Hiya guys, Just got this ancient, and curious if I could find someone to attribute it for me. I know the pictures are not the best, and I can try for better, but I am camera exhausted after tonight. I will be starting a few other threads when i am finished with all the pics. It weighs 23.7 Grams and is about 1/4"
Not sure what it is but WOW. that is gorgeous. Where did you get it? and maybe also tell us a little bit about the story behind buying it..
Well, unfortunatley this coin is not mine. It is in fact a co-workers who mentioned she had some coins. I told her I'd take a look and let her know if she has anything good. Some stuff I don't know what it is, so I will post here. Like this, and some paper money later. Two areas I have ZERO knowledge about, or own any books for.
It weighs 23.7 grams and it is only 1/4 inch? you have got to have something wrong there. Our half dollar is 11.9 grams and it is over 1 inch.
hmm, not sure, but maybe this Commodus AE Sestertius. 184-185 AD. M COMMODVS ANTON AVG PIVS BRIT, laureate head right / VOTA SVSCEP DECEN P M TR P X IMP VII S-C, Commodus standing left sacrificing over tripod, COS IIII P P in ex.
I think Randygeki is in the ballpark on value. Commodus is not rare in bronze but really nice ones bring in $500 while average but attractive ones are a tenth of that. Condition is everything and this has a bad mix of roughness and blotchy colors so high end collectors will avoid it. I'd suggest the $20 figure is closer because of the surfaces.
... what the market will bear ... At an ANA convention in a dealer's junk box for $10, it would be sold within an hour or less. At $100, the dealer would bring it back home. The photograph might not do it justice. It looks scuzzy. Twenty dollars maybe? I mean, I don't want it for that. Commodus only has visibility today because of the movie Gladiator. So, if you saw the movie and want a piece of the Roman Empire, ok... I thought at first that it was his father, a young Marcus Aurelius. I'd go $20 for the Philosopher Warrior Emperor played by Sir Alex Guiness of Obi Wan Kinobi fame, but for Commodus, even at $20 or $10, I'd pass... Sorry, not for me... But someone else might go fifty if it was conservated nicely with olive oil.
I agree. There's a nice coin hiding under all that. If it were given a better job of cleaning, maybe some delicate smoothing of the red encrustation, a good repatination, and a better picture, it could be more.
