.
Refs: RIC 392; BMCRE 308; RSC 251b; Strack 430; RCV --; CRE 109; Dinsdale 019460.
Notes: Double die-match to ANS 1941.131.831. Other known specimens appear to be limited to the following collections: The British Museum, the Staatliches Münzkabinett in Munich, the Staatliches Münzkabinett in Vienna, the Nationalmuseum in Rome, and the American Numismatic Society.

 

I have a similar story, but kind of the reverse of yours. I returned a relatively expensive coin to a German auction house from which I purchased it, because I am questioning its authenticity. The coin arrived in the "local customs office" in the city where the dealer is located and has been sitting in that customs office for almost two months. Customer service at the firm has inquired and confirmed that the priority international mail item is still awaiting customs clearance. Once this drama has resolved I'll post more details.

In 50 years of sending and receiving coins in the mail internationally, I've never experienced this kind of delay (unless the package was in fact lost, which has only happened to me twice.)

 

This one took 5 weeks to arrive from Belgium. When I got the mailer, it had "COVID-19" scrawled on it so I am assuming that had something to do with the delay.

Constantius II (337-361AD)
AE3 - 2.73 gram - 17 mm,
Antioch mint, struck 348-350 AD
Obverse: DN CONSTANTIVS P F AVG, pearl diademed, cuirassed and draped bust right

Reverse: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Phoenix, radiate, standing right on globe, star in right field, ANB in exergue

Reference: RIC VIII 129 var

 

not as bad as seven months...this was returned to sender and took almost 4 months-- mailed 22 June to France and returned to me, in Nashville on 14 October

 

Thanks @Orielensis for posting. It gives me hope. Last March I was high bidder for a rare Kamnaskires V silver issue from France for a price well below retail. It still has not arrived here (in USA), but I now have a flicker of renewed hope.

Although... USPS tracking in May showed the coin had arrived at the Chicago sort center, then some days later it showed it was through Customs. But then it showed no further movement for 5 or 6 weeks. So, I submitted a request for USPS to check on it. Disappointingly, a few days later USPS mysteriously deleted all data re: the package's movement. Instead it now just displays the "Label created, not yet in system" message. Now THAT boggles my mind, since each piece has a unique tracking number -- and based on what the tracking site showed the package MUST have actually been in Chicago. Smells fishy.

 

Oh gosh that's not good. I hope it shows up. I once had a coin show "out for delivery" on USPS tracking but it mysteriously returned to the sorting center where it sat for a week before showing up as out for delivery again, and was delivered.

 

That is why some call USPS Snail Mail...

 

Oh gosh, I had a similar situation with coins from Portugal. They took almost 3 months for delivery!

 

@Orielensis...That's a nice looking group and look forward to seeing the Jaume coins....

 

That 2 maravedis is a very nice high relief with an awesome dry patina on it. Mine are not nearly so nice.

 

Now that's quite the delay! Great that you finally got them!

I received two coins from the US some years ago and had one coin shipped to the US, all in the pre-COVID era. Those shipments went without any delay. However, with all the stories on this board about the deteriorating quality of US postal services and terrible custom delays, I now try to avoind the US in all. Perhaps a bit paranoid? I also am not very fond of 'handling fees' one of the US auction houses applies.

 

My coin from Bolaffi took 10+ months. No where in the item description
do they tell the bidder that you will need an "Export Lisence" to receive
the coin. This is a German gold coin minted in Germany. Anyway I have it.

 

That's a long delay, glad they found their home!

This coin is not itself special. It's a scarce variation of a very common theme. However, in late May, our neighborhood post office in Minneapolis burnt to the ground during the initial protests and riots following the death of George Floyd.

My wife and I nervously watched buildings burn from our bedroom window with our 3 and 1 year old sleeping as rioting and looting surrounded us for three tense days... until we left town for safer ground. I remember our conflicting feelings of support for peaceful protesters, worry for our neighborhood and family, and frustration with the destruction.

After the destroyed post office was dug through and cleared, any salvageable mail was sent to be delivered. I had long assumed this coin had suffered an honorable death in the flames.

In late August, three months after it was checked in at that doomed post office, a surprise package was delivered. Not a great coin... but now a special one to me. Its history is not just Roman but now mine.


Edit... forgot to describe the coin
Licinius I - IOVI CONSERVATORI - Nicomedia - RIC VII 15

 

Thanks for the kind words, everyone! Hopefully, all those of you still waiting for delayed coins will receive them soon. Yet, I hope none of them will have to experience a journey as "adventurous" as that of @Orange Julius ' LRB.

Also, as @scottishmoney and @lordmarcovan liked the 2 maravedis that much, here is a better picture of that coin. As usual, it is missing most if not all of the legends, but the castle and lion are in nice shape:


Spanish Monarchy, under Philip II, AE 4 maravedis, 1584–1585 AD, Burgos mint, moneyer: Juan De Morales. Obv: [+DON·PHELIPPE·II· ]; castle; in fields, B–M and circle Rev: [+REI·DE·LAS·HESPAÑAS]; crowned lion l. 21mm, 4.07g. Ref: Calíco 2008, 781.

@Spaniard , I have just posted two of the Aragonese coins in the Medieval Monday thread, and here are the other two. I like all of them – so it will be a hard decision which pair to keep, and which one to sell, swap, or give away for Secret Saturnalia should I ever draw a fellow medieval collector:


Kingdom of Aragon, under James I “the Conqueror”, BI dinero, 1213-1276 AD, Jaca mint. Obv: ARA-GON; crowned bust of James I l. Rev: :IACOBVS REX; patriarchal cross. 18mm, 0.85g. Ref: Crusafont i Sabater 1992, 318.


Kingdom of Aragon, under James II “the Just”, BI dinero, 1291–1327 AD (struck ca. 1308 AD), Sariñena mint. Obv: ARA-GON; crowned bust of James II l. Rev: : IACOBVS : REX; patriarchal cross. 17mm, 1.02g. Ref: Crusafont i Sabater 1992, 364.

 

@Orielensis.......Lovely Jaime's!.....I don't have a Jaime I and really like your two examples great wacky portraits with nice toning cool pick ups..

I do have a Jaime II....I had it tagged as Jaca mint?? Is there a way of distinguishing??
Here it is..
Jaime II Aragon 1291-1327
Dinero (Billon) Approx 18mm diameter - 1.17gr
Obverse - Crowned portrait facing left..Legend around ARA - GON
Reverse - Double cross..Legend around IACOBUS REX
Mint Jaca...Cru-364

 

Hi All,

Not a coin, but a Gnostic amulet on eBay sold by a Russian seller.


The odyssey was as follows:

12 May 2020: Ordered from eBay (Best offer).

29 July-12 Aug: Expected delivery date From Russia (I knew this going into this deal).

23 July: USPS contacts me about picking item up from post office.
27 July: I ask USPS for a redelivery (via their website).
28 July-13 Aug: No Reply from USPS; A few more website visits asking for redelivery.
14 Aug 2020: Asked Sender about tracking non-delivery.
14 Aug 2020: Seller confirms item has been held by USPS since 27 July !!!
26 Aug 2020: USPS returns item to sender as unclaimed !!!
14 Sep 2020: Seller receives item from USPS.



15 Sep 2020: Seller resends item to USA.
25 Sep 2020: Item arrives to me. (Finally !!!)

Total Time: 136 days (12 May - 25 September).
Total aggravation with USPS: &$^#%@.

The seller was very gracious and tried to be as helpful as possible. The resend was paid for by him. Kudos to him! I have no qualms buying from him again. I knew goin in it would take a while to get the item (COVID-19 had just started to flare up worldwide, so the expected delivery date did not phase me back then), but 136 days !?!?!. Sheesh!

- Broucheion

 

They have previously been attributed to the Jaca mint, but several contemporary sources indicate that at least most of Jaime II's dineros were struck at Sariñena. I am relying on this online article discussing the recent scholarship on these coins. I quote the respective passage – it's in Spanish, but given your nickname, that shouldn't be a problem for you:

"Durante el reinado de Jaime II y siguiendo la tradición del septenio, pudieron realizarse acuñaciones en cinco ocasiones, entre 1293 y 1321. En las Cortes de Alagón de 1307 se promulgó el fuero “De secunda confirmatione moneta” donde se manifiesta que, debido a la gran escasez de moneda existente en el reino, hay que recordar que no se acuñaba desde los tiempos de Jaime I, se autorizaba la fabricación de cuatro cuentos y medio de dineros (4,5 millones) y medio cuento más de óbolos o meajas durante los tres años siguientes. En esta ocasión, el monarca se comprometió a no ordenar una nueva emisión en siete años y a solicitar la confirmación del Papa. Para tal misión fueron nombrados el obispo de Tarazona y Vidal de Vilanova, quienes viajaron a Roma para obtener de Clemente V la aprobación. Las acuñaciones de esta emisión se efectuaron en Sariñena, población equidistante de Zaragoza y Lérida, para hacer más fácil la distribución de la producción, pero las emisiones debieron de ser muy pocas y fuera de este principio del siglo XIV, no se volvió a acuñar en Sariñena. El maestro de ceca fue Juan de Pexonat."

 

@Orielensis.....Interesting article and great to learn something new about the coin.....Thank you.