High grade coins are better than lower grade coins --- right? Certainly but late Roman coins sometimes throw a curve at me when I weaken and buy a coin like my new Divus Carus (Lugdunum mint): I like the reverse which has much remaining silvering and is worn through to the copper alloy below in what I would call a pretty pattern. The obverse --- not so much! The coin has much detail but the lack of silver in an irregular patch makes it not so pretty. Lets compare it to a coin I had previously - also a Divus Carus. This one has no silver and an amount of surface roughness. It still has a lot of detail but which of the two is a more pleasing coin? Neither? That's where most might go with the question. Should we hold out for one with 100% silver? Perhaps a compromise would be one with the situation on both sides we have on the reverse. I do not have a Divus Carus to illustrate this next point but here is a regular old lifetime Carus: This coin has no silver whatsoever. I don't know it it was lost in millennia of burial or if the coin was cleaned of silver when it was cleaned of dirt. The situation is that I consider this by far the prettiest of the three coins even though the 'mint state' coin would need silver. What do you think? How do you prefer your should-be-silvered coins when perfect is not an option? If you could wave a majic wand and remove all traces of silvering on coins like the first without destroying the surfaces below, would you? Discuss the matter and illustrate your opinions with "should-be-silvered coins" from your collection.
For me, the third coin would be my first selection. While the first two are interesting, I find this last coin very appealing. Kinda like eye candy.
First one I wouldn't waste my time with unless it was super cheap. Last one is fine and would take. But of the three, I like #2 best, mainly for the patina.
I personally would choose a silvered example over a non silvered example 9 out of 10 times. This remains the case even when the silvering is patchy. My reasoning, well it's how the coin originally left the mint, and I want my coins to be near perfect and original. Here is my favourite silvered coin.
I'm guessing the Divus Carus is much better in hand. My experience with partially silvered coins is that they are best viewed by moving them around under the light - they can have a pretty kaleidoscopic quality. A still image can't capture that.
Yep, they were originally silvered! The last silvered coins were struck under Julian II, as Valentinian I demonetized the AE-3's and minted only pure copper coins.
i like silvering..even splotchy silvering... but if i could get this coin with the details of dougs third coin, but without the silver...i'd trade.
Here are four coins of Probus all of the same bust type and reverse type, from the same issue and the same bust type. The all have different levels of appeal. Its not just the wear or lack of it is the quality of engraving and style. 1) Lost all silvering but has a chocolate brown colouration with a few small patchy deposits remaining 2) Lots of silvering though it has disappeared in small patches and on some high areas. It has turned to a gold or orange tone in areas too 3) The reverse is nearly fully silvered but the obverse has some spotting in the silvering but has lost all the silvering on the bottom third of the bust 4) Nearly fully silvered
If there's loss of silvering, it has to happen at the right places, in the right amount, and with the right pattern. Too much patchy silver loss results in a noisy field that starts to obscure the devices... when that happens, I'd rather lose the silvering altogether . Case in point is the Galerius follis below, particularly on the reverse. My Divus Carus has retained most of its silvering, though not all, and the amount of loss is not enough to make it an ugly coin. Of the three you showed, I'm with Bing in liking the third best and by quite a bit.
I have found from cleaning numerous coins like your first one that under the remaining silver the copper that is left is heavily corroded. When removing the hard dirt and encrustations on coins like this, the silver often comes off leaving a very rough and pitted surface. Cleaning partly silvered coins is probably the hardest to do and I believe stopping early in the cleaning process is best.
Here are a couple of examples where partial silvering detracts from the coin significantly. The second coin seems to illustrate that the silvering was largely extant at the start of the cleaning process but there was nothing beneath it converting a silvered coin to an ugly brute.
I think the second and third examples are the most pleasing. I agree with @zumbly that silvering loss in the right places can make a coin attractive. I'll offer these examples of Tacitus and Florian : These aren't the prettiest coins, but I think they have character. I don't like my coins too perfect
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In the photos I like the OP coins #2 & #3. I only have one coin that retains its silver coating: Probus A.D. 276-282 AE Silvered Antoninianus Struck in A.D. 278 3.88 gms, 24 mm Obv:radiant bust in imperial mantle facing left holding eagle tipped septre. IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG Rev: Probus on horseback raising hand, no captive at foot. XXIQ in exergue. ADVENTVS AVG. Grade: EF, large, lustrous, & centered with original silver plate & clear legends. Other: Siscia mint workshop #4 (Q). 5th Issue of Siscia. R.I.C. 624 Bust Type H, Alföldi type 5, n° 95, like Sear 3340. Probus strived to revive the failing Roman economy but was ultimately killed by mutinous soldiers that didn’t want to perform civilian labor. From David & Grace Barbone Sept 2013.
#3 gets my vote also. I like to see some silver to show the coin circulated less, but when environmental damage removes the silver..... U for ugly.
Interesting thread and VERY COOL posts!!! Like Bing, I never realized coins of Constantius were silvered......so much to learn and, worse yet, to remind myself of....
I suppose, like me, you also prefer you Greek statues and temples in the color of the marble rather than painted. I certainly prefer my third coin but many high grade coins retain some silver. If I knew a way to remove it without damage to the surface below (I don't) J might be tempted but probably would feel very guilty.
