A Crispus in Iffy Packaging...

Just got this in the mail today - another Crispus. My second one. It was another eBay gamble, but I think it worked out (for $4.99, $3.00 shipping).

What made me suspicious (and other bidders too, presumably, since I was the only bidder) was the "tourist packaging" which usually contains a fake coin. But this one looks real to me (as always, I welcome corrections). I haven't attributed it yet (LRB take me forever to figure out and I gotta go to work). I really like the workmanship and style on this one (that weird little arm and hand holding the spear, the gigantic ear - the altar is pretty neat-o too). I feel I am succumbing to LRB Fever.



Here is the packaging (and a an old £25 price tag):

 

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Looks good to me. Nice coin.

 

Oh! That little arm is making me nervous! But I know practically nothing so I'm waiting here with bated breath to hear what others have to say!

Edited to say: Whew! Someone says it looks good to them. That's good! Congratulations.

 

That's a nice coin for the price and a "win" in the gamble column! Congrats, a coin id be proud to have!

On the flip-side, I think an interesting thread would be "lost gambles" showing coins that we thought we a had a special insight into (because of the something we saw or a poor seller photo), and won the auction but lost the gamble... because the coin was junk just like everyone but you knew it was! Haha...

 

That looks perfectly fine to me and a bargain to boot!!!

 

A truly fantastic coin. Who doesn't love those little arms? One of those late Roman bronzes with the little arms is on my list. I've seen some rather comical ones that remind me of T-Rexes.

I also love the Roman coins with the extra long necks. They remind me of brontosaurus or other dinosaurs with extra long necks.

 

Looks just fine to me, and a nice coin, worth realistically up to about $60 (so you got a superb deal). What you have is a 'tourist' coin in its original packaging. Many years ago I visited Bath in England and in the gift shop they had many genuine coins like this for sale attached to cards just like this. It can be confusing, there are many museums which sell replicas, but many that sell genuine coins.

 

Little arms are good? And extra long necks? Ohh! I learned something else today! Wonderful. I'll have to keep my eye out for those.

 

Ebay does seem to yield some fantastic deals on LRBs. Great coin!

Mine cost me nearly 40 times what yours cost you, but I was happy to pay that. (See why?)

 

Nothing wrong with that. Great bargain! Nice coin!

 

Great coin @Marsyas Mike ! I'd take that one any day and what a steal! I'd probably pay upwards of $100 for that coin.

 

Ah, the "T-Rex Arm" period, a significant epoch of Numismatic Art. Here's Licinius II...



The only objection I have to that presentation is that the explanation of the circumstances between Crispus, Fausta, and Constantine is given with such Hollywood authority. We don't really know what happened, although what's printed on that card is a reasonable guess.

Great coin!

 

Is that a chi rho on the shield?? Nice coin

 

T-rex arms, haha. I've got one of Theodosius like that.

 

It is indeed! Thanks!

Warren Esty has a much nicer one. He says of it, "Coins of Crispus are common and this reverse type is common, but this variety with the chi-rho on the shield is extremely rare and desirable. None have been in major auctions for more than 30 years, if ever. The Hunter collection catalog, volume 5, illustrates one, in much worse condition than this one, and a recent book has an excellent example on the cover."

 

Cool coin, awesome price! There was no gamble in that price paid @Marsyas Mike !

@ancient coin hunter ... That BLUE!!! LOL

I only have one Crispus:


RI Crispus 317-326 CE AE Folles Caesar in Trier Campgate - Heraclea mint

 

Thank you all for your enthusiastic and helpful comments. As for "lost gambles" (thank you for the suggestion Orange Julius), I have made several over the years.

Here is a recent one. I paid $9.99 for this lot, hoping that Hadrian was genuine...I knew it was iffy, but...nope. It's a pot-metal fake. The other 2 were genuine if scruffy, and I had some fun figuring them out...the seller offered returns, has a ton of positive feedback (but doesn't deal ancients much), but I decided to keep 'em. I wasn't thrilled, but I wasn't infuriated either. I am a little embarrassed, perhaps...Hadrian's phoniness seems rather obvious to me now (these are the seller's photos). My biggest problem isn't eBay sellers, it is my tendency to talk myself into bidding.




My philosophy (if I may so dignify it) is to gamble only if you are having fun. If you get infuriated by a fake eBay purchase, stick with reliable dealers. I'm still having fun, so what the heck.

 

Is that a Chi Rho on the shield?

 

Oops. I guess that has already been determined to be a Chi Rho. Really exceptional coin. I wasn't sure that Crispus was particularly Christian.

 

Yeah, that's my weirdest photo. No idea why it came out so blue!