Attica, Athens c.440-404 BC AR Tetradracm (17.18g) perhaps of Eastern Issue Parliament Collection Ch AU Strike 5/5 Surface 4/5
@CharlesTheBald Nice. A valuable coin, which many ancient coin collectors are seeking. Did you recently purchase the coin? Is that an NGC Ancients slab?
I certainly like them, and plan to get one. But, I only started looking into them a few years ago and nearly every auction that I've ever seen has had piles of them (10 or 20+ sometimes). Yet, even though they've always seemed to be the most plentiful individual coin, they perpetually bring prices that dwarf types that are much rarer. I understand that it is one of those "everybody wants one" type coins, but could the demand really justify the prices? I mean, how many ancient coin collectors are there in the world that could still need one? I also know that the recent plenty is due to a huge hoard that was discovered a few years ago. I figured the prices would come down over time as these coins were worked into the supply, but that never seemed to have happened (after the initial drop). Also, there seems to be noticeably fewer showing up in each auction lately (2-4 or so), so maybe the hoard coins are depleted? In any case, I'll someday be happy that I waited if the prices adjust downward based on the supply . Or, I will have missed the hoard boat and end up paying more . Either way, I'll get one eventually! Nice coins by the way!
Great owl. I picked up one at a Houston area coin show a few years ago. There are several super owls for sale on line and at coin shows.
@Cherd, when pricing coins and other collectibles, demand is far more important than supply. You could have something that is unique, but if no one or very few people want it, getting a strong price will be very difficult. High demand combined with low supply can result in mega prices.
Nice coins! I guess cheap is a relative term. Owls are expensive, especially if they are slabbed generally speaking. Roma Numismatics usually has a large number of owls in their e-sales. They run the range in condition and they are all raw. However, I noticed several in their upcoming March auction that are slabbed, with somewhat higher estimates. It's hard to snag anything in the slabbed owl market that is decent and "reasonably" priced. I generally avoid slabbed coins in general and focus on raw coins, be they ancient or world coins. Getting back to Roma, here's an owl that arrived today that cost me $470.40, including the currency conversion and buyer's commission of 22.5%. The bluish cast to the image doesn't really convey the coin's actual appearance, which is more of an even light grey. Whether it is from the monster hoard that came out of Turkey a few years ago is hard to say. The only information provided in the lot's description is that the coin came "From the inventory of a UK dealer". The coin, lot 140, E-Sale 106, is described as a good VF, grade-wise, which I think is reasonable. The centering is good and there are no problems to really speak of. The palmette is unusual, compared to most standardized classical owls, but I am sure it is Athenian in origin, perhaps an earlier mass issue coin. The weight is 17.18 grams. I think with research and patience, as well as discipline during the auction, it is possible to buy a nice owl for type that is fairly priced by today's standards. Oh yes, this owl shows no crest on the obverse. Maybe that's why it did not attract a lot of bids, but for me crest is not an overriding factor, so I'm happy adding this owl to my own Parliament.
