Commodus AD190-191

I had a bunch of Ebay bucks amassed this quarter from various purchases and decided to blow them on another ancient coin while I was stuck at work (and bored). What do you guys think? Do you like this coin? Is ANACS pretty accurate when it comes to grading ancients? Did I overpay? I am no expert when it comes to ancient coins but enjoy having a few of them in my collection to give it diversity. So any and all opinions from those knowledgeable on these is appreciated.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120744050318&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

 

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ANACS and slab aside, cool coin. Might have overpaid, but if so not by too much. Whats on the rev. ?

 

Would be nice to see the reverse, but it looks like a fair price for the coin.

 

Good question. I bought it without even knowing what design is on the reverse. Hopefully the back looks decent. Oh well, like I said, Ebay Rewards Bucks paid for most of it and I had to blow them on something as they expire at month's end.

 

The inscription is mostly legible. The portrait is sharp. The reverse, unfortunately, is unknown, but probably fine. If the image on the reverse is good, I think you have a solid coin for a nice price, possibly a great price.

The slab, in this case, adds no value and detracts from the beauty and tactile delight of this coin. That said, it is good that the coin is authenticated. (Several reputible sites both authenticate and guarantee their coins without entombing the coin in plastic.)

I don't know the extent of your interest in Ancients. Nevertheless, this coin gives you the opportunity to learn to read the coin's inscription, to appreciate the significance of the image (personification) on the reverse, and to explore the history of this deranged emperor.

On second thought :yes:, I think it was a great purchase, especially if it motivates your interest in Ancient Roman history. :thumb:


guy

 

I strongly recommend not to buy ancients without seeing both sides.
Half of it seems a good purchase. You may be lucky in having a nice reverse, and as stated above it's quite a good deal...or not if the reverse is worn

Q

 

There are many more opinions when it comes to grading ancients. From the photo I see a coin VF for wear but I would hold the centering against the coin and prefer one with more wear and more of the obverse legend on flan. A VF Commodus is worth $45 but not seeing the reverse is a deal breaker and probably why you won the coin. These tend to be better on the obverse than on the reverse so the possibility exists that you will find the seller did not show it on purpose. Commodus has several 'better' types which I'd generally define as anything other than a single figure standing there. If the single figure has a horse or is standing next o something, I might be more forgiving of the centering issue than if it was just one standing figure. Commodus is famous for his late coins where his face looks a bit demented and he was kind of cute when a kid so the middle portraits are perhaps less in demand. Still, if the reverse is not worse than the obverse, $45 is fair.

I would not remove the coin from the slab. I see nothing special enough about it that it would appeal to a Commodus collector or someone into ancients deeply enough to have a hatred for slabs. It should sell to someone exactly like you who wants an ancient or two and perhaps even knows Commodus from his appearance in movies (Gladiator, Fall of the Roman Empire). I hope you will decide to get a few more ancients but I really do suggest seeing both sides before buying.

 

Thanks for the insightful replies fellow cointalkers. I will attempt to photograph the reverse of the coin when it arrives and post it here.

 

Like others said, $45 is a fair price for this coin. It would've gone higher ($60-$75) if there was a reverse image and the reverse was detailed (although I think the reverse will be fine, you may have one with a soft strike).


stainless

 

Are you saying we have a mental disorder for our hatred for slabs? I resemble that remark.

Chris

 

No, it is a simple fact that most people who hate slabbed ancients are people like you and I who probably have all the ordinary, common, mid grade that we need so we probably would not buy this coin whether it is in the slab or out. I would never suggest anyone paying money to put a coin like this in a slab but once it has been done you don't get any refund for taking it out and this particular coin would probably appeal more to the target audience for slabbed coins (meaning people who don't collect ancients to any great degree) than it would to those who hate slabs. I will remove a coin I want from a slab but if I don't want a coin to the point that I am willing to sell it, I see no reason to remove it and lower its value to those who believe that slabs are collectible. We will have to wait and see the reverse before we know if this is a $45 coin in a free slab or a $25 coin in a $20 slab. For the sake of our OP, lets root for a well struck reverse of an interesting type which both of us would have bought if only the seller had enough sense to picture the reverse.

 

*fingers crossed*

 

Except for the fact that probably 70% of Roman collectors buy based upon the obverse only. I find this so true as to not even mention it usually. I see people I know who show me a Roman and I ask what is on the reverse. They usually don't know or care really. Reverse collectors, except for certain types, are a rare breed. Emperor portrait collectors are the norm, which is why maybe the seller didn't bother to even post a pic of the reverse.

People on boards aer usually more hard core wanting to get into something, and for every one of us there are probably 10 guys buying pictures of emperor's he's heard about.

Btw, I liked your explanation to me above, but you do know I was kidding right?

Chris

 

While I agree to a degree, I find it interesting that anyone buys the bland looking portraits of emperors that come in 'interesting'. Caracalla was a really ordinary looking adolescent but many of us like his older scowls. Commodus portraits come in such a wide variation from wild to boring but slabbers will sell them all as VF30.

I think my favorite is this one with the curly beard but most people prefer the ones wearing the lion skin head dress.

 

Great looking denarius! I think I'd like to find a nice one with the lion skin head dress ,but most (at least the cheap ones) dont look all that great IMO. I'm quite happy with the one I have (the one traded to me )

 

Well, this coin arrived today and here is a picture of the reverse. I'm thinking the reverse is in line with the obverse but I'm no expert. What do you folks think?

 

It's worth about what you paid

 

Sadly, I agree. It is worth about what you paid (no more). It is not a common type but the off centered reverse loses the best part of the legend GEN AVG FELIC leaving only the Consul dating (COS VI) and the figure for the ID. You might enjoy seeing this one:
http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=41095
but remember that most of its value is being gold - not to mention perfect.

I wonder if the reason the seller did not show the reverse was that he did not recognize it? Does the slab say anything like RIC 227, RSC 172, BMC 289 or even Genius? I'd think it should.

 

No. None of those variety designations are noted on the slab. ForumAncientCoins has a coin with the same reverse and they describe it as being "scarce". Too bad my coin was struck off-center and is missing part of the legend because it does have decent details for being 1800 years old.

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/catalog/roman-and-greek-coins.asp?vpar=421&pos=21

 

I think they should as well (not that I plan on getting any ancients slabbed). I wonder if its a matter of not being about to put all the info on their templates. Then again They have the date and grade on there twice so IDK.