It feels like a punch in the gut, doesn't it? I know how I felt. Glad yo are being refunded. Does the refund include the postage?
When I found out my S. Severus was a fake I felt sad, and I also felt a little guilty having a fake, even though I did nothing wrong. It's not a pleasant feeling, but it's a good learning experience. I keep my fake S. Severus denarius taped to the top of my desktop PC to remind me every day while I'm working or while I'm browsing for new coins online during my break that no matter how good something may appear on the outside, it's probably feces on the inside and to do my due diligence and research before taking it for granted.
Didn't win and think I'm happy about it. I'm a new guy and switching to Sestertius. I want to feel the weight and see something.
You want to feel the weight? I have one word for you....tetradrachms. Seventeen grams of silver beat twenty five grams of bronze in my book. * Downside, most are not exactly cheap. There's about $1,200 in coins there between those two, or about 1/7th the value of my collection of 65 coins. However, some of the more common tets can go for around $250-$350 if you don't mind a little wear on your coins. PS: Ask for advise before you bid. I'm glad you didn't win that either. That's a hefty shunk to pay for what was essentially a duplicate of a coin you already overpaid for in the first place.
Sestertii of Tiberius are very hard to obtain. Portrait sestertii in rather low grade can break into four digits. I don't have one. Asses are cheaper.
That's it! An Owl is on the top of my list also. I bid on one but didn't win. Another one was nice but the test cut was right thru the Owls face.
https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=175228 The above link is posted just in case someone did not know that tetradrachms were not the big coin of their day. I once knew a collector who had an owl dekadrachm in very low grade. I enjoyed holding it once upon a time but am not likely to bid against Sallent when he goes for his.
$375,000? Ouch, that's an average house here in Miami. I could swing it, but then I'd have to live under a bridge somewhere because I'd no longer have a house. Not sure my loved ones would take kindly to me selling the roof over their heads so I could have a coin. It's all yours, @dougsmit
I posted this old photo from Heritage of my formerly slabbed Tiberius---obviously an As and as Doug mentioned, reasonably cheap:
One I'll probably never own, though it is my avatar . I did have the privilege of handling the Dekadrachm housed at the American Numismatic Association, very impressive piece so large and detailed.
TIBERIUS: Roman Empire Tiberius, AD 14-37 Ae as, 11g, 28mm, 6h; Rome mint: c. 22/23 AD - 26. Obv.: DIVUS AVGVSTVS PATER; Radiate head of Augustus left. Rev.: Altar enclosed with double panelled door, uncertain ornaments above; S - C // PROVIDENT Reference: RIC I Tiberius 81 (p. 99) RI Tiberius AE As 14-37 CE Laureate-Pont Max Globe Rudder RIC I 58 Obv-Rev.jpg NERO: Roman Empire Antioch, Syria Nero Regnal year 8, Caesarian year 110, (AD 61/62) AR Tetradrachm 25 mm x 14.05 grams Obverse: NERWNOS KAISAROS SEBASTOU, Laureate bust right, wearing aegis. Reverse: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, palm branch before, H/IP behind. Ref: RPC4182 POPPAEA: Roman Empire billon tetradrachm, 23mm, 12.8g Alexandria Egypt obv. Radiate head of Nero right rev. Draped bust of Poppea right, LI before, LI ry.10 63-64AD Milne 217, RPC 5275