The worst reason for buying a coin

Today's arrival is a rather ordinary example of a somewhat boring coin. It is not exactly what I would have preferred but it is close to the Constantine II coin that was overstruck in the name of Magnentius to make last week's prize. Nitpikers among you will find a couple ways the new coin was not perfect for the purpose but it was the best I could find in the stock of VCoin dealers that I respect and patronize. I knew of a couple shortcomings and discovered another making the image. Educational! In came in no time flat, well packaged and with friendly service just as did the overtype Magnentius from an eBay seller last week. I am thankful neither belonged to the 'other kind' of seller.

I realized long ago that my coin collecting activities was something of an addiction and that my photography was similarly driven. Latest evidence is that I spent twice as much on a very ordinary coin of Constantine II just so I could make the image above. I have done that before on other coins. Such a comparison can make it easier to decipher the two events that led to the overstruck coin. Starting points are marked with yellow letters but anyone who cares to seek them out can find other match points.

I know some of you have worse reasons for buying a coin (at least reasons I would consider worse). This is not a contest but just realization that this is my hobby as I know it. Show a coin you did not buy for the best of reasons.

 

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Are there any bad reasons for buying a coin?

 

oh yeah, i remember that one. i think that's a perfectly good reason to buy that coin. honestly, i was having a hard time picking it out without the normal version.

well, i bought this coin so i would have something to post in a silly thread about "dongs"....







in the ancient catagory, i was at a coin show and by jove i was going to leave with something ancient...




slightly drunk...

 

I wanted to get a coin as a souvenir on a recent trip. I picked this one having done zero research on it.

I thought I was buying a Constantine the Great. Turns out I bought a Constantine II and overpaid for it to boot. Don't buy a coin just to buy a coin is the moral.

PS: I still love this coin so I can't really be too upset now can I

 

lmao!..."dongs" crack me up><

 

An overstruck coin seems like a good purchase to me.

I have a few that I purchased for questionable reasons especially late night after a day of BBQ and beer....I unknowingly/unconsciously typed in the wrong amount for a maximum bid on this denarius.....and I may have been drinking a little even then LOL

So, I overpaid for a overly worn denarius of Otho and the only solace I have is that it's a 'rarer' left-facing portrait

 

Well at least it's still a dang nice coin you goofed on.

 

I would say the only true "worst reason to buy a coin" is that you feel you have to. The mindset that someone else gets to dictate what you "must have for a set" is why I left US numismatics.

If you like a coin, for whatever reason, its never a "bad" reason to buy it.

 

in my early years i did nothing know about tooling
bad tooled coin, with some fakes i have bought in my begin years

That portret so bad tooled

 

And a stupid paduaner, what i saw for a real roman in my begin year

 

Way back in the day, I invented this thing called "SMACKDOWN" ... yah, it was on another coin-site

... anyway ...

The idea was that the winner of the previous round would decide what the next competition was gonna be ... well, somebody ended-up choosing "simpulum,lituus"

Yah, so I spent $75 that day just so I could enter the contest!!

Herennius Etruscus AR Antoninianus
simpulum,lituus



... that's a pretty weak reason ...

However, I still like the coin!!

 

one of these Nero bronzes( i don't remember which) was bought because i was messing with another bidder. i was on an auction Wanting to buy a Titus Bronze and had bid on the Nero too, but already had one and really at the time wasn't after it. both coins ended within minutes of each other and i kept edging the bid up on the Nero and after my last bid i waited for the others to come back..they didn't. Then the Titus went up and i didn't have the funds to buy both. Glad to have them now, but i still remember that little trick. Then there's the "must have" Demetrios P coin. one i paid over $70 for( in a little better condition) then the other i recently got for under $25. And the time i was going to get an Ivan the T denga and thought "hey, why not buy a bunch, sell'em" and keep "one". Here they are, the magnificent 7 still keeping each other company after all this time

 

Because I wanted another fouree.... :/

 

E

 

I had bought this half-follis of Maurice Tiberius:



I decided I wanted another coin of him with a nice portrait. Even though I was originally looking at bronze coins, I ended up buying a solidus:



I hadn't even planned on getting another gold coin. It just happened lol.

 

Lately, I've been collecting duplicates of types I already have. There is a list of criteria I consider when adding one:

1. Variant type or legend
2. Upgrade
3. Different style

The following Vespasian denarius was recently added because it is in a slightly different style than the first example I acquired of the Fortuna type.



I wanted it because it possesses 'Vitellian' like features, but not significantly so. Is the style different enough from my other example to keep? I don't know.



Not to mention, just last week I was able to acquire yet another coin of the type with very heavy 'Vitellian' features.




Sometimes I need to realise I don't have to purchase every coin I want to study!

 

yeah but.. then we wouldn't be able to play "pick the coin". and i'm pretty sure when you're done studying them you can get your money back if you so desire by putting them on the market..

 

Ptolemaic Kings of Egypt, Cleopatra III & Ptolemy IX Soter (Lathyros), 116 – 107 BC
Silver Tetradrachm, Alexandria Mint, 24mm, 14.11 grams
Obverse: Diademed head of Ptolemy I right wearing aegis.
Reverse: BASILEWS PTOLEMAIOY, Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, LQ in left field.
References:
Svoronos 1670 // SNG Copnhagen 353
Cost:
$475
Provenance:
CNG 258, June 2011, Lot 241

Worst reason? I dont remember. Not then and not now. At the time they were selling for $150 to $200. I dont even remember bidding on it, let alone a really high bid. I do remember being shocked when I got the invoice. I just have no idea why and perhaps that is the worst reason, when one doesnt remember or even know. Ah well. Its still a nice coin!

 

The worse and the best reason for buying any coin is just because!