I made the mistake of telling Steve how many coins I bought at the Fredericksburg show so now I have to show the also ran items. I can take the opportunity to make the point that it is good to buy what is available while it is available. A dealer at the show had a couple hundred coins of Claudius II. These were not rarities and not perfect but just presentable specimens mostly of a half dozen types. I bought examples of the types I did not have. All are Rome mint and reasonably well struck on the reverse. The dealer did not identify them but was just selling them as 'your choice' picks. All appear to have received the same cleaning so all probably came from a hoard together. I think that leaves one coin not shown but I have to go. Hang in there, Steve.
Interesting coins. Especially like the second coin's portrait. You had better present the last coin or Steve will bust a blood vessel.
Doug, you of all people don't have to be told that those aren't the dregs. Strong, well-struck portraits and reverses, and almost complete legends, and clean surfaces? Those are choice for Claudius II. I like every one!
One man's trash is another man's treasure. We here on CT run quite a range from people who collect nothing less than EF+ to some that ask us to preform miracles and ID ghosts. I recognize that these coins are better than 90% of the ones I see sold (for more money) online but I also recognize that half of our members would not be interested in having a Claudius II bronze (the gold medallions he issued do make the big sales) no matter how nice the coin. After all, he was not a 12 Caesar and well over half of ancient collectors would be hard pressed to tell one thing about him other than he wasn't Claudius I. Each of these was the best of its type from the group but how many people do you know who want more than one Claudius II let alone collecting him by reverse?
They are all very nice examples, and I wouldn't call them dregs. To me any ancient coin with sharp details are good to have even if they are common.
