Another that got away.....

Tyrian shekels of this type may be abundant in general but this is a Jesus lifetime issue in a particularly good condition. This issue usually is of a crude style, offstruck and often quite worn. I have not seen a better one yet. The hammer price surprised me as well but the estimate was very low. This one is mine. It cost me 500 EUR.

 

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I see that many are surprised with the difference in the prices being achieved by Phoenician shekels in general. I am not a collector of ancients and know very little about them but have recently acquired 3 Ozbaal/Azbaal (400-340BC) shekels which are in very good condition and graded at AU 4/5 and 4/5, MS 4/5 and 5/5 and finally MS 5/5 and 5/5.

What I find confusing is that in Jan 2016 HA sold a CH AU 5/5 and 4/5 ($3055) for 4 times what I paid for my AU graded coin, 1.5 times what I paid for my first MS and almost what I paid for my best graded MS 5+5 coin.

Am I missing something or was I just at the right place at the right time???

Here is my first MS coin



This is the CH AU coin that sold for 1.5 times the price in Jan 2016



PLEASE TELL ME THAT IT WAS JUST BEGINNER'S LUCK!!!

 

Probably a bit of the latter and then there's always that two bidders going to war over a coin at any given time stuff. Plus, some people have precise preferences and differing tolerances for surface conditions and centered strikes.

 

Re: Byblos... Sorry, I just cannot get excited when folks have to judge an Ancient by the modern ratings of 3/4, 5/5, etc. You are valuing the coin based upon a person or two's opinion and "rating" system. To me, I see no sense in it... Ancient Hand-Struck unique coins vs. Modern MACHINE manufactured rating system.

 

How anyone can expect anyone to judge a coin from a photo of one side is wholly beyond me but the first coin is much better when it comes to surface and strike compared to the second unless you let the elephant in the room bother you. That is the centering which is horrid and would make the first coin worth much less in comparison (assuming equal reverses). Both are seriously faulted coins that benefit from the grading system used. I would much prefer a coin worn to VF and centered like the second but without the surface irregularities of the second. Prices realized are a matter of who shows up on any given day and what features the two highest bidders are seeking in their dream coin. No grading system can reflect situations like we see here and most ancient coins have more differences to be considered (style, nicks and scrapes, tone) on top of the strike/surface system. Strike numbers can go lower for more than one reason (centering, boldness, doubling) as can surface (erosion, textures, deposits like horn silver, cleaning damage). Not all people will pay the same for a "4" that got that rating through each fault. We often find it interesting to compare realizations on the same coin when it sells twice in a short period (sometimes up; sometimes not).

You have not given us the information needed to answer this question.

 

Thanks for that. I always learn a lot from your posts. Here is some additional information:

I bought the first coin for $2,000 in September and the second was sold for $3,055 in January.

The reverse of both appear well centered but some of the lettering is missing on my coin.

My MS grade (first coin) $2,000



The CH AU grade which sold for $3,055

 

That is a beautiful coin. I would love to have something like it in my collection.

Sorry for my ignorance but what is ROMA. Can I have their website please so that I can browse their listings from time to time.

Thanks.

 

Roma Numismatics

 

Thanks TIF

 

Thanks for the reverse images. All they really add is you coin missing a couple letters of the legend but the strike is as clear as expected so it hardly suggests the price difference. Both are excellent coins. When we get into the highest grades of ancients there is a lot of difference in opinions on which little detail is worth a doubling of the price. Looking over past sales results, it is hard to see a pattern or sense. You did well.
https://www.cngcoins.com/Search.asp...R_TYPE_ID_2=1&SEARCH_IN_CONTAINER_TYPE_ID_4=1

 

Beautiful!

 

That's truly a gorgeous coin @1934 Wreath Crown !!! And one I'd obviously LOVE to own!! That would be the 'flagship' of my collection...... Ah, but that dang budget LOL

 

Thanks for all that info Doug. I shall save that for the future in case I decide to sell one of my coins. It looks like I was lucky based on the prices achieved by CNG.

 

Thanks Mikey. Actually I acquired two of them quite by accident. I had already purchased my best graded one and was curious if I had overpaid for it. While doing some research, I came across the second one and won that at a very reasonable price. I saw the third one on eBay and it was one that had been sold by HA about 6 months back.

I managed to buy it for much less than the seller paid at HA, which was fortunate. I concluded from this that eBay is not the ideal platform to sell ancients as few people there have enough knowledge about those coins. Those buyers are more into modern coins. Moreover, the counterfeiters have spoilt the reputation of all but the most reliable eBay sellers.

I really appreciate all the feedback on this forum from all participants. A big thank you to all.