I just lost this one a minute ago. If only I had bid $400. Ah well. Anyway, is it just me or does Trajan appear to have a beard under the roughness? Or is it just the roughness? Darn! I really wanted that coin!
Well, HAIL yes I would love one! Too bad you missed it! The beard would had been GREAT in the collection!
Sorry for your loss Mr. Ken. When I loose, I often catch myself living in this Aesop fable: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fox_and_the_Grapes This is where you start thinking that the beard was probably just the result of corrosion & that you were lucky not to win that bent, rusty, modern forgery. Sour Grapes: Sorry you didn't get the coin. It looks like a nice one.
There will always be more coins. There are better of this rare type, but I liked the sharpness of the lions skin. Never seen one that good before.
I feel your pain. I lost out on this Domitian denarius - it went for $400. And clio won a Vespasian 'Judaea Capta' fourrée denarius for $950! Bidding was strong today.
Ken => I had that baby on my maybe-list (super cool example) ... => it gets 'weapon' and 'animal' credit on my coin check-list
Bidding was strong on everything. I bid pretty good on ~10 and won, I think, 2. I haven't gotten an email saying I was successful so I might have won nothing.
That was a special lion coin. In addition to the features you mentioned I see a portrait that seems intermediate between the two common Trajan styles. The hair/rear head seems rounded while the face has more of the heavy face look. I will have to remain on the fence regarding the beard.
I had the same bad luck with the Basiliscus Solidus in Triton XX.....if that's not bad enough, I lost out on MS-65+ Prussia AV Friedrich's d'or (Heritage Platinum Night) couple days before!
I'm still licking my wounds from Triton XX. Here's a beauty for which I had decided to bid 150% of estimate. I did and it sold for one cut bid higher!
The lots for the electronic auction were available for inspection at NYINC. This small bronze of Kamarina looks much better in hand than it's photograph. I was able to get it for 70% of estimate.
