[ancients] A swing and a miss. Massive Ptolemy II, 107 gm.

I dont go to many to be honest, but i plan on two this year. I must have £1000 in my pocket though, or its generally not worth the visit.....too frustrating!! too much nice stuff about, especially since I've seen all your nice coins guys/girls and I know i'll be tempted by more than a few.

 

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Gorgeous .. .absolutely gorgeous!! (wow, sweet)

I would have posted $575 ...... and lost (by a lot!!)

Oh well, I already own a nice-enough version of this awesome coin (maybe, I'm different => I look at these and think "wow, they're beautiful, but I've already ticked that box") ...

I definitely don't think about upgrading ancients!!

=> gawd, that is soooo bush-league modern coin "stuff"!!

 

I fail to see the reason it sold for such a high price? I am still confused........
I know its as easy as 2 people WANTING the coin, but hell....$1500!! you see bags of these at coin fairs........some as nice, others not so...

 

wow that's the biggest coin of this type I've seen

 

Please post any pictures or links of this type of coin (>100 gm) you have seen which are of the same condition and strike quality . Perhaps since you don't collect the type you haven't looked closely at the series. For the largest, the strike is usually weak.

Like any coin, there can be a substantial jump in price for top-tier. And this one is top-tier.

 

That is a gorgeous example, and I'm not surprised at the price: I'd have gone higher if I saw it (I don't know how I missed it). I've been looking for one of these massive coins for a while, although it's probably for the best as I don't have a box large enough to store it

 

higher? ... ummm, I have a $1400 box that'll fit that coin "just right"

 

I'm sorry you didn't see (and nab) this one, AJ! My bid wasn't a serious attempt... more like a 'well if everyone else is sleeping..."

 

I had the coin I referred to in hand at a coin fair and I was drooling over it. It was a match quality wise for the coin you bid on, there is no doubt. In fact I recall just how good the hair detail was on the coin, which showed less 'smoothing' than the Op coin. I am not a collector of this series and am unaware how many you have of this size/type also, but if the price for the coin you missed out on is correct, I certainly missed a bargain and should have trusted my instinct. If I see another, or indeed the same coin at that price, I will buy it.

 

awesome looking coin!

 

I'm NO expert on these, but this is screaming "tooled" to me.

Will someone in the know please comment?

 

You do not see bags of over 100gm Ptolemaic coins at coin fairs. You saw bags of much lighter weight Ptolemaic bronzes.

And the coin you held in hand was, I bet, just a large Ptolemaic bronze. Not one over 100gms.

 

I do not know who you think you are, but do not question what I saw and held. It was what I said it was and over 100g, I am not going senile and my eyesight and judgement are sound. I see many bags of coins 'under' tables at coin fairs. Maybe open your eyes a little more to what is actually for sale at coin fairs next time you visit one......most 'bags' of coins dont see the table tops and most 'bag' trades are done in the cafe! FACT.

 

I thought the same thing when first starting to browse these large Ptolemaic bronzes, but they all look that way. Something about the lines in the hair. Anyway, I see no tool marks on this one. Just an exuberant cleaning.

 

Ah ha, interesting.

 

Its true, the hair usually does look tooled with those lines, but as TIF says, it isnt. Most large Ptolemaic bronzes when found, even in hoards have a very unusual red encrustation. The cleaning methods for this type of deposit are long winded, but if done right they do leave the coins in superb condition, leaving the quality of strike as the decider in terms of value. Also,the bronze composition is 'usually' better than other ancients it seems.