Looking for a Claudius Denarius saw the new silver one on Forum and this. I'm really "Gun Shy" trying to buy from pictures now
I'm fairly new too however; I'm a fast study someone is going to pay $2500.00 for this and it sickens me!
I'm not completely certain that it's cast. This sort of roughness can in some cases be caused by corrosion and there are some places like around some of the letters that have sharp transitions that, if this coin were a sand cast should not be that sharp. I am not sure if I would buy it because I'm still not 100% either way but I would not be so quick to dismiss it as definitely being cast.
Forum is pretty trustworthy. Although, anyone can make a mistake. Hopefully some other experts will weigh-in on this. I am in @red_spork 's camp on this one. But, I am just a collector, an end-user; not an expert...
Well, the photo is hard to tell, so I would not condemn it right off. What some may see as casting bubbles may just be corrosion and possibly die rust. Bottom line, I would want to see it in person, but if there are return privileges that should not be a problem or hinderance for buying. Send it to Sear or whoever for an opinion.
Cast or not, its the type of coin I usually will pass on because it too closely looks cast and I don,t like having a lot of question marks in my collection.
A quick search on ACSEARCH turns up 31 of this type (denarius with this reverse). The above coin looks typical of the style and lettering of those 31 coins, so it's not an obvious fake based on style alone. If the dealer is a reputable VCoins dealer with unconditional return privileges, you might want to purchase the coin and have it authenticated by an expert.
You need to have a don't know button on the poll. The picture isn't great, there are no measurements, so there is no way anyone can tell with any certainty, and even then, not 100%. Are you thinking about buying it from Forvm? That is another data point to consider: the seller. If from Forvm, it's likely good and comes with a money back guarantee but everyone makes mistakes.
As a VCoins dealer, this dealer agrees to the VCoins Code of Ethics that includes (among other items) the following: I will vouch for the authenticity of items I sell and will have no time limit on the return of items discovered to be non-authentic. I will offer a full cash refund upon return of any such item, including the cost of return shipping. So there is no theoretical problem with purchasing this coin and having it authenticated. Just a personal opinion about the coin's grade: the dealer calls it a "good VF" but I would rate it VF or even about VF. I would adjust my offer accordingly.
May I make a suggestion, Angel, that you start smaller. This is an expensive coin, coming from a VCoins dealer which is good, but still a questionable piece in terms of condition, price and maybe even authenticity. Why put yourself through the hassle of certifying it or even worrying about it's authenticity given your prior learning experience with those other fakes? Look for some nice common coins, in good condition, in the few hundred dollar range. You could buy 10 for this price. Start building a collection with less questionable real coins in good condition (the Claudius you are considering is not). Buy some common issues of Hadrian, Trajan, Marcus Aurelius etc to start learning about what is real and what isn't. They'll be more easily sold too as you change your tastes or want to upgrade. Just my 2 denarii worth of advice.
Romae Aeternae seems legit, just got something from their eBay store so we will see how their coins and service are. Doesn't mean anything, one seller I have bought from before haven't shipped my order in 3 weeks. Doesn't respond to emails, I'm about to file a chargeback on my cc.
I have seen a lot of wisdom in a few posts above (others not so much). Maybe that is why some of us prefer to deal with people we know and trust. Pictures can lie. Unless you intend to spend the rest of your life with a coin the way I do with most I buy, you really need to consider how a coin looks to other eyes. Buy coins that scream "I'm good" rather than those that make you wonder. People who take any comfort in asking people online (including a few of us with many years of experience and others with only a few days) should not be buying expensive coins. Get some experience with $25-250 coins before you start buying $2,500 coins. If you are really well off and want really nice coins (NOW!), contact a well respected dealer (price is not an object class) and tell them you want to buy some coins you can be proud to own and want to put $10k+ into it as a start. You should be happier with their selections than what you find on vCoins etc. If not, pick a better expert. Many really fine coins never get listed since sellers know who to contact that will pay for them. If you are poor like me and want that $10k to last all year, rough coins you don't understand would be better limited to the $25 bracket material until you get enough confidence that you move into the $250 bracket (and up). The fact that you are 'Gun Shy' is a great sign. The fact that you are in a hurry to get a Claudius might not be so good.
I have a few coins from him, they are OK. Most of the coins though are high priced and the "sales" are about the normal price.
I have bought 6 coins from this USA fella (romae_aeternae_numismatics) I have had zero problems ... "However" I am a huge believer in avoiding coins "if there is any doubt" (I always like to have great confidence in my purchases ... especially if they're in that price-range!!) => wait and buy one that makes you feel great!!
Romae Aeternae have always been good to me. And if the coin turns out not to be genuine, they will refund you, I am sure. But there are so many coins that are beyond doubt, why spend $2,500 on one that you question?