Described as "good very fine:" Also candidly described as "tooled and smoothed." My question is, what sense does it make to grade a coin "good very fine" if it's tooled? Do grades even apply to a tooled coin? Why not just tool it further so it's an EF? Why would anyone buy this?
I think the concept of a grade is foolish when applied to a tooled coin, too, because it has nothing to do with its state of preservation. Why would anyone buy it? That's a different question. You have to admit it's pretty.
I think the hair is tooled, maybe the faces on the soldiers too. I ignore grades for the most part since I buy budget coins mostly. But how ever much tooling the coin may have had, still a nice one.
The hair is decidedly tooled, but if there was any smoothing, it must have been quite light. Overall I like the surfaces, damn shame about the hair. I'm sure the coin was perfectly fine before the hair dresser came along.
LOL, are you sure it is not a Hobo Nickel? @IdesOfMarch01 , I wholeheartedly agree. Although I do not buy in the circles that you do, it is all the same: WHY would you TOOL something then GRADE it? Conundrum and a conflict to me.
I think this thread needs some untooled Caligulas so we can all de-stress, esp. after seeing that appalling thing that ro posted. I will start (no sestertius here, sorry! & not a good photo):
as a collector, i'd rather have a unretouched coin. but if peeps are paying those kinds of prices for tooled ones, what will become of them?
Agreed Caligula (37 - 41 A.D.) AE30 AS SEGOBRIGA, SPAIN O: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS IMP, laureate head left. R: SEGO BRIGA in wreath. Segobriga Mint 30.5mm 10.1g Burgos 1724
Good call to post untooled examples. Here's mine: Gaius Caligula, AD 37-41 Æ As, 29mm, 11.5g, 6h; Rome mint, AD 37-8 Obv.: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, bare head left. Rev.: VESTA above, S C across field, Vesta, veiled and draped, seated left on ornamental throne, holding patera and long transverse scepter.
Yeah, I did the GUE (Gooey) method for capturing mine: Go Ugly Early... But, HEY! I am not an Empire collector...