I hesitate to post this, only because I'm giving up a source of potentially good deals on coins. But there is a local auction house in Detroit, that primarily deals with art, but sometimes they have coins. A couple months ago there were some really nice lots with Columbian Exposition medals and tokens - I lost out on all, unfortunately. Anyway, here's the goods. Are these reasonable starting prices for these ancients? This isn't my area of expertise. Looks like some nice large coppers and some silver, and judging by the storage method, these have been out of the market for a long time. https://live.dumoart.com/auctions/d...023-auctions-day-2-12482/catalog?category=113 And there's the link to the coin lots in this month's auction. If anyone is interested, feel free to register to bid. I'm probably going to bid on some, but I only know enough to get in trouble, if you know what I mean.
In my opinion, most of them are pretty junky, very low grade. Few in the lots are OK, but I wouldn't waste my money even on the opening bids, I wouldn't be happy with them, myself.
Thanks for the insight. This auction house is all over the place with coins. Those Morgans they have listed, they are way high on. But the Columbian Exposition medals they were way low. I thought I was going to get a deal but other bidders weren't asleep at the wheel. So I don't know.
My ancient Roman collection consists of mostly silver denarii when I can get them. After that it’s other silver coins when they are available or pieces with traces of silver. I don’t like green, scrubbed up copper coins, unless I have no choice with emperors like Caligula which cost a fortune, even in messed up condition. Then I have purchased a scribbled up AS. I know that shows that I have no taste and class, but so be it. The history and decent looking coins mean more to me. All of these coins look like junk in fancy boxes. They would be a hard pass for me.
Or there are shill bidders that keep the prices up to the market. When I was a dealer, dealers asked me to shill for them on eBay. “You wouldn’t have to buy it!” I refused to do that.
I have to agree with @Mat. There are a couple I might be interested in, but, by-in-large, I think you would be better off buying from a dealer or another auction house.
Agree with @Cucumbor and @Mat Battle Creek Sanatorium Pharmacy circa 1900 https://cppdigitallibrary.org/items/show/5001 Perhaps the collection has a great pedigree if linked to Dr. Kellogg, inventor of the corn flake? Wait, what is today?
Why would that be? People post about active ebay listings all the time. I'm not soliciting, they aren't my coins.
It doesn't bother me, when people post about active auction listings, or active coins for sale. However, some people don't like it, because they are worried, that it will cause more people to be aware of the auction, and therefore more people will bid on the coins, and therefore the hammer prices will be higher, and therefore they will have to pay a higher price for a particular coin. However, I've seen this unwritten rule broken, many times, and no one says a word about it. I've seen many threads about Leu auctions, and Roma auctions, long before the auctions happened. I guess, some people follow this unwritten rule, and some people don't. I guess, I tend to follow this unwritten rule, just out of habit. But, I may break the rule someday, if I feel like it.
That makes sense. Although this is a local auction house that deals primarily in art and antiques. So I doubt it was on anyone's radar around here. But thanks for the explanation.
Well, the auction is over. https://live.dumoart.com/auctions/d...023-auctions-day-2-12482/catalog?category=113 All the ancient lots did very well.
