Coolest Ancient Coin I've Seen

Yup, also noticing Nero Bil. Tet. are getting higher too.

 

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You see this when a market is moving sometimes. People get excited and don't distiguish between quality going higher and junk that is junk. I am referring to holed, graffiti, etc. I hope fourrees are gonig that high, I have quite a few I picked up over the years in bulk lots of junk.

 

The way things are going, it looks like allot of is are going to have allot of 09 vbd's, well figuratively.

 

There will always be a difference of opinion as to what is worth collecting and that is good as long as everyone is getting what they want for what they want to pay. The problem is if you buy some of this stuff and expect to be able to resell it later. Few dealers have not been called crooks when they made a fair offer for things someone bought for 10 times a 'fair' price (whatever that means). I have a number of coins that I don't want but generally figure that anyone who would want what I don't must be crazy (except for a few duplicates - I just traded a couple duplicates to people on this list and I'm not calling them crazy). I don't see prices going up nearly as much as I see standards going down.

 

I can see that.

 

Same thing to me. I see grades degrading, and prices for a VF going up, even for a lower quality "VF" than the past.

This is why I try to honestly grade when people on here ask. It may hurt their feelings, but I grade em as I see em.

Chris

 

no offense to you doug, but it may not be standards going down as much as it is people willing to pay a price to own/preserve history. with the legal battles going on with italy trying to reclaim coins, some collectors (myself included) are willing to pay a little extra for the chance and privilege to preserve history outside of a museum.

 

I;m sure there are many factors.

 

Is Italy trying to move beyond the magna grecia issues and pre-218(?) timeframe? Also, this is only regarding import into the US, not other countries.

I see ancients going up as two fold: one is the Euro being stronger and 2 I believe the fields are drying up. We were living in a golden age with the fall of the iron curtain and literally tons of these coins coming onto the market. I simply think the supply is slowing down, and our dollar is weaker. For grading, US standards have degraded, and Ebay grading has simply taught scores of new collectors the incorrect grading standards. This last point is very dangerous, since they look up prices in pricebooks, but are overestimateing their coins due to overgrading.

 

There also are an increasing number of people who think that a coin that is corroded and damaged looks 'ancient' and is therefore more interesting than one in good shape. In the 1980's I was considered odd because I bought junky looking coins. Now I seem to be a condition snob who turns up his nose at 'experienced' coins. My coins have not changed but the standards of new collectors is now accepting of things I preferred to avoid. Certainly there are still many collectors with coins much better than any of mine but few of them post online and buy on ebay.

 

That would explain the coins of Valens for over $100 XD

 

WingedLiberty: Indeed, Beautiful coin! I love this type with the man on the dolphin.... just beautiful all around. I see them sell now and then on ebay though, both raw and certified so you have a good chance of finding another.... whether it will be as nice as t his one you posted though..... hard to say. But better luck next time, thanks for sharing!